Camera list

[akinlolu olugboji]

We I set up a new camera, in AutoCad, it does not show up in Walkabout View list dropdown list , unless I first save the save after the camera is upset in AutoCad. Is this a bug or intentional?

[Eric B]

I think this is the way it has been set up and not a bug, just a more cumbersome way to retain viewpoints between the AutoCAD environment and AR5 nXt.

 

I have never liked cameras and therefore do not use them. I use views, i.e. DVIEW and physical control points to define my viewpoint locations.

 

After they added the ability to force the AutoCAD vantage point to adopt the AR5 nXt location and then save it as a name within AR5 everything was good for my workflow - although a bit more convoluted than with AR3 or AR4, but that was more a problem with how views were handled by AutoCAD 2007+.

 

So far as I know, any camera or named view created in AutoCAD does not appear in AR5 unless you go through the manual import and save under the same name in Walkabout. I may be wrong about this, but as I have said, I don't use cameras just views.

 

[Kevin Lockwood]

I won't have a name to propagate to the list unless its saved. You can use the get autocad view button in walk-about though

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Not sure-- I'm traveling for a few more days so I won't have access to AutoCAD until Friday.  The popdown list in WalkAbout is populated with all of the AutoCAD named views (modelspace + perspective onnly)-- I'm just not sure what events trigger a refresh of that list.  I would think that closing the WalkAbout window and re-opening would do it-- but again-- not sure.  Usually creating a camera does create a named view w/ some sort of default name like "camera 1".

[akinlolu olugboji]

Usually creating a camera does create a named view w/ some sort of default name like "camera 1".

 

Like I said, it does but does not show in Walkabout till you save the autocad session after the cameara was created or inserted.

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Can't reproduce it--   I did the following:

 

1. Opened a new drawing
2. Started WalkAbout
3. Typed _camera, selected location and target and accepted the default values.
4. Closed WalkAbout and reopened it.

 

Camera1 appears in the dropdown list as it should.

 

I then closed WalkAbout, created another camera in a similar manner, reopened WalkAbout. Camera2 appears in the dropdown list as expected.

 

Let me know if you've got other steps I can try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[akinlolu olugboji]

Try it after you have worked for a couple of hours, that is when I notice this and not immediately one just start working.

As I just try that and it shows too.

[akinlolu olugboji]

Here it is.Closing and opening walkabout does refresh the list, as well as saving in AutoCad.

[Eric B]

Even though I do not use cameras I was curious to see what AR5 was doing.

From my little bit of playing around with a model that has been open for a while it looks like the list does not auto-update if you close and reopen the walk-about dialog box.

I do know that a named VIEW does not populate the pull down, only named CAMERAS most of the time.

As I do not use CAMERAS this does not really affect me much at the moment.

It is interesting that AutoCAD will display a CAMERA icon at the location of my vantage point of my VIEW even though I have no saved cameras which just proves the point that cameras are just glorified views tied to a naming index.

 

Also - forcing AutoCAD to take on the vantage point of a saved Walkabout view name does not create a CAMERA location inside AutoCAD - it effectively is creating a VIEW and the same display discrepancies of ZOOM are evident, however it does adjust to the screen size of AutoCAD so the relationship is not as apparent but it is stronger than a named camera.

It is all just a background frustration as the two programs do not talk to each other 100% and the entire process is hampered by AutoCAD’s reliance on resolution based depiction of whatever vantage point.

 

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Any perspective named view or camera (yes, cameras just create named views) should show up in the WalkAbout dropdown when you close and reopen WalkAbout.  Orthographic views will not be included in the list. If you're not experiencing that, set up a simple procedure that I can follow to reproduce.  Include a drawing if required.

[Eric B]

I think I have only rendered an orthographic view one time ever. All my views are perspective. This is not a problem for me as I have mentioned that I do not use CAMERA - I was just playing around to see if AR5 would do what Akinlolu said. I just found it interesting that AutoCAD puts a camera icon at my VIEW's vantage point even though I have no cameras in the model.

 

I just use the WalkAbout view as the base for my naming and saving of VIEW names and then just force AutoCAD to adopt that VIEW's attributes. I appreciate your confirming my assumptions. I wonder if Akinlolu ever got his answer.

 

Do let us know if there are any changes in this portion of the program as I have a decent work-around system in place that helps to maintain my workflow similar to the AR3-AR4 days.

 

 

 

[akinlolu olugboji]

As to my answer directly no. As Roy said, closing and re-starting Walkabout does the trick. Also if you save in AutoCad session that does the trick too.

 

You do not need to do this if you have just started working, the camare view pop up on the Walkabout list immediately. After working a couple of hours, then one need to do any of the refreshing options mensioned above.

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

It has nothing to do with how long you've been working.  The list only refreshes when WalkAbout is opened, or if you save a named view from WalkAbout.  I may change this at some point.