Tutorial

Technical Support: support@3dsuperb.com

1	Make your 2D room from a Template	Export to DXF file	7
2	Insert a AutoCAD file or a Scanner image	Save 2D space as a image	8
-	AutoCAD	Grouping Objects	9
-	Image	Save a Collection	10
3	Insert Camera	Save a Partial Collection	-
-	3D top view	Vertical Listellos	11
4	Insert Arrow	Random Tile Selection	12
5	Interior Walls	Material Border in an InWall Object (example: doors, windows, etc)	13
-	Stairs	Panels / Compositions	14
-	Base sinks balcony	Tile Layer / Advanced Installation	15
-	Covered Wall (for bathtubs)	Custom Pattern - Pattern Designer	-
6	Separate a Wall / Floor	Render	16

Change of textures in 3D models by project (advanced)

1 - Make your 2D room from a Template

It's possible to start drawing a new Room in 3D Superb in many different ways. In 2D mode you have some predefined rooms sketches that can easily help you.
To do so, go to “File” and choose “Open Template”.

It will show you several common room shapes that let you start using the tool:
a Rectangular, a Double Rectangle and "L" and "U" shapes.

If you prefer to draw from an empty space, you can use different drawings modes:

Straight Angle Mode: Use always 90º corners

Rectangle Mode: Use a rectangular shape drawing, to easy draw a square/rectangle room

Free Drawing: without limitation on angles, make special free forms drafts

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2 - Insert AutoCAD file or a Scanner image

You can use a AutoCAD (DXF file) or a image to help you recreating your real life room

AutoCAD

Importing a AutoCAD file, require that you first assure some specifications for the file.
( To see tutorial click here: How to create a DXF file).

	Import a AutoCAD file, by clicking on “Insert CAD Project”.
		Select the file you want to use

The AutoCAD file will appear on the background of your working place

When you click on it with your right mouse button you can:

- Delete the background image;
- Send it to back/front;
- Block it (useful if you don’t want to move it accidentally).

A good advantage of working with this background image, is that you can draw on top of it, using the lines of the CAD drawing.

By using the option of “Snap Properties”, and only selecting “ End Point”, you can draw the room easily, because it will detect the end of the lines that are shown.

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Image

To use a image, go to Insert menu, and select Image.

After choosing the file, and before using it, you must define the correct scale by selecting two reference point and its real measure.
One example is the size of a door, that has an approximate value of 70 cm.

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3 - Insert Camera

If you are working with several rooms spaces, an easy way to navigate between them in 3D, is using the “Insert Camera” option. This will help you "jump" from one to another in a very simple and easy way.

Click on "Insert Camera" and then in a Room space. It will create a camera icon, now Rotate and Move it to adjust the angle that you want to see in the 3D Mode.
Repeat the same process to the others Rooms.

3D Top view

In 3D Mode, you can then use the option “Select Camera” and change between the different camera views.

You can always create another camera point in any place you are in 3D Mode, going to View, Insert camera.
The Camera view will be placed were you are and with the same angle that you have at the moment.

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4 - Insert Arrow

You can insert Arrows to help you to have a well organized 2D drawing, giving some extra information or measures.
Click Insert Arrow, then click and move it, to define your direction of the arrow and it's shape.

You can chose several Arrow's types by right clicking the selected arrow and go to the Properties menu.

Here you have several options to use with your arrow.

The more significant are:

Has Measure: Indicates a distance (specific to measures).
Text: Writes a small text in the arrow, like a title.
Line End Visible: you can change the visibility of the arrow, on the beginning of line, it's end, both or none.
Type: Type of arrow you want (Arrow, White Arrow, Double Arrow, Diamond, Bullet, Oblique, Inverse Oblique).
Arrow size: Defines the size of the arrow

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5 - Interior Walls

To use interior walls, you click the icon "Interior".
You can only build this type of walls inside a room.

Just click and drag the mouse to define the measure of the wall.

By default the material applied to the room will be also applied to the Interior Wall.

There is other interesting uses for the interior walls, like:
- Stairs;
- Base sinks balcony;
- Wall covered in bathtubs.

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Stairs

To create a Stairs, you must create a step at a time.

Define, for example, a 80x20cm interior wall box. In it's properties window you will have important fields that defines your Stairs step:

Elevation: is the height that goes from the floor until the start of the step's surface.

Height: is the measure of the step's surface. For the example, this will have 15cm.

Is Coated: you can use materials on it's upper and lower surface. To do this, change to the value to True.

