Raytracing Workbench: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:21, 3 May 2019

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Points Workbench

Reverse Engineering Workbench

Index

Introduction

The Raytracing Workbench is used to generate photorealistic images of your models by processing them with an external renderer.

The Raytracing Workbench works with templates, which are project files that define a scene for your 3D model. You can place lights and geometry such as ground planes, and it also contains placeholders for the position of the camera, and for the material information of the objects in the scene. The project can then be exported to a ready-to-render file, or be rendered directly within FreeCAD.

Currently, two renderers are supported: povray and luxrender. To be able to render from within FreeCAD, at least one of these programs must be installed and configured in your system. However, if no renderer is installed, you will still be able to export a project file to be rendered at another time.

A new Render Workbench has been in development to support multiple back-ends such as Lux Renderer and Yafaray. Information for using the development version can be viewed at Render project. For development status of the Render Module look into the Raytracing project.

Typical workflow

Create or open a FreeCAD project, add some solid objects (Part-based or PartDesign-based); meshes are currently not supported.
Create a Raytracing project (povray or luxrender).
Select the objects that you wish to add to the Raytracing project and add them.
Export the project file or render it directly.

Workflow of the Raytracing Workbench; the workbench prepares a project file from a given template, and then calls an external program to produce the actual rendering of the scene. The external renderer can be used independently of FreeCAD.

Tools

Project tools

These are the main tools for exporting your 3D work to external renderers.

New PovRay project: Insert new PovRay project in the document
New LuxRender project: Insert new LuxRender project in the document
Insert part: Insert a view of a Part in a raytracing project
Reset camera: Matches the camera position of a raytracing project to the current view
Export project: Exports a raytracing project to a scene file for rendering in an external renderer
Render: Renders a raytracing project with an external renderer

Utilities

These are helper tools to perform specific tasks manually.

Export view to povray: Write the active 3D view with camera and all its content to a povray file
Export camera to povray: Export the camera position of the active 3D view in POV-Ray format to a file
File:Raytracing Part.png Export part to povray: Write the selected Part (object) as a povray file

Preferences

Preferences: Preferences available in for the Raytracing tools.

Tutorials

Creating a povray file manually

The utility tools described above allow you to export the current 3D view and all of its content to a Povray file. First, you must load or create your CAD data and position the 3D View orientation as you wish. Then choose "Utilities → Export View..." from the raytracing menu.

You will be asked for a location to save the resulting *.pov file. After that you can open it in Povray and render:

As usual in a renderer you can make big and nice pictures:

Scripting

See the Raytracing API example for information on writing scenes programmatically.

Links

POVRay

Luxrender

http://www.luxrender.net/

Future possible renderers to implement

Exporting to Kerkythea

Although direct export to the Kerkythea XML-File-Format is not supported yet, you can export your Objects as Mesh-Files (.obj) and then import them in Kerkythea.

if using Kerkythea for Linux, remember to install the WINE-Package (needed by Kerkythea for Linux to run)
you can convert your models with the help of the mesh workbench to meshes and then export these meshes as .obj-files
If your mesh-export resulted in errors (flip of normals, holes ...) you may try your luck with netfabb studio basic

Free for personal use, available for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX.

It has standard repair tools which will repair you model in most cases.

another good program for mesh analysing/repairing is Meshlab

Open Source, available for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX.

It has standard repair tools which will repair you model in most cases (fill holes, re-orient normals, etc.)

you can use "make compound" and then "make single copy" or you can fuse solids to group them before converting to meshes
remember to set in Kerkythea an import-factor of 0.001 for obj-modeler, since Kerkythea expects the obj-file to be in m (but standard units-scheme in FreeCAD is mm)

Within WIndows 7 64-bit Kerkythea does not seem to be able to save these settings.

So remember to do that each time you start Kerkythea

if importing multiple objects in Kerkythea you can use the "File → Merge" command in Kerkythea

Development

Render project

Points Workbench

Reverse Engineering Workbench

Index

Raytracing

Tools: New PovRay project, New LuxRender project, Insert part, Reset camera, Export project, Render

Utilities: Export view to povray, Export camera to povray, Export part to povray

Additional: Preferences

User documentation

Getting started
Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate

Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
Workbenches: Std Base, Arch, Assembly, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Start, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework, Web

