AGi32 Overview - Project Checklist

The methods you employ to tackle Interior versus Exterior projects may differ slightly depending on your goals for the final result. The following checklist will assist you in planning for success in your early endeavors with AGi32.

Exterior projects

Many applications performed with AGi32 fall into the realm of exterior site lighting, flood lighting, sports lighting and roadway lighting. Generally, these applications share common goals and can be tackled with similar techniques. There are exceptions, of course, and we will discuss these briefly at the conclusion of this section.

Exterior problem definition

Exterior lighting application with desired end result to be point-by-point computations displayed on top of a CAD generated background. Output may be plotted or exported to CAD via DXF or DWG formats.

Exterior project - Steps for success

Step 1 - Open AGi32

Step 2 - Use the File-Import command to bring in the desired drawing background from CAD generated DXF or DWG file. A simple alternative to this may be to draw the site details using the drawing tools provided by AGi32.

Step 3 - Define the luminaire photometrics to be used in the application using the Luminaire-Define command. You can easily define Single, or a variety of multiple head configurations including Arm length.

Step 4 - Create any 3-dimensional Objects required in the application.

Step 5 - Place calculation points on the ground or Workplane using one of the calculation points commands: 2-point grid, 3-point grid, or Polygon. To put points on surfaces directly, use the Automatic Placement command.

Step 6 - Remove any excess calculation points using the Modify Calculation Points-Remove Points commands. You can remove points via polygon or under entities directly.

Step 7 - Place luminaires in desired positions from the luminaire toolbar.

Step 8 - Choose the Direct Only Calculate Method from the pull-down menu on the Calculate button, compute the results by clicking on the Calculate button. The Direct Only Calculate Method is most appropriate for exterior calculations, but you can use the Full Radiosity Method if reflected light is of importance (requires objects).

Step 9 - Refine luminaire layout if necessary. Use tools like Isolines and Highlight Values to evaluate your design. Turn on the AutoCalc feature for fine tuning.

Step 10 - When the numbers are correct, use the Add Drawing Entity- Add Schedules command to add Schedules to summarize numerical results and tabulate luminaires employed.

Step 11 - Enhance the output with borders and title blocks. These items can be created and stored within the Block manager for use on any project.

Step 12 - Export results to DXF or DWG.

Optional steps - replace like numbered steps above

Step 10 - Enter the Reports section of AGi32 and place multiple views of your project on the desired paper size. You can setup the main AGi32 desktop to display multiple views of your project such as Plan, Isometric, and Elevation.

Step 11 - Place Schedules as above and add bit-mapped graphics such as luminaire photographs and company logos.

Step 12 - Plot or print results. Because Reports output is a composite of vector and raster graphics, it cannot be exported as a CAD file.

Other possibilities

For Roadway applications you may elect to compute Pavement Luminance and other associated metrics. This involves simply placing the appropriate types of computation points using the Add Calculation Points - Roadway Luminance command. This is a variation on Step 5 above.

The above scenario assumes the ultimate output is simply numerical results and not a rendering. However, if a rendering is desired it can be as simple as adding a few steps to the model.

Step 13 - Add an Object for the ground using the Add-Object-Planar (polygon) command.

Step 14 - Switch AGi32 into Full Radiosity Method and compute again.

From this point you can improve the model to become much more elaborate. You can add additional Objects for medians or pedestrian furniture, add Library Objects, and even add textures to object surfaces. The sky is essentially the limit when you start building complicated 3-D models. Keep in mind, the more complicated the model (number of discreet surfaces), the longer the computation can take to process.

Interior projects

We can try and generically apply the label of Interior lighting application to anything from a commercial office space to a very dramatic restaurant or private residence. The truth is, from the designer's perspective they are very different animals. Using the techniques available with AGi32, the methods employed to analyze the variety lighting system possibilities are identical.

Problem definition

Interior lighting application with initial results to be a color rendering for experimentation with different lighting design scenarios. Ultimate goal is final rendering as well as point-by-point computation.

Interior project - steps for success

Step 1 - Open AGi32

Step 2 - If a CAD background is available, use the File-Import command to bring in the drawing background from CAD generated DXF or DWG file. For many interior applications this step is not necessary.

Step 3 - Define the luminaire photometrics to be used in the application using the Define command. Take special care to define the proper Render Mode symbol for the luminaire. If the luminaire comes from a photometric database delivered with AGi32, the manufacturer may have already matched a custom symbol with this photometric file.

Step 4 - Create the 3-dimensional space required in the application. For simple applications this step may involve creating a single room shape using the Room command. For more complicated spaces, it may involve multiple Room shapes and a variety of Objects in combination. Three-dimensional CAD models can also be imported ranging from objects to complete architectural spaces.

Step 5 - Locate the luminaires as desired from the Luminaire toolbar.

Step 6 -  Set the program to Full Radiosity Method from the pull-down menu adjacent to the Calculate button. Then click on the Render tab on the Control Bar and AGi32 will advance to Render mode displaying a wireframe mesh of the model.

Step 7 - Click on the Calculate button to watch the progressive radiosity calculation process. The process can be halted at anytime, however, the solution is complete only when the computation has reached a Radiosity Stopping Criterion of 99% (default preset).

Step 8 - Investigate the model using the standard view and Interactive command buttons from the toolbar.

Step 9 - Return to AGi32's Model mode for any modifications to luminaire positions, quantities or definitions.

Step 10 - You can iterate back and forth in Render mode and Model mode as often as you like. Experiment with the Pseudocolor mode using the Display Properties command for a nice method of evaluating luminance or illuminance quantities.

Step 11 - Within the AGi32 Model mode, select the Add-Calculation Points-Automatic Placement command. Then select any surfaces within the dialog where calculation points are desired. On exit from the dialog, AGi32 will automatically place the calculation points.

Step 12 - Compute the project again from Model mode or Render mode. Computations are slightly faster from Model mode as the software does not have to intermittently refresh the screen presentation.

Step 13 - The output options for an interior application are similar to those available in the previously discussed exterior application with a few additions to handle renderings.

13.a For simple printed output of point by point results you can repeat Steps 9-12 as presented in the exterior application.

13.b For more complete printed output including rendered views, the Optional Steps in the exterior application move the focus to the Reports section of AGi32.

13.c Single views can also be exported to JPG, PNG or BMP format.

Further optional steps that can make your renderings more realistic:

Add texture maps – AGi32 contains a library of bitmapped textures (materials) that can be applied to any reflective surface. You can also add your own bitmap textures to the library easily. Textures can represent anything from carpet, concrete and tile to artwork. Careful application of texture can make your renderings very realistic.

Ray-tracing – If you select a single view or a series of viewpoints in render mode, AGi32 is able to run a post-radiosity process ray-trace to consider specular reflections and create very hard shadow lines in your renderings. A degree of specularity can be assigned to any surface using the Surface Edit command in Model mode. Ray-trace parameters are set from the Ray-trace menu. Ray-traced images are automatically exported to JPG or BMP and can be used in Page-Builder or viewed with the Image Viewer.

Color Bleeding – The degree of color bleeding can be controlled within AGi32 to make the rendered image appear closer to that interpreted by the human visual system. Color bleed from surfaces can be set using the Surface Edit command.

Toggle Model Mode Overlay - Toggle Model mode entities on top of the rendered environment with the Toggle Model Overlay command on the Status Bar. This allows you to create highly informative composite images where you can combine numeric and graphical results for presentation.