Screwy Shadows... what's going on???

[rbrodie]

Just when I think I'm getting somewhere, my shadows start acting up...

Any ideas???

[COLOR=blue](Please see 2 illustrated pics... and the plan itself, if someone wishes to see more.)[/COLOR]

Thanks to whoever may be able to help me!

Robert

[rbrodie]

When I drew my parapet stucco'd bollards in an elevation view (just as described in my CA Training Video #556), for some unknown reason the drawn polyline appeared in plan view on Level 1 (even though the polyline was drawn in the elevation view at Level 3).

I thought that it was very strange that the polyline was only viewable on Level 1 instead of Level 3 --- but since the polyline appeared in the model overview on Level 3 where I wanted it, I continued creating my model anyway.

But when I drew the parapet white railing in the elevation on Level 3, this white railing DID appear in the plan view on Level 3.

So thinking about the fact that the particular shadows which are missing are those that should be projected on the ground by the stucco'd bollards, could it be because some computer glitch occured when those polyline bollards mysteriously only showed in plan view on Level 1 ????

However, this does not explain why only 1 column on the roof projects a shadow --- or why other shadow projections on the ground seem to ignore the roof coverings over the outside balconies.

(Do I need to sacrifice 3 dragonfiles under a full moon at the strike of 12 in order to get all this to work right?)

[RMorrison]

I'm afraid only Lamont Cranston will be able to help you on this. He's the only one who knows.

[George Godwin]

Richard, - Your answer is not in the Manual and I think you are aging yourself. I didn't even know who Lamont Cranston was and so I looked it up. Heard about the Shadow though. Info attached.

[Chiefer]

Robert

I raytraced your scene and found no glitch. try to check your render settings under preferences.

[rbrodie]

Robert

I raytraced your scene and found no glitch. try to check your render settings under preferences.

Wow Chiefer, thank you!!!!!!

(Guess you can tell I'm a Newbie... anyway, wasn't sure where I could find a dragonfly if I was going to need one.)

Thanks again!

Robert

[rbrodie]

Robert

I raytraced your scene and found no glitch. try to check your render settings under preferences.

Chiefer, I'm back again (and may still need a dragonfly).

I did a raytrace and --- sure enough --- the shadows showed correctly.

But then I went to my Preferences / Render dbx and still cannot seem to get my file to show the shadows correctly in the everyday "Render Full Overview" command.

Is this a glitch in the current Chief 10.08 ?

Wondering...

[rbrodie]

I am noticing that my "Light Specifications" dbx is no longer available to me in the posted file... the "yellow light-bulb" icon instead will bring up an 'Adjust Lights" dbx which lists some ceiling fans on the exterior porches, as well as some wall-mounted lanterns.

I then opened a different plan file for a completely different project and gladly noticed that the "yellow light-bulb" icon still gives me the "Light Speicifications" dbx (where, as you all know, it gives the option to change the angle of the shadows on the ground).

Could there be a problem with the file that I have posted?

In other words, isn't the fact that I can't adjust the angle of shadows in the posted file possibly indicating that something is amiss???

Thanks for any additional help about all this.

Robert

[rbrodie]

I am running Windows Professional XP, SP2.

My graphics card is an NVIDIA Quadro FX-1400.

Intel Pentium(R) 4 CPU at 3.00GHz.

3.00 GB RAM.

[Chiefer]

Robert,

-Open a new plan, re-adjust your render settings under preferences, save it as your default profile (art>templates)

-Adjust lights icon will not appear when you’re in “render view” instead go to 3D> Adjust lights>select any light>adjust.

[Dean]

[COLOR="Red"]"Is this a glitch in the current Chief 10.08 ?"[/COLOR]

NO

It is a problem (function?) with(of?) Open GL video systems in general.

Shadows in Open GLare created when a light source is blocked by the FRONT FACE (+) of a surface. Be aware that the BACK FACE (-) of a surface does not block a light source.

The Raytraced Views (not rendered with Open GLare) recognize a surface from either side when it comes to shadows, but there is really a + side and a - side to each surface. Of course, we hope this is a "right handed thumbs up" in the CAD world!

[Dean]

As this picture might illustrate, the shadows do the same thing from underneath.

This tells me that the surfaces for the ceilings and the floors might actually be facing the interior of the building even though they have an outward appearance showing they exist.

Dean

[Allen42acj]

Not a shadow answer..
Railing walls are faster than the way you did it..

[rbrodie]

Allen,

I considered this avenue... but there is going to be a roof-top gazebo structure in the center of the roof surface (where the 4 taller columns are located).

If I use the railing walls technique as shown, won't that mess me up when I deal with the 4 tall columns?

Am still learning the ins and outs of all this.

Thanks.

Robert

[rbrodie]

Robert,

-Open a new plan, re-adjust your render settings under preferences, save it as your default profile (art>templates)

-Adjust lights icon will not appear when you’re in “render view” instead go to 3D> Adjust lights>select any light>adjust.

Chiefer,

My posted file was created from a special template.

So I went into the template itself and discovered that something had happened to it. So I went into the backup directory and saved the backedup template as the current template.

All well and good --- and anything made in the repaired template shows shadows just fine... and my "yellow light-bulb" icon shows the "Lighting Specifications" just fine too!

All well and good: [COLOR=blue]EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO TRANSFER MY HOUSE DESIGN INTO A COPY OF MY REPAIRED TEMPLATE.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=blue][/COLOR]
[COLOR=purple]Is it possible in Chief to "copy /paste" a house from one file into a brand new file? Or will I have to redraw the house all over again?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#800080][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black](Gulp.)[/COLOR]