[brodie_geers]

I've noticed that a 2d elevation rendering camera in sketchup doesn't translate into a 2d Maxwell camera. Is that a limitation somehow or a plugin error?

-Brodie

[JDHill]

It's a limitation: Maxwell doesn't have any 2D camera. There are pseudo-2D view options in Studio, which are accomplished by the trick of using a very long lens, and restricting camera navigation such that it always remains orthogonal to the specified plane.

The way to do this in SketchUp is to not use a Parallel projection; rather, use a Perspective camera with FOV of 1.0°. Make sure, also, to set an appropriate fStop and focal distance.

[brodie_geers]

What would be nice is if you set SU to 2d projection and say did a Front view, it would export to Studio as a Front view (as in Camera Parameters -> Types -> Projection -> Front). I've used the method you're talking about but currently I'm trying to match up my rendered elevations to DWG elevations so that I can replace the actual building but maintain the notes, elevation lines, etc. Faking it with a long camera isn't precise enough for that sort of thing. My understanding is that using studio's Projection -> Front option should be. Am I wrong?

-Brodie

[JDHill]

There's really no answer to that -- Studio's views may be close enough for your purposes, or they may not; it simply depends upon your requirements. They do not, at any rate, invent a parallel projection capability within Maxwell -- cameras here are always physical 3D cameras. If Studio gets you closer than SketchUp, that would have to be because SketchUp doesn't allow you to work with a FOV less than 1.0°.

[brodie_geers]

I'm not sure if this is a question for you but can you explain in a bit more detail what's actually going on when you click Projection -> Front? It doesn't give you any camera properties when you do that, but it sounds like you're saying that it does apply some sort of (standard?) camera properties. Do we know what those specific properties are?

-Brodie

[JDHill]

No, I don't really know much more about how it works than you do, but from observation, it should be safe to assume that Studio:

- makes a new camera, which is not added to the list
- sets that camera's axis to lie along one of the x, y, or z axes
- gives the camera a very long lens and sets its focal distance
- puts restrictions on possible camera movement (i.e. only zoom & pan are allowed)

As far as parameters being greyed-out, that would have to be because with most of them, any changes you would make manually would defeat the whole point of ever providing these specialized modes in the first place.

[brodie_geers]

Just did a test and SU's parallel projection matches Maxwell's Projection -> Front pretty much perfectly (i'd have to do more detailed tests to see how perfect). Regardless, I guess my request still remains for SU's parallel projection to be able to export as Projection -> Front in Maxwell. Even if it's not a 1 to 1 situation, it would be a dramatic improvement over what currently gets exported when SU is in 2d mode.

-Brodie

[Richard]

I always thought the 2d projection in studio gave pretty much spot on results? Would be great to add that as an option!

[fv]

I would really like it if in Studio you could have the camera's Y axis constraint in relation to the focus point. That way verticals would stay straight even when you move your camera up. Now I always have to type the same parameters in two seperate boxes.
But that's Studio, I better send NL a mail about this feature request.
Francois

[JDHill]

Well nothing about that, but keep an eye on all this other stuff (and SU 2-Point Perspective mode, as well) in the next build...I did manage to find a couple of missing and poorly-documented pieces to the puzzle buried deep in the SU SDK.