The view properties eye reference point dialog is practically useless. The only way to create a view is to move things around by trial and error. Sometimes I find that when I am near where I want to be it is easier to change from the view ball to the step ball and set the steps to 0.01 degrees so that you have fine control.

Perspective can get pretty weird. For architecture / interiors you will probably need to use a value over a couple of hundred. 300 is a good place to start, and reduce it to give a wider angle of view / more perspective, increase to reduce perspective.

Thanks, NickB. How do I set the the steps for the Viewball? I will try out your suggestion.

Thanks, Steve. Actually, I was doing exactly what you mentioned, and that was how I ended with all sorts of unexpected results. In View Properties, sometimes when I check the perspective box and click apply, the entire scene disappears. Zooming out does not bring back the scene. I have to click out of perspective view.

I think the View Properties menu can be better refined. Is Eye point the location of the eye, or the point that the eye is looking at? Vice versa for Reference point. Maybe an old school method of actually showing a camera on the scene (just like the way lights are placed), and pointing to exactly where we intend to look would be a good start. We can then adjust focal lengths and viewpoints of the camera lens in a much more predictable manner.

Tim, any comments on the above? Thanks.

Best regards
Alexander Lau

Hi Alexander,

You must be using a different build or OS (or both).
Shark FX build 737 (PC) works just fine. The only thing I forgot to mention was the 3rd ref point for orientation (which way up the view would be) but that I add via the input window.

Even 2d/3d build 190 (PC) works correctly on this.


As a very simple example I have attached some pics.

01. Just shows 3 blocks of different hight/color.
02. I have selected "new view", I then pick the 1st point (eye position) at the bottom corner of the blue block (snapped to its bottom corner). The 2nd point (ref) then being the bottom of (snapped to) the red block. I then in the properties change the "up" so than Z is "1" and the XY "0" (which makes sure Z is up in the new view).
03. I press Apply and the new view is created correctly


The only other possible problem I could see, would be if you click in open space for the eye/ref points, which could give unexpected results.


- Steve

It's not exactly drag and drop though is it?

You can choose a position for a view point but because Shark won't let us jump back to exactly the same settings like CU would it's right royal pain in the arse.