Provides options for loading a background image and environment box into the Main view. Although these image settings are available only with the Photo-Realism module, the background and environment box can appear in any render mode, not just shaded or raytrace. These images can be in any of the image type formats supported by Smart Review, including .bmp, .tif, .jpg, .gif, and .png.
Environmental Textures
None
Specifies that you do not want any environment displays in the scene.
Background
Displays a background image in the Main view. Like wallpaper on the Windows desktop, the background image is sized to the view and always appears the same; regardless of what eye location or view angle that you specify.
Environment box
Surrounds the 3D model space with several images. You can specify up to six different images, one for each side of the environment box. The images are not sized to the screen. Instead, a correct, infinite environment map is created before a shade or wireframe update. The environment map is created dynamically during a raytrace. As with background images, different sides of the box are visible with different view angles and eye locations.
When you have both Environment box and View > Display > Reflective Phong Shading enabled, objects with highly reflective surface materials reflect the images assigned to the environment box. Reflective Phong Shading uses the active environment box images if the images have (a) the same resolution (x and y), and (b) the resolution is a power of two such as 256x256 or 512x512 or 1024x1024.
The Renderer does not support displaying the Environment box. You can use the Environment sphere to provide a more realistic background.
Environment sphere
Surrounds the three dimensional model space with a sphere and a single panoramic image. You specify the image that depicts what a sphere would look like if it were placed into the environment with no visible seams or corners. Model objects with reflective materials can show the environment sphere. When you enable this option, the sphere displays only in the Renderer window. In the Smart Review Main view, no background image displays. If you also have a gradient background active, the gradient displays within the sphere in the Renderer window.
MicroStation
Specifies that any MicroStation® source lights (that are on) be displayed in the rendered image. If this option is not selected, no MicroStation source lights are used when rendering the image.
Shaded view
Specifies that you want to display point, distance, spot, and area lights in the shaded view of the model, as well as the rendered image.
Image files
Lists all of the possible file types and their locations for the background image and environment box.
Clear
Removes a file name and path from the Location list.
Modify
Displays the Modify Location dialog box, in which you can add or modify an image file location.
To add or modify the location of an image file, you must click a row in the Image files list box, and then click Modify.
Work with a Gradient Background
You can create a gradient background to display in both the Main view and the Renderer using View > Settings > Environment > Gradient Background. For more information, see Create a Gradient Background. The gradient background works with Environment textures settings as follows:
-
If you have gradient background active and you have None, Background, or Environment Box selected in Environment textures, then the background is a 2D gradient image in the Main view and the Renderer window.
-
If you have a gradient background active and select Environment sphere in Environment textures, then the background is a 2D gradient image in the Main View and a 3D gradient spherical image in the Renderer window. When you fly around using 3D navigation, you can see the gradient background change depending on where you are looking within the spherical environment.
