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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
The reason I chose a square was that whether I insert a square or a cylinder into a ceiling, it will make a square hole anyway. I know there are ways of fixing that, but I haven't yet had time to explore the hidden...
Forgive me if I am missing the point here as I have not studied the thread in detail. But if the idea is to create a circular cutout for an object in a ceiling, you will need to add a (circular) SVG cutout path to the object with the Furniture Library Editor.
Just noticed that a full circle is not really described in the mini-manual, but using the following staircase cutout path, should do the trick for a circle:
m 0,0.5 a .5,.5 0,0,0 1,0 a .5,.5 0,0,0 -1,0 z
The cutout above follows the edges of the model, and if the model is scaled with different proportions (oval), the cutout should follow the object.
A couple of additional notes for users who wish to explore the details of how this works (no need to read on for most users): - As far as I remember, it is not possible to add both light-source properties AND staircase properties to one object, which means that a cutout model needs to be used with a separate light source. - I also seem to remember that the ceiling cutout only works if there is a level above (?). - The path is not one circle, but two half arcs which for several reasons is the easiest way to create a full circle with the path command. - The SVG matrix used for SH3D is always 0,0 to 1,1. - The format for the Elliptical Arc in a path: - a rx,ry x-axis-rotation largearc-flag,sweep-flag,x,y - Where - - rx and ry are the x and y radii - - x-axis-rotation and largearc-flag make no difference in this case - - sweep-flag 0 indicates direction of the arc - - x and y are the end co-ordinates of the arc (relative to the starting point as a lower case a is used), - - z returns the path to the starting point (and may not be necessary in this case) - As lowercase letters (m,a,z) are used, the co-ordinates are relative, but SH3D can do absolute (capital letters) or a mix too. In fact, I think any thinkable valid SVG path will work. At least, I have not yet managed to come up with a path that SH3D did not handle (but only path - not other elements, like circle). - When I write above that one needs to use the Furniture Library Editor to create a path, that is actually not entirely true. In later versions of SH3D, there is the Home.xml file where it is possible (if maybe not advisable) to edit/add the cutout directly in the model where a cutout is indicated like this:
<pieceOfFurniture ....... staircaseCutOutShape='m 0,0.5 a .5,.5 0,0,0 1,0 a .5,.5 0,0,0 -1,0 z' ............../>
Denmark
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
@okh
(...) you will need to add a (circular) SVG cutout path to the object with the Furniture Library Editor
I must admit: I never bothered to even try using the Furniture Library Editor. I thought it was for editing or creating a furniture library ( as the name indicates), not for editing single furniture. I had already tried the textures library editor, and found that it could handle a too small number of textures for my use, and imagined ( obviously in error) that the Furniture library editor was a similar program, therefore of little value to me. I will surely change my mind now.
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
...the Furniture Library Editor. I thought it was for editing or creating a furniture library ( as the name indicates), not for editing single furniture.
First: Best of luck with the more important things in life, Cec.
In addition to Cec's useful tips, I add some reference links for those who have read this far and wants to play with custom models - and some expectation management may be in order. The Furniture Library Editor is indeed primarily for managing a library. But a few additional properties can be edited. Most notably the cut-out path, which is an editable field in the Editor but still requires some knowledge of SVG paths: SVG mini manual for SH3D and detail of paths in W3C: SVG Paths and MDN SVG paths.
A couple of words for those not familiar with model issues: SH3D reads different 3D model files: OBJ, DAE, 3DS, can be zipped in KMZ or ZIP. But these formats basically just describe the surfaces + textures/colours). SH3D, however, has additional properties that can be assigned to a model: who created it, whether it can be moved when plan is locked (movable), which icon to use in the 2D (viewplanIcon), whether it is a window / door / staircase, and if so, how the wall/ceiling/floor-above should be cut and whether a door-swing should be displayed in the 2D plan. See full list of properties
Not all of these properties are currently used by SH3D, but some are very useful. Favourites being the cut-out for stairs/doors/windows, letting a door window align to a wall with the frame outside the wall, door swing, multiple light sources in the model, and information that lets you add web links (basic html to a model in SH3D). The primary virtue of the Furniture Library Editor is that it creates a library of models in an SH3F file just by drag-dropping (multiple) models into the list. And will let you edit some properties.
