Hide Table of Contents

Rendering with PhotoView 360

PhotoView 360 is a SOLIDWORKS add-in that produces photo-realistic renderings of SOLIDWORKS models. The rendered image incorporates the appearances, lighting, scene, and decals included with the model. PhotoView 360 is available with SOLIDWORKS Professional or SOLIDWORKS Premium.

Workflow

  1. With a model open, click Tools > Add-In and add in PhotoView 360.
  2. Start a preview in the graphics area or open the Preview window to see how changes you make to the model affect the rendering.
  3. Edit appearances, the scene, and decals.
  4. Edit lights.
    By default, lighting is off in PhotoView. With lights off, you can use the realistic lighting provided by scenes, which is usually sufficient for rendering. You typically need additional lighting in PhotoView to illuminate occluded spaces in the model.
  5. Edit PhotoView Options.
  6. When you are ready, perform a final render either now (PhotoView > Final Render) or later (PhotoView > Schedule Render).
  7. Make detailed adjustments in the Final Render Window.

Contents

  • Improving Rendering Performance

  • Previewing Renders

    PhotoView provides two ways to preview renders: in the graphics area (Integrated Preview) and in a separate window (Preview Window). Both methods help you assess changes quickly before performing a full render. Because updates are continuous, you can experiment with controls that affect rendering without fully understanding the purpose of each control. When you are satisfied with the settings, you can perform a full render.

  • PhotoView 360 Render Region

    You can define a region of the SOLIDWORKS graphics area for preview or final rendering.

  • Caustics

    When light refracts through or reflects off of a surface, these bent rays are focused together, creating a bright pattern referred to as a caustic.

  • Cartoon Rendering with PhotoView 360

    You can use cartoon rendering to make the model rendering appear hand drawn.

  • PhotoView 360 Options

    The PhotoView 360 Options PropertyManager controls settings for PhotoView 360, including output image size and render quality.

  • Final Render Window

    You can use the Final Render window to make detailed adjustments to your renders, compare two renders, and view rendering statistics.

  • Network Rendering

    To accelerate render times, SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services customers can share the effort of rendering in PhotoView 360 across multiple computers.

  • Render Tools Toolbar

  • Scheduled Rendering

  • File Types for Rendered Images and Animations

    You can save rendered images as a variety of different file types, each with different properties.



Provide feedback on this topic

SOLIDWORKS welcomes your feedback concerning the presentation, accuracy, and thoroughness of the documentation. Use the form below to send your comments and suggestions about this topic directly to our documentation team. The documentation team cannot answer technical support questions. Click here for information about technical support.

* Required

 
*Email:  
Subject:   Feedback on Help Topics
Page:   Rendering with PhotoView 360
*Comment:  
*   I acknowledge I have read and I hereby accept the privacy policy under which my Personal Data will be used by Dassault Systèmes

Print Topic

Select the scope of content to print:

x

We have detected you are using a browser version older than Internet Explorer 7. For optimized display, we suggest upgrading your browser to Internet Explorer 7 or newer.

 Never show this message again
x

Web Help Content Version: SOLIDWORKS 2015 SP05

To disable Web help from within SOLIDWORKS and use local help instead, click Help > Use SOLIDWORKS Web Help.

To report problems encountered with the Web help interface and search, contact your local support representative. To provide feedback on individual help topics, use the “Feedback on this topic” link on the individual topic page.

10.20.4