Trick to create 2D vector drawings with lighting

VisualARQ provides the Hidden display mode from which it is possible to print the 3D model shown in plan, section or 3D view directly to vector outupt, for printing 2D drawings or creating good quality vector PDF results. The Hidden display however doesn’t have lighting effects on the page result (shadows, textures, lights, etc..) This tip shows how to create 2D vector drawings with lighting, by mixing 2 Detail views, each one using a different display mode.
  1. Create a new page layout (with 1 Detail view, for example).
  2. Double click inside the Detail view to show the model in Plan view, Section View or 3D view inside. Use the Set Plan View to Viewport button in Level Manager, or the Set Section View to Viewport button in Section Manager to show specific plan or section view respectively. These buttons will automatically switch the display to Hidden.
  3. In any case, make sure you are using the Hidden display mode inside the detail.
  4. Double click to exit the Detail Edit.
  5. Select the Detail object (by picking its boundary) and make a Copy in place (run the Copy command, and select the option In Place in the Command line).
  6. Select one of the two copies of the detail, click inside to edit it and from the top left viewport menu, change the display mode to Rendered, Realistic or Artic, for example.
  7. Edit the display mode to turn off the edges in projection and those clipped. This will avoid having duplicated edges at for the final result:
    • Object edges: go to Rhino Tools > Options > View > Display modes > (select the display mode used in the Detail and scroll down at its settings to find the Surface edge settings and set the edge thickness to 0.
    • Clipped edges: go to Rhino Tools > Options > View > Display modes > (select the display mode used in the Detail), and scroll down at its settings to find the Clipping plane objects and turn the Show edges off.
  8. Print the page layout!

Note

Remember that you can assign section attributes to geometry from the Section icon in the Rhino Properties panel, or in case of VisualARQ objects, from the styles dialog of each object type, under the Attributes tab.