However, playing with more advanced properties, you need to extract the PluginFurnitureCatalog.properties file from the .sh3f file (which is a zipped file), default catalogue looks like this: DefaultFurnitureCatalog.properties
With the help of the above links, it is possible to enter additional SH3D properties (not supported by the 3D files alone). Maybe not straightforward for normal use, and the properties themselves can be confusing. Which I beleive why it is kept out of the normal SH3D interface. Still, I really would not mind if there was an advanced button within SH3D or the Editor that brought up the properties list with all properties directly (just a text file if need be) as it would speed up the process of creating custom models. But I also see the point that it would probably be pretty confusing in the context of 'normal' SH3D use.
For the brave, who wants to skip the Furniture Library Editor and edit properties in Home.xml, a quick word of warning: the format used for the properties is not always the same (e.g. radians instead of degrees for door swing).
Denmark
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
@OKH
Of course, the important things in life... thanx
I have tried the Furniture Editor now, and managed to create a pipe with a circular cut-out, using your coordinates.
BUT: I probably did something wrong at some point, as it appears the cut-out follows both the outer and the inner circle after being sloped. So I ended up inserting an invisible object into the centre of the pipe, to open up for the light. This can probably be done easier with the DefaultFurnitureCatalog.properties, so maybe exploring the DefaultFurnitureCatalog.properties shall be upgraded to one of the "important things in life"...
A nice detail with most downlights, is that they can be angled and pointing in different directions, which is nice when you want to eliminate shadows. Being left handed, I know the problem only too well: Windows are always on the left side of the classrooms. Well, what I wanted to say was that inserting a light source into a sloped pipe can be a trial – which I have approached like this:
By texturing the pipe with a see-thru texture, it's easy to place the light source inside it. I often use this technique for placing light sources inside objects.
Another thing I like to mention while I'm at it: We don't actually need a downlight to place light sources in the ceiling. We just need a hole in the ceiling. As long as we use hollow floor separators, we can place our light sources in the hollow area, and let it shine through the holes – round or square doesn't really matter.
Here is an example:
And this is how it renders:
Okay...
cec
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[Edit 1 times,
last edit by Ceciliabr at Sep 29, 2017, 12:10:54 AM]
Western Europa
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
Great design cec !
the ground shines really . Watch out for wet feet...
it looks like the shower floats above the floor (2nd picture), no ?
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Evil progresses when good people do nothing! --- SH3D 7.1 and nothing else - W11 64b in 4K
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
I keep seeing that kid in the sidebag whenever my neighbour fires up his Harley. Not a bad thought...
..nice detail with most downlights, is that they can be angled and pointing in different directions...
Yes, that is why all downlights here are directed towards my better half's wardrobe while mine is left in darkness...
Thanks for this. Your technique is interesting. And design is very nice. It seems the cutout is less important than I thought in terms of using lights placed above the ceiling. Still, in the normal 3D view the ceiling is visible inside the lamp, whereas with the cutout it is not. But for rendering it seems your way of doing it saves the detour. I put a quick experiment with and without cutout in SourceForge 3D models 400 with the lamps from thread 7108.
And just to complete the cutouts for reference with SVG file for visualisation: Pink: M 0,0.5 A .5,.5 0,0,0 1,.5 a .5,.5 0,0,0 -1,0 z Red dash: m 0,0.5 a .5,.5 0,0,0 1,0 a .5,.5 0,0,0 -1,0 z (pink is absolute, red dash is relative - shape is the same) Blue (rounded corners): m 0,0.2 a .2,.2 0,0,1 .2,-.2 h.6 a .2,.2 0,0,1 .2,.2 v .6 a .2,.2 0,0,1 -.2,.2 h-.6 a .2,.2 0,0,1 -.2,-.2 z Green (circle cut 10% from edge): m .1,.5 a .4,.4 0,0,0 .8,0 a .4,.4 0,0,0 -.8,0 z ok
Denmark
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Re: How to create a down light embedded in the ceiling
@bdfd
it looks like the shower floats above the floor (2nd picture), no ?
You are right, and you are truly a master of observation! You see, I really didn't think it made any difference, since the discussion was about downlights – but I shall definitely make an effort to avoid making any equally disturbing blunders in the future.
. 
