Applies to Revit but may also apply to other 3d modeling software where a 'Section Box' or similar clipping box is used to hide/cut away parts of the model.
1. Problem:
You use the 'Section Box' as a way to help with on-screen performance and update speeds, especially for more complex models.
You are using LiveSync to import your model directly. When you can change the 'Section Box' (in Revit), all of the material assignments seem to disappear in Lumion.
Also, you try a reload of a Material Set. But sometimes reloading the Material Set doesn’t reassign the previously assigned materials.
From your perspective it seems that Lumion has not remembered the prior materials, after all, your 3d model software does. The whole model is still in the 3d modeling project, and only parts that have been hidden using a 'Section Box' are missing the materials.
2. Solution:
If you change the 'Section Box', then save a new Material Set file with a different file name. If a 'Section Box' completely removes a surface of a model. You can use any of these saved Sets to restore materials to the same state.
The only way is to save Material Sets and/or Material Files for each and every state of the model where you think the surfaces are not going to be present/visible for X view state but will be later on for Y view state and you are changing materials in Lumion.
3. What is Happening:
If a 'Section Box' completely removes a surface of a model in your modeling software, even if it's temporary, then the material also no longer exists in Lumion.
The model and materials for LiveSync in Lumion are merely reflecting the current state of the visible model in your modeling software. It's the same as if you used the 'Visibility Graphics' (Revit) to control what was sent to Lumion, or also imported manually via Export to Lumion (Collada DAE).
Saving to an earlier Material Set file overwrites that data with what is now a different model and materials.
When you want to restore Lumion Materials after reverting or cancelling a 'Section Box', then during the process you need to maintain a set of files consisting of Material Sets and/or Material Files. They should reflect the changing state of the model and its materials as controlled by the 'Section Box'.
This is only needed if:
- You have applied Lumion Materials you wish to restore.
- You are using a 'Section Box' that will fully hide one or more surfaces of the model.
4. Let's look at two examples:
A. A simple example of 2 walls.
B. A house design (sample Revit template).
5. Using the Stop/Start in LiveSync:
Should the LiveSync Start/Stop be used with a 'Section Box'? Yes.
These events are just a trigger for when controlled updates occur from your 3d modeling software such as Revit to Lumion. The change of states in the model happens from changes in the 'Section Box' view. Stop/Starting (Resuming) is not a factor in what the 'Section Box' shows of the model.
See Also:
- Knowledge Base: Model import guidelines for Revit and Revit LT
- Knowledge Base: Import & Export Questions
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