Toolbar: Rendering > Render Settings ()
Menu: View > Rendering > Render Settings
Keyboard: SETRENDER
Alias: RPREF
Defines the settings used to render images, such as smoothing, base materials, and shadow resolution. The changes you make to these settings do not apply immediately to an image that you have already created; you must use the Render or Full Render command again to see your changes. Render settings are saved in the drawing file. To revert all render settings to their default values, click Reset All on the Render Settings dialog box.
The presentation of some model images, especially mechanical models, is more attractive when displayed on a base. The program automatically creates a base for images when you use the Render and Full Render commands, but base materials are only applied when you use Full Render. The program calculates the default base size from the extent of the model, which is like an imaginary box around all the entities. Shadows of the entity can be projected onto the base, or the base can be made reflective to mirror an image of the model.
TIP Avoid using shadows until you need them, because they consume a lot of memory, especially in models with glass or mirror. To preview shadows, try reducing the shadow resolution. Doing so may produce a coarse-looking shadow boundary, but lets you quickly set up lights and shadows just before creating a final, high-quality image.
On the Render Settings dialog box, click the Rendering tab to set up global rendering properties.
DIALOG BOX OPTIONS
Clear Screen Before Render Clears the viewport before rendering. If the box is not checked (off), you see the wireframe model as it renders. The default is checked (on).
Enable Smoothing Smoothes curves in the rendered image to make it look more realistic. Turning it off (unchecking the box) speeds up the rendering process, but makes any curved meshes in the image look faceted. The default is checked.
Double Sided Indicates whether rendering ignores (hides) the back faces of surfaces. Surfaces are defined as front or back faces, depending on the order in which the vertices that define the surface are placed. Vertices placed in counterclockwise order define a back face; vertices placed in clockwise order define a front face. Turning this option off can speed up rendering on large models, but may cause undesirable results. The default is checked.
Update Every Render Uses the latest information in the drawing for each rendering. If you turn this option off, changes you make to the drawing are ignored. Each time you render the image, it will look the same as it did before you turned this setting off. The default is checked.
To select a material for the base, click Edit Material , and then choose the base material you want and click OK. Next, adjust the Material Scale to create the surface texture you want by entering a value in the field. The smaller the scale value, the denser the pattern or texture. You can make the base larger or smaller by dragging the slider left or right, or you can turn the base off by clicking the Enable Base check box.
DIALOG BOX OPTIONS
Material Scale Scales the material swatch to fill the base area. The higher the scale value, the larger and coarser the material pattern; the lower the scale value, the smaller and denser the pattern. The default scale is 1.0.
Edit Material Lets you choose the base material. Select from the list of displayed material types. These materials are bitmap swatches that are scaled to fit the model base when you use Full Render. The default material is Dark Stone.
Base Size Sets the relative size of the model base. Adjust the base size by dragging the slider left (smaller) or right (larger). The program calculates the default base size by determining the extent of your model along the x,y-axes and adding a small percentage to the area. The larger the base, the wider the area around the model; the smaller the base, the narrower the area around the model. The smallest base size covers the area below the extent of the model.
Enable Base Turns the automatic model base on or off for rendered images. Use this option to turn the base off for models that do not need a base, such as an image of a flying aircraft or a space vehicle. The default is on.
To adjust shadows, click the Shadows tab on the Render Settings dialog box, and then drag the Shadow Resolution slider left or right. To turn all shadows off, click Enable Shadows.
DIALOG BOX OPTIONS
Shadow Resolution Sets the relative resolution of shadows in rendered images. To adjust the shadow resolution, drag the slider left (lower) or right (higher). The lower the resolution, the coarser the edges of shadows; the higher the resolution, the finer the edges of shadows. Setting the shadow resolution to Low can speed up rendering on larger, more complex models. The default resolution is medium (the midpoint of the slider).
Enable Shadows Turns shadows on or off for rendered images. Turning shadows off can speed up rendering significantly. The default is on.
To export rendered images, click the Export tab on the Render Settings dialog box. Enter a file name and extension (the extension determines the file format), set the width and height, and then click either the Render or Full Render tool to begin exporting. The file is rendered as it is exported. The following file formats and extensions are supported: Windows Bitmap (*.bmp), PostScript (*.ps), and TIFF (*.tif)
DIALOG BOX OPTIONS
File Name Determines the name, location, and format of the rendered image file to export. To find a location and file name, or to select a file type, click Browse
Width Sets the height of the image in pixels.
Height Sets the width of the image in pixels.
Render To File Choose Render or Full Render to determine how the model is rendered and export the image.
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