Addons: Addon Manager, External workbenches, Scripting and macros

Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+<languages/>
-This module is aimed at sending the contents of your scene to an external [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendering_(computer_graphics) renderer], for generating photorealistic images of your work. The Raytracing module is still in very early stage of completion, so you have not many options available at the moment. Currently, only a basic set of tools to export Part objects as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POV-Ray POV-ray] files is implemented. Those files can then be loaded into POV-ray and rendered.
+<translate>
+<!--T:43-->
+{{docnav|[[Points Workbench|Points Workbench]]|[[Reverse Engineering Workbench|Reverse Engineering Workbench]]|IconL=PointsWorkbench.svg|IconR=ReverseEngineeringWorkbench.svg}}
+</translate>
-=== GUI Tools ===
+[[Image:Workbench_Raytracing.svg|64px]]
+<translate>
+== Introduction == <!--T:1-->
-{{Raytracing Tools}}
+The [[Raytracing Workbench|Raytracing Workbench]] is used to generate photorealistic images of your models by processing them with an external renderer.
+<!--T:3-->
+The Raytracing Workbench works with [[Raytracing templates|templates]], which are project files that define a scene for your 3D model. You can place lights and geometry such as ground planes, and it also contains placeholders for the position of the camera, and for the material information of the objects in the scene. The project can then be exported to a ready-to-render file, or be rendered directly within FreeCAD.
+<!--T:2-->
-=== Export a View ===
+Currently, two renderers are supported: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POV-Ray povray] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LuxRender luxrender]. To be able to render from within FreeCAD, at least one of these programs must be installed and configured in your system. However, if no renderer is installed, you will still be able to export a project file to be rendered at another time.
+<!--T:19-->
-The easiest way is to export the current 3D view and all of its content to a [http://www.povray.org/ Povray] file. First, you must load or create your CAD data and position the 3D View orientation as you wish. Then choose "Export View..." from the raytracing menu.
+A new Render Workbench has been in development to support multiple back-ends such as Lux Renderer and Yafaray. Information for using the development version can be viewed at [[Render project|Render project]]. For development status of the Render Module look into the [[Raytracing project|Raytracing project]].
+</translate>
-[[Image:FreeCAD_Raytracing.jpg|800px]]
+{{TOCright}}
+[[Image:Raytracing_example.jpg|1024px]]
+<translate>
+== Typical workflow == <!--T:6-->
-You get ask for a location to save the resulting *.pov file. After that you can open it in [http://www.povray.org/ Povray] and render:
+# Create or open a FreeCAD project, add some solid objects ([[Part Module|Part-based]] or [[PartDesign Workbench|PartDesign-based]]); meshes are currently not supported.
+# Create a Raytracing project (povray or luxrender).
+# Select the objects that you wish to add to the Raytracing project and add them.
+# Export the project file or render it directly.
-[[Image:Povray.jpg]]
+<!--T:45-->
-As usual in a rendererer you can make big and nice pictures:
+[[Image:Raytracing_Workbench_workflow.svg|600px]]
-[[Image:Scharniergreifer_render.jpg|800px]]
+<!--T:46-->
-=== Scripting ===
+{{Caption|Workflow of the Raytracing Workbench; the workbench prepares a project file from a given template, and then calls an external program to produce the actual rendering of the scene. The external renderer can be used independently of FreeCAD.}}
+== Tools == <!--T:4-->
-Here is how to use these features from python:
- import Raytracing,RaytracingGui
- OutFile = open('C:/Documents and Settings/jriegel/Desktop/test.pov','w')
- OutFile.write(open(App.getResourceDir()+'Mod/Raytracing/Templates/ProjectStd.pov').read())
- OutFile.write(RaytracingGui.povViewCamera())
- OutFile.write(Raytracing.getPartAsPovray('Box',App.activeDocument().Box.Shape,0.800000,0.800000,0.800000))
- OutFile.close()
- del OutFile
-=== Links ===
+===Project tools=== <!--T:36-->
+<!--T:37-->
-About POV-Ray:
+These are the main tools for exporting your 3D work to external renderers.
+* [[Image:Raytracing_New.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_New|New PovRay project]]: Insert new PovRay project in the document
+* [[Image:Raytracing_Lux.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_Lux|New LuxRender project]]: Insert new LuxRender project in the document
+* [[Image:Raytracing_InsertPart.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_InsertPart|Insert part]]: Insert a view of a Part in a raytracing project
+* [[Image:Raytracing_ResetCamera.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_ResetCamera|Reset camera]]: Matches the camera position of a raytracing project to the current view
+* [[Image:Raytracing_ExportProject.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_ExportProject|Export project]]: Exports a raytracing project to a scene file for rendering in an external renderer
