Expert: Bob - 1/10/2007

Question
I am an architectural illustrator working on a new project, for which the buildings are built and rendered in Autocad, and am happy to say they look great! But as soon as I try to put in landscaping items, they render in the render window, but only show as shadows when I render to a file, at the full quality. I am at my wits end and know it's probably something really simple that I'm not checking but can't find advice anywhere! Do you have any idea what this could be? Autodesk forums don't contain any info because they say that nobody actually renders in Autocad anymore. But I've got a deadline and can't learn any new programs today! Thanks so much for any light you can shed on the situation!

Sandra  

Answer
SANDRA:
When you ask an
AutoCAD question, please always give your experience level and the release you are working on, so I can reply more intelligently.
Luckily, AutoCAD 2007 has the first major rendering change in many years, and you probably would have mentioned if you are using it.
Yes, true, "nobody renders in AutoCAD" -- although 2007 will change that.
BUT -- everybody who renders in AutoCAD has to remember that objects do not normally have materials associated with them, so will render in grey (NOT as shadows) unless you assign or attach materials.
For landscaping, I might make a new layer for each type of material, assign the materials by layer, and place the objects on the layers that have their correct material.  You can also add materials manually, or add to one and copy it.
Look up -- materials. Maybe stop at a large bookstore and read the chapter of a book, or put AUTOCAD MATERIALS TUTORIAL OR AUTOCAD RENDERING TUTORIAL into Google.
Unfortunately, the old rendering  interface is not very intuitive, so  you will need to pay close attention.

I hope I am remembering correctly.
I am rusty on this, but I am really betting that you forgot the materials. Pls write back if that is not it.
Good luck!

BOB