export to image --> how to set the scale?

[Zem]

Hi

First, DesignWorkshop light is great! I have to generate some isometric graphics and this is the only program that I found useable for this and comprehensible at the same time.

Now, to my problem: I need to export these graphics to a bitmap format and then edit them further in the painting software gimp.
But for this all the bitmaps need to have the same scale.

When I "Export 2d" a rendered scene to a pixel image, how can I set the scale of the picture, i.e. 1 meter=123pixel (for lines that are orthogonal to the viewer)

Alternatively, how can I set a specific zoom factor in DesignWorkshop, so the pictures I export would at least always have the same scale?

I already found out how to set a certain viewpoint angle by fidling with the "EyePoint" property of a view in the dw-file. But I cannot figure out how to set the zoom factor.

Thanks for any help!

[Mike Wheeler]

Dear Zem,

For axonometric views, so long as the zoom percentage is the same and the resolution of the exported image is the same, the scale will be the same for all images from the same model.

There is not a direct way to set the scale to 1 meter = 123 pixels, but you can adjust the zoom percentage or image resolution until you achieve the scale you want and then use those settings for the rest of your images.

If you are exporting from multiple models of various sizes, you can make them match by adding a big block that is bigger than the extents of all the models you are working on. Add this block to each model, save, and reopen the file. what constitute 100% zoom is recalculated each time you open a model based on the overall size of the model. Since the overall size of all the models now matches it will be the same. You can then hide the block and export your images.

Please let us know whenever you have further questions.

Best wishes,

Mike Wheeler
support@artifice.com

[Zem]

Hi,
Thanks for your response!
Adding a bigger block is a good idea, but even with that I seem to have trouble setting a specific zoom factor.

The only way I found to change the zoom seems to be dragging the mouse, and the zoom also seems to change a bit inconsistently, for example if I resize the window, and then resize it back, the zoom factor might change but not the percentage displayed.
And if I switch to "lights and textures" view, sometimes the zoom will be smaller and sometimes not.


But if I understand you correctly, I can close the file, reopen it, change the window to fullscreen and render it, and the zoom will always be the same, as long as the biggest block stays the same?
In that case I could probably set the scale with the export image size only.

[Mike Wheeler]

Zem,

You can set the zoom numerically by double-clicking the zoom percentage number and entering the zoom percentage you want.

The extent of 100% zoom will remain the same upon reopening so long as the overall dimensions of the model have not changed, so the big block works for this case as well.

Mike Wheeler