+* [[Image:Raytracing_Render.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_Render|Render]]: Renders a raytracing project with an external renderer
+===Utilities=== <!--T:38-->
+<!--T:39-->
+These are helper tools to perform specific tasks manually.
+* [[Image:Raytracing_Export.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_Export|Export view to povray]]: Write the active 3D view with camera and all its content to a povray file
+* [[Image:Raytracing_Camera.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_Camera|Export camera to povray]]: Export the camera position of the active 3D view in POV-Ray format to a file
+* [[Image:Raytracing_Part.png|32px]] [[Raytracing_Part|Export part to povray]]: Write the selected Part (object) as a povray file
+== Preferences == <!--T:40-->
+<!--T:41-->
+* [[Image:Preferences-raytracing.svg|32px]] [[Raytracing_Preferences|Preferences]]: Preferences available in for the Raytracing tools.
+== Tutorials == <!--T:47-->
+* [[Raytracing_tutorial|Basic Raytracing tutorial]]
+* [[Tutorial FreeCAD POV ray|Intermediate Raytracing tutorial]]
+== Creating a povray file manually == <!--T:7-->
+The utility tools described above allow you to export the current 3D view and all of its content to a [http://www.povray.org/ Povray] file. First, you must load or create your CAD data and position the 3D View orientation as you wish. Then choose "Utilities → Export View..." from the raytracing menu.
+</translate>
+[[Image:FreeCAD_Raytracing.jpg|center]]
+<translate>
+<!--T:8-->
+You will be asked for a location to save the resulting *.pov file. After that you can open it in [http://www.povray.org/ Povray] and render:
+</translate>
+[[Image:Povray.jpg|center]]
+<translate>
+<!--T:9-->
+As usual in a renderer you can make big and nice pictures:
+</translate>
+[[Image:Scharniergreifer_render.jpg|center|800px]]
+<translate>
+== Scripting == <!--T:10-->
+<!--T:42-->
+See the [[Raytracing API example|Raytracing API example]] for information on writing scenes programmatically.
+== Links == <!--T:15-->
+=== POVRay=== <!--T:16-->
 * http://www.spiritone.com/~english/cyclopedia/
 * http://www.povray.org/
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POV-Ray
+=== Luxrender === <!--T:17-->
+* http://www.luxrender.net/
+=== Future possible renderers to implement === <!--T:18-->
-----
+* http://www.yafaray.org/
-Currently there is a new Renderer Workbench in development to support multiple back-ends such as Lux Renderer and Yafaray. Information for using the development version can be viewed at  [[Render_project]]
+* http://www.mitsuba-renderer.org/
+* http://www.kerkythea.net/
+* http://www.artofillusion.org/
+== Exporting to Kerkythea == <!--T:34-->
-For Development status of the Render Module look here [[Raytracing_project]]
+Although direct export to the Kerkythea XML-File-Format is not supported yet, you can export your Objects as Mesh-Files (.obj) and then import them in Kerkythea.
+* if using Kerkythea for Linux, remember to install the WINE-Package (needed by Kerkythea for Linux to run)
+* you can convert your models with the help of the mesh workbench to meshes and then export these meshes as .obj-files
+* If your mesh-export resulted in errors (flip of normals, holes ...) you may try your luck with [http://www.netfabb.com/downloadcenter.php?basic=1 netfabb studio basic]
+:Free for personal use, available for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX.
+:It has standard repair tools which will repair you model in most cases.
+* another good program for mesh analysing/repairing is [http://sourceforge.net/projects/meshlab/ Meshlab]
+:Open Source, available for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX.
+:It has standard repair tools which will repair you model in most cases (fill holes, re-orient normals, etc.)
+* you can use "make compound" and then "make single copy" or you can fuse solids to group them before converting to meshes
+* remember to set in Kerkythea an import-factor of 0.001 for obj-modeler, since Kerkythea expects the obj-file to be in m (but standard units-scheme in FreeCAD is mm)
+:Within WIndows 7 64-bit Kerkythea does not seem to be able to save these settings.
+:So remember to do that each time you start Kerkythea
+* if importing multiple objects in Kerkythea you can use the "File → Merge" command in Kerkythea
+==Development== <!--T:35-->
-Open-source renderers (for future implementation):
+* [[Render_project|Render project]]
-* http://www.yafaray.org/
-* http://www.luxrender.net/
+<!--T:32-->
-{{docnav|Robot Module|Draft Module}}
+{{docnav|[[Points Workbench|Points Workbench]]|[[Reverse Engineering Workbench|Reverse Engineering Workbench]]|IconL=PointsWorkbench.svg|IconR=ReverseEngineeringWorkbench.svg}}
+<!--T:44-->
-{{languages |{{cn|Raytracing Module/cn}} {{de|Raytracing Module/de}} {{es|Raytracing Module/es}} {{fr|Raytracing Module/fr}} {{it|Raytracing Module/it}} {{jp|Raytracing Module/jp}} {{pl|Raytracing Module/pl}} {{ru|Raytracing Module/ru}} {{se|Raytracing Module/se}} }}
+{{Raytracing Tools navi}}
+{{Userdocnavi}}
+[[Category:Workbenches]]
+</translate>
-[[Category:User Documentation]]