Getting Started with PhotoView 360 in SolidWorks 2011

Thank you for participating in the SolidWorks 2011 Beta program. Below are a few general pointers to get you started with PhotoView 360 in SolidWorks 2011:

1. PhotoView 360 is now integrated into SolidWorks and is an add-in. This means you turn it on using Tools -> Add-Ins… and checking PhotoView 360 in the Add-Ins dialog.
   
   
2. Most of the functionality to set up a rendering (appearances, decals and scenes) is now core SolidWorks functionality. What you see in SolidWorks Graphics is essentially what you will get when you render using PhotoView 360.
   
   
3. The basic workflow is that you add appearances and decals, select the scene you want then render.
   
   
4. It is recommended that, before you commit to the final rendering, you verify the changes you make using the preview window. This is especially true for changes involving the PhotoView 360 only, advanced controls in appearances, scenes, decals and SolidWorks lights. Note that changes to these controls update in real time in the preview window. If you are unsure what a control does you can easily learn its effect by making a change then seeing that change update in real time using the preview window.
   
   
5. By default PhotoView 360 uses the lighting in the scene as the only source of illumination in the rendering. The scene lighting is defined by the HDRI image used as the scene environment (note there are many online resources for information regarding HDRI illumination). You can control the brightness of the scene lighting using the controls on the Illumination tab of the Scene Property Manager (requires PhotoView 360 add-in; verify the changes in real time using the preview window). Often scene lighting is the only lighting required in a rendering (it was the only lighting available in previous versions of PhotoView 360).
   
   
6. You can now add SolidWorks lights to your renderings (i.e. point, spot and directional lights). SolidWorks Lights can be on/off in SolidWorks graphics and they can be on/off in the PhotoView 360 rendering. By default all SolidWorks lights are off in PhotoView 360 (by default only the scene illumination is used in PhotoView 360); you must turn the SolidWorks light on in PhotoView 360 and set the PhotoView Brightness to see the effect of the light in your rendering. PhotoView Brightness along with shadow and fog controls are found on the PhotoView tab of the light’s Property Manager. Be careful when adding SolidWorks lights; they are commonly only needed to illuminate an occluded cavity in the model and it is very easy to over illuminate a rendering.
   
   

This should be a good over view to get you started. We look forward to hearing your comments on the changes made in SolidWorks 2011 for PhotoView 360.

Marlon B.

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