Modeler

292Layout ToolsLightWave 10 - ModelerAdd PowergonAdd LuxigonLuxigons (Setup> Layout Tools: Add Luxigon ) are verysimilar to Powergons (discussed later), but are specialized justto add lights and set certain light properties. To use, in Modeler,select the desired polygons and choose Add Luxigon. When thedialog appears, select the type of light you wish to add and set itsproperties.Next, load the object into Layout and choose Items>Add>Lights: Convert Luxigons. If you wish to use an existing light’sproperties, select it in the Clone Item pop-up menu. Enter thedesired name of the new lights in the Light Name field. Afteryou click OK, the defined lights will be created, positioned at thecenter of the appropriate polygons, aligned with the polygon’snormal, and parented to the object.Before we discuss Powergons, it is important to understandLayout commands. If you have ever customised keyboardshortcuts or menus, you have touched on Layout’s underlyingcommand structure. Nearly all of your actions in Layout areexecuted by sending discrete commands.The commands listed in the keyboard shortcut and menuconfiguration panels only show the command name, but notany parameters the command might support. For example, theRender Options command causes the Render Option Panel todisplay. It obviously needs no additional information to execute.The Add Spotlight command, on the other hand, can take anoptional argument that names the added light. Thus, executing“Add Spotlight CoolLight” would add a light named CoolLight.You can get a much better idea of what we are talking about hereby choosing Utilities>Commands: Cmd History (In Layout). Thisopens the Command History window. Leave it open and executesome operations in Layout. You will see commands whiz by asyou click buttons and drag scene items. Here, you can see notonly the command names, but also any parameters. You’ll alsosee some commands that are not listed in the keyboard shortcutand menu configuration panels, like Position and Rotation.What are Powergons?Powergons allow you to execute a short Layout commandscript, which is attached to selected polygons in Modeler. Youcan use this feature to quickly add, say, lights using polygons forpositioning. Moreover, all of the light’s properties can be definedas well.NOTE: You can clear Luxigons from selectedpolygons using the Setup >Layout Tools: ClearPowergons command.NOTE: Once the script is executed in Layout, youcan clear the object if it is not needed otherwise.However, the Default command parents the lightsto the object, so be careful since you don’t want to delete thechildren.