With Lumion 24.3, you can now import lights from external 3D modeling software. This feature allows you to keep your lighting setups consistent across platforms, saving time and ensuring accuracy without having to recreate lights in Lumion.

Compatibility

Provided that the 3D modeling application supports exporting lights, the following formats are supported for importing lights into Lumion:

• .FBX
• .DAE (Collada)
• .glTF
• .GLB
• .DWG
  
  

CAD Software compatibility chart:

Note: The formats listed above may not be the recommended import format for models, so consider using them only for importing lights.

For the model itself, we recommend using LiveSync or the suggested format for the 3D app listed in the article below:

• Knowledge Base: How do you import a model from your CAD software?

Here's an example of how the workflow could look like:

Step 1: Import your model using LiveSync or the recommended export format.

Step 2: In your 3D modeling application, hide everything except for the lights.

Step 3: Create a box and export the file in a supported format (listed in the table above). 

Step 4: Import the model file with the box and lights in Lumion. Then make the box invisible by assigning the Invisible Material.

Step 5: Select the main model, then the model with the lights, and click on Align Positions in the advanced options menu. 

Important: The box is needed because it is not possible to import model files without any geometry into Lumion. 

If you need help with this procedure, don't hesitate to reach out for help:

Contact Us

Importing Lights

With supported formats, you can import Spotlights and Omnilights (also commonly known as points lights in other software) together with your model by enabling the new 'Import Lights' toggle in the import screen:

By default, the imported lights will be linked to the model, meaning you cannot move them individually and they will move together with the model as if they were Grouped. However, you can Detach the lights or Remove them by selecting them and clicking these buttons:

Or, you can also detach all lights at once by selecting the Imported Model and clicking this button:

Detaching means that the lights will no longer be linked to the model and can be moved and adjusted individually.

Since LiveSync does not yet support importing lights, you'll get the following message when attempting to re-sync a model that has lights attached to it:

Imported Properties

The following properties will be imported with lights and can be adjusted in Lumion:

• Light Brightness
• Light Color
• Cone Angle (for Spotlights)
• IES Profiles (Currently only supported for AutoCAD and BricsCAD models imported as .DWG)

IES Profiles imported using AutoCAD will use the same method as when importing textures from a 
DWG. The resource should be available in:

• The original location of the IES profile on disk
• If the IES file doesn't exist in the original (absolute path), the importer will try to find it in:
  • The same folder from where .DWG file is imported from.
  • In the same folder /assets/ subfolder.

Note that, when linked to a model, identical lights imported with a model are instanced.  This means changes to the light settings/properties will affect all copies of the light.

Data for Lights is stored in the Imported Model file.

You can restore lights back to their imported settings by selecting them and clicking this button:

It is also possible to restore all the light settings in a model at once by holding CTRL while clicking this button:

This will also bring back deleted and detached lights (although existing detached lights will remain in the scene).

Lastly, you will notice there's now an option to individually disable lights in the properties window:

See Also:

• Learning Pathways: Lighting