Prepares the drawing scene for visualization. This tool makes it possible to select geometric objects in your drawing, assign the layers/levels containing those objects to selected surface types for visual enhancement, and save the converted geometry into a scenery file.

Visualization Engine - Prepare Scene Dialog Box

Introduction

This step introduces the process of preparing the scenery file.

To advance to the next step, click the Next button.

Geometry Selection

1. Select the geometry in your drawing that will output to the scenery file. By default, all the objects in the drawing are selected.
2. To manually select objects in your drawing, click the Select from CAD button. After selecting the objects, right-click to return to the Visualization Engine - Prepare Scene dialog box.
3. To advance to the next step, click the Next button, or, to return to the previous step, click the Previous button.

Note: If any 3D animations were generated in a drawing before initiating the Prepare Scene tool, these will also be included, by default, in the objects selected for conversion. To ensure these animations are not inadvertently selected, use the Select from CAD button to ensure that only the desired objects will be converted.

Select Layer/Level Template File

Note: Layer/Level template files created and modified in this step are saved in the user folder: %appdata%\Transoft Solutions\Visualization Engine\Export Templates.

1. Click the arrow next to the layer/level template name, and then click the name of the template you want to use.
2. (Optional) To modify the template settings, click the Edit button .
3. (Optional) To modify or export the existing template file, import another template file, or create a new template file, click the Manage Template button.
4. (Optional) To open the Visualization Engine window and view the selected geometry with the selected layer/level template, click the Preview button.
5. To complete the prepare scene process, click the Finish button, or, to return to the previous step, click the Previous button.

Note: If you make changes to your drawing after the prepare scene process is completed, you will need to initiate the prepare scene process again to update the scenery file before your changes are reflected in the Visualization Engine window.

Edit Layer/Level Template

For each layer/level you wish to convert, use the corresponding menu to assign a surface type to it.

1. To open the Visualization Engine window and view the selected geometry with the selected layer/level template, click the Preview button.
2. To return to the Select Layer/Level Template File screen, click the Finish button.

Manage Template Files

• To create a new template file, click the New button.
• To copy the current template file, click the Copy button.
• To rename the current template file, click the Rename button.
• To delete the current template file, click the Delete button.
• To export the current template file, click the Save As button.
• To import another template file, click the Import button.
• To return to the Select Layer/Level Template File screen, click the Finish button.

Visualization Engine Window

The Visualization Engine window shows the 3D virtual environment created by the layer/level elements assigned to the objects in your drawing.

Tool Panel

Button	Option	Click to...
	Record	Record and export the current scenery and visualization to an MP4 file.
	Cameras	Select the viewing angle of the scene or the vehicles in the visualization. The scene camera option allows you to manually select between the top orthogonal view or four three-quarter views of the scene. The vehicle camera option allows you to select from four preset viewing angles relative to the vehicle.
	Settings	Adjust the visualization settings.
	Keys	Displays the keyboard and mouse commands for camera, timeline, recording, and scene options.

Settings

Displays the visualization settings.

Option	Click to...
Quality	Select the image quality of the visualization.
Ground Plane	Turn the ground plane switch on/off.
Vehicle Path	Turn the vehicle path switch on/off.
Wind	Turn the wind effect visualization switch for the tree elements on/off.
Launch Tutorial	Launch the visualization tutorial.

View Panel

Button	Option	Click to...
	Pointer	Prevent the current view from shifting or rotating when performing other actions. By default, this tool is selected when launching the Visualization Engine.
	Pan	Shift the view without changing the viewing direction or magnification.
	Orbit	Rotate the view around the center pivot point.
	Look	Move the camera manually around the scene.