Accessory specificationsAccessory specificationsYou can create your own accessory symbols, as described in Creating an accessory. The accessory symbol should be a 2D/3D hybrid object. At a minimum, the symbol must contain a 2D screen representation. Keep the accessory representation as simple as possible to reduce rendering time.
The 3D portion of the accessory should be drawn as if it is hung straight down (along the Z-axis). The top of the accessory should be oriented towards the top of the drawing. 3D geometry should be drawn below the Z-axis to properly align with the front of the lighting device.
Accessories must have the Light Info record attached; see Attaching the Light Info record to an accessory symbol.
To control the accessory’s default position on a lighting device, you can use a layout symbol to set the desired alignment; see Defining the accessory’s default position. Accessories are placed at the front of a lighting device by default and associated with the body part. To define a clamp accessory as part of the base instead, attach the Parts record; see Attaching the Parts record to an accessory symbol.
It is recommended that you class the clamp accessories to control their appearance and visibility; you can set the clamp class when creating or editing the symbol; see Creating symbol definitions.
Accessory symbols can be inserted by the Lighting Accessory tool or embedded directly within a lighting device symbol. See Lighting device specifications for more information about the embedded symbol workflow.
The Light Info record specifies the default accessory values and it is required for your accessory symbol to function properly.
To attach the Light Info record:
1. From the Resource Manager, locate the Light Info Record from one of the lighting device library files included with the Spotlight program, and drag it to the active file. Alternatively, right-click on the record, and select Import from the context menu.
2.Select the new accessory symbol, and select Modify > Edit Symbol.
3.In the Edit Symbol window, click an empty location so that nothing is selected.
4.Click the Data tab on the Object Info palette. Click Attach Record to open the Resource Selector, and double-click the Light Info Record to attach it to the symbol.
5.Specify the Device Type, as well as any other fields you want the accessory object to read. Accessories such as color frames, barn doors, and top hats are Static Accessory types; accessories that require a control channel, such as color scrollers, are Accessory types.
6.Click Exit Symbol at the upper right corner of the window to return to the drawing.
Once the accessory symbol is attached to a lighting device, the accessory parameters can be edited—either from the lighting device Object Info palette or from the accessory Object Info palette, which is only available in Accessory edit mode. See Lighting device properties for more information about the available parameters.
The accessory's default position controls where the Lighting Accessory tool places the accessory in Default Insertion mode. By default, accessories are positioned at the top-center of the lighting device's bounding box in 2D views and the back-center of the bounding cube in 3D views.
You can change the default position with the use of a layout symbol. Select an appropriate lighting device symbol to serve as the layout reference. If your accessory is a hybrid 2D/3D symbol, choose a hybrid layout symbol; if your accessory is pure 2D or 3D, choose the equivalent layout symbol.
Position the accessory as desired on the layout symbol. When adding the accessory to different lighting devices, the accessory will maintain the same relative position. For example, if the accessory is placed on the center of the layout symbol, it will be inserted at center of any lighting device to which it attaches.
To define the accessory's default insertion point:
1. Select new accessory symbol and select Modify > Edit Symbol.
2.Click the Lighting Device tool, and then click Lighting Device Symbol and select a lighting device to use as the layout symbol.
3.Click to place the layout symbol in the Edit Symbol window.
4.On the Object Info palette, set the X/Y/Z position of the layout symbol to 0,0,0.
5.The layout symbol must have a Light Info record attached with a Device Type other than Accessory or Static Accessory, or it will be considered part of the accessory geometry. To attach the Light Info record, see Attaching the Light Info record and Light Info M record.
6.Use the Selection tool to position the accessory as desired on the layout symbol.
By default, accessories appear in front of the lighting device to which they attach. To make an accessory appear behind the lighting device instead, send the layout symbol to the front of the stacking order in Top/Plan view; see Changing object stacking order.
7.Click Exit Symbol at the upper right corner of the window to return to the drawing.
By default, accessory symbols are considered part of the lighting device body; they move with the body when the lighting device is positioned and focused in 2D and 3D views. Accessories such as clamps can associate, instead, with the base of the lighting device. This allows the clamp to offset the lighting device insertion point so it matches the clamp’s origin point, and the device hangs correctly. To designate a clamp—or any base accessory—as a part of the lighting device base, you must attach the Parts record.
When any accessory symbol is designated as a base part, it will offset the insertion point of any lighting device it attaches to, so make this designation wisely.
If you are embedding the accessory symbol within a lighting device symbol, you can attach the Parts record when editing the lighting device symbol instead; see Attaching the Parts record.
To attach the Parts record:
1. From the Resource Manager, locate a Parts record from one of the lighting device library files included with the Spotlight program, and drag it to the active file. Alternatively, right-click on the record, and select Import from the context menu.
2.Select the new accessory symbol, and select Modify > Edit Symbol.
3.Click the Data tab on the Object Info palette. Click Attach Record to open the Resource Selector, and double-click the Parts record to attach it.
4.Select the appropriate part for the accessory to associate with (Base, Yoke, or Body).
5.Click Exit Symbol at the upper right corner of the window to return to the drawing.
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