Rendering an Image 

What is it?

  "Rendered Image" -- this is the final, finished result of what you do in a 3D program -- an image file, like a pcx, bmp, targa, etc.

How to do it in Lightwave…

In Lightwave's Layout, when you wish to save the image out to disk, you should select the "Render Panel", and:

1. choose "Save RGB Images". In the requester which opens, choose where you want to save the file (maybe in a "temp" directory somewhere, or into your user account --NOT in the root of C:). Enter the first four characters of the filename you want to use (the rest will be added for you: to create the file "xxxx001.jpg", the only thing you enter here is the "xxxx" part). Hit "Open" (which is to say, "OK").

2. next, set the two cycle gadgets to the right of "Save RGB Images" to read something like: "file0001.xxx" and "JPEG(.jpg)". If you set it not to show the .xxx part, the files will be generated without file extensions, making them hard to find and open, esp. in Windows environments.

4. now when you render using the "Begin Rendering" button (or <f10>) the file "c:\temp\xxxx0001.tga" will be saved (although it will have whatever four characters you typed instead of "xxxx", and will be in whatever directory you specified, not necessarily in "C:\temp".

(Tip: pressing <f9> will render the current frame without saving it, pressing <f10> will cause the current frame to be rendered and saved, assuming that you have set up a save directory as described above)

Note: if no file is rendered, it may be because the drive you are writing to is full -- esp. if you are trying to render to a floppy disk (not recommended).


A note about scene files…

  If you wish to save your work so you can render it later, or continue to edit it, you must do two things:

  1. save the "Scene" -- this is a simple text file which Lightwave's Layout generates when you select "Save Scene". Lightwave’s Scene files are tiny -- only a few bytes in many cases. Scene files tell Layout how to reload your objects etc. so you can continue working on a project which was too big to finish in one sitting -- since they are so small, you should always save your scene, as they may be handy at a future time. Scenes contain the information about where you have positioned objects, and how you have rotated them or scaled them after loading them into "Layout". As well, the scene file tells Layout where to position lights and the camera, and what setting and preferences to use for the scene.
  2. Save the objects. Scene files do dot contain your objects, or any information about textures you may have applied to those objects -- save your scene files seperatly by selecting "Save All Objects" in the "Objects Panel".


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 These tutorials are provided for information only, and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used in any way except with the express written permission of the author.   c. Tony Gilchrist 1996.