| Cadvance OpenGL Viewer Technical Overview |
What is the Cadvance OpenGL Viewer
The OpenGL Viewer is a plug-in utility that displays a Cadvance 3D model using OpenGL application functions included with Win 95 and Win NT 4.0. In order for this product to work properly, the file OpenGL32.dll must be installed in the Windows System directory. The rendered view generated from the Cadvance 3D model, is displayed in a separate window from that of the Cadvance editor. The active Cadvance editing window is rendered.
The following rendering was created using the Cadvance rendering utility. The smaller window was rendered using the OpenGL Viewer. The OpenGL viewer has a number of advantages over using the Cadvance rendering function.
Rendered surfaces are rendered more smoothly using the viewer. Rendering can occur during drawing or design. In addition to saving to the clipboard, rendered images can be printed or saved to files. Toolbars or floating windows do not have to be removed before rendering as required by the Cadvance rendering function.
Views are refreshed automatically as they are drawn when the Auto Refresh mode is active. The Cadvance station and focal points are used to set the starting views. You can also activate an automatic mode which allows panoramic views as well as walking around the focal point. Images can be printed, saved or copied to the clipboard. The background color for views is determined by the corresponding color used in Cadvance.
Nested symbols are not supported in this version. Currently there is also no support for multiple light sources nor materials or textures.
To activate the OpenGL Viewer, you must be in 3D mode. Select the viewer function on the Utility/Application menu. The viewer will appear as a floating window on top of Cadvance's editing window.
To activate options menu, press the right button of the mouse when the cursor is over the viewing window. Menu items with checkmarks are currently active.
The default view is visible layers only. When All is checked all layers will be made visible in the rendered view.
Auto Mode functions provide automatic refresh of the current view. Refresh mode refreshes every second. Any action in the Cadvance editing window will be displayed in the viewer window. Walk Around rotates the view around the focal point. Panoramic view rotates the view around the station point. The radius used is the distance between the station point and the focal point.
Selecting the save function will activate file save dialog box. Currently BMP files are only supported.
Selecting the print function will activate printer dialog box.
Selecting the copy function will place the rendered image into the Windows clipboard. The image can then be pasted into other applications for editing or display.
There are a number of rendering modes available to the user. The default is front and back fill face rendering.
Turning off the front and back back fill, face rendering will result in the following. The front face is determined by the clockwiseness of the vertices.
There are a number of lighting modes available to the user. The default is using the Cadvance lighting vector. The light vector is changed by using the Cadvance render function light vector editor.
When the default light is turned off, the lighting will be ambient only.
The Lighting Editor will change the color values of the light source. To activate the light editor select the OpenGL/Lights menu function. The red, green and blue components of the light can be set using this utility.
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Updated: January 25, 2001 To get more information about EMIS based products
