LightOptions object

The LightOptions object stores settings that control how objects are lit when the renderStyle is set to SHADED. LightOptions objects are accessed in one of two ways:

  • The default light options. These settings are used as defaults when you start a session and by the Defaults button on the Light Options dialog box.

  • The light options associated with a particular viewport.

The LightOptions object has no constructor; Abaqus creates the defaultLightOptions member when a session is started. When a new viewport is created, the lightOptions member is copied from the current viewport.

This page discusses:

Access

session.defaultLightOptions
session.viewports[name].lightOptions

setValues(...)

This method modifies the LightOptions object.

Required arguments

None.

Optional arguments

shading

A SymbolicConstant specifying the shading technique that should be used to fill facets for geometric bodies when renderStyle =SHADED. The lighting of facets for meshed geometry is not affected by this setting. Possible values are:

  • GOURAUD, specifying that lighting values should be computed for each corner of a facet and interpolated to fill the remainder of the facet.

  • PHONG, specifying that lighting values should be computed for each pixel of a facet.

The default value is GOURAUD.

When set to shading =GOURAUD, lighting values are computed for each corner of a facet and the lighting for the remainder of the facet is interpolated from the corner values. When shading =PHONG, lighting values are computed for each pixel of a facet.

Note:

The shading technique can only be set to PHONG when the shadersAvailable member of GraphicsOptions is True.

Printed output will only contain Phong shading if the output format is raster and the accelerateOffScreen member of GraphicsOptions is ON.

The renderStyle setting is part of AssemblyDisplayOptions, PartDisplayOptions, and various other options objects not listed here since they are generally used for meshed geometry.

viewpoint

A SymbolicConstant specifying how specular highlights should be calculated. Possible values are:

  • INFINITE, specifying that a constant vector should be used for the direction from the camera to a vertex when computing specular highlights.

  • LOCAL, specifying that the vector from the camera to each vertex should be calculated when computing specular highlights.

The default value is INFINITE.

When set to viewpoint =INFINITE, a constant vector is used for the direction from the camera (viewpoint) to a vertex. When viewpoint =LOCAL, the result is more realistic because the actual vector from the camera to each vertex is calculated. However, overall performance is decreased.

ambientColor

A String specifying the light applied evenly to the entire scene independent of any individual light. The initial value is 20% gray. A list of valid color strings is in the colors map in the session object.

materialShininess

A Float specifying the degree to which specular reflection is focused. The higher the materialShininess argument, the more focused the specular highlight. Possible values are 0.0 ≤  polygonOffsetConstant  ≤ 128.0. The default value is 105.0.

Return value

None.

Exceptions

RangeError.

Members

The LightOptions object has the following members:

shading

A SymbolicConstant specifying the shading technique that should be used to fill facets for geometric bodies when renderStyle =SHADED. The lighting of facets for meshed geometry is not affected by this setting. Possible values are:

  • GOURAUD, specifying that lighting values should be computed for each corner of a facet and interpolated to fill the remainder of the facet.

  • PHONG, specifying that lighting values should be computed for each pixel of a facet.

The default value is GOURAUD.

When set to shading =GOURAUD, lighting values are computed for each corner of a facet and the lighting for the remainder of the facet is interpolated from the corner values. When shading =PHONG, lighting values are computed for each pixel of a facet.

Note:

The shading technique can only be set to PHONG when the shadersAvailable member of GraphicsOptions is True.

Printed output will only contain Phong shading if the output format is raster and the accelerateOffScreen member of GraphicsOptions is ON.

The renderStyle setting is part of AssemblyDisplayOptions, PartDisplayOptions, and various other options objects not listed here since they are generally used for meshed geometry.

viewpoint

A SymbolicConstant specifying how specular highlights should be calculated. Possible values are:

  • INFINITE, specifying that a constant vector should be used for the direction from the camera to a vertex when computing specular highlights.

  • LOCAL, specifying that the vector from the camera to each vertex should be calculated when computing specular highlights.

The default value is INFINITE.

When set to viewpoint =INFINITE, a constant vector is used for the direction from the camera (viewpoint) to a vertex. When viewpoint =LOCAL, the result is more realistic because the actual vector from the camera to each vertex is calculated. However, overall performance is decreased.

materialShininess

A Float specifying the degree to which specular reflection is focused. The higher the materialShininess argument, the more focused the specular highlight. Possible values are 0.0 ≤  polygonOffsetConstant  ≤ 128.0. The default value is 105.0.

lights

A LightArray object of length 8.

ambientColor

A String specifying the light applied evenly to the entire scene independent of any individual light. The initial value is 20% gray. A list of valid color strings is in the colors map in the session object.