To create the Stairs, the next interior wall (2nd Step) will have 30cm of height, and the next one will have 45cm.. and so one until the it reach the measure you want.

After you create the stairs steps and adjust it's parameters, the result will be like this:

You can change the covering of the stairs, by using different materials.
To do this you have two options:
use the "Separate a Wall / Floor" or the "Advanced Installation" features.

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Base sinks balcony

This is created the same way of the Stairs, but you will define the Elevation value.

To create a balcony with a height of 80cm and with 10cm of thickness, the values will be as shown on the image.

After you put a washbasin, at the correct height of 90cm, and change the materials using "Separate a Wall/Floor", or "Advanced Installation", the result will be like this.

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Covered Wall (for bathtubs)

You can use interior walls to create a wall around a bathtub.
First create the interior wall with the shape of what is need to "hide" on the used example, we choused an "L" form, define it's height (50cm this example) and select the upper and lower Coated (value TRUE).
The result is like this:

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6 - Separate a Wall / Floor

You can use this feature to change the applied material on a selected wall.
After you define materials for the room, all the walls are covered with the same product by default.

To create a special Wall/Structure you should use this feature

Click in Coverings, Separate a Wall/Floor, Select.

Then click the wall you want to select to change its materials, or just click on the wanted surface.

The selected wall will become white and ready to start working with it.

After this, you can drag and drop materials to the room, but it only be applied to that specific wall.

You can be more creative and divide this wall...turning it into two separated wall:

Go to 2D, select a wall, click with the right button and select Divide.
The selected wall will be divided in half. (You can make this step as many times you want).

Now you can work this new wall separately.

In 3D, select only one of the walls you just divided and use the tiles you want.

You can always go back to the default covering, by selecting the "Reset Materials" button, then choose the wall that must be returned to the default covering.

You can also make a "Copy Materials".
This will copy the applied materials of the selected wall, to other wall.

To deactivate a special selection and work in the default covering, just select “No Target”. After this you will be able to change all the walls at the same time, except the ones with the special selection applied.

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7 - Export to DXF file (Function not available)

You can export your 2D design to a DXF file format.

Go to File, and Export to DXF. Save the file.

If you open it on a CAD program, the exported file will look like this.

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8 - Save 2D space as a image

You can also save the 2D Drawing plant as a image format file.

Just click in Save Image, and select the name of the file.

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9 - Grouping Objects

Sometimes its good to have a group of objects to work with them more easily.
This feature can be also be used to change the same attribute of all objects at the same time.

To do this, select the objects you want by left clicking and moving your mouse, covering the objects you want, or select the objects by clicking one by one with "Shift" key pressed.

Other way of multiple selection is going by the Tools Menu, and choose "Select By Name".

In the example shown, we have selected 4 objects.

After selecting, right click in the room space, and select Group.

This will create a group of the selected objects.

Selecting, moving and changing parameters will be performed to the group.

At any time you can use the Ungroup function.

If you try to change the attributes of this group, it will be performed to all the objects in it.

However, only to the ones that have the same attribute reference and values.

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10 - Save a Collection

Use this function if you want to save your environment collection and use it in a different room.

To use it in another room, just click on Open Collection.

Save a Partial Collection

Use this the same way of the Save Collection, the only difference it that this function only saves a part of the Collection: Floor or Walls.

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11 - Vertical Listellos

To create Vertical Listellos go to Coverings/ Vertical Listellos/ Insert. It will open a Pattern Wizard box.

Here you can define:

1 - The position in "X" from the wall alignment;
2 - The alignment of the Vertical listellos related to wall (Left, Right, Middle).
3 - This option is needed if you want to add a Vertical Listello just to a specific wall. (*)
4 - Here you define the rotation of the material:
a Tiles in Vertical - put the material in the original position.
(maintains the tile's orientation)
b Tiles in Horizontal - it rotates the material 90 degrees.
5 - Chose a desire pattern and follow the rest of the indications.

Click next in the Pattern Wizard box, Select the material and finish the Wizard.

(*)When you click in "Assign to a wall", a new box display's the list of walls that can be assigned. Select one, or just click in the desired wall.

The applied Vertical Listello.

If you want, you can change it from place.

Just select Vertical Listellos/Move.

You can move it's position by changing the parameters of X Position, and the Alignment.

If you select Assign to a Wall, you can select a different wall to assign yours Vertical Listellos.

You can always assign new Vertical Listellos to the walls.

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12 - Random Tile Selection

To make a random tile application, you must first select a layer of tiles that you want to change:

Go to Coverings/Material Tiles/Random Tile Selection, or Right click in the screen and go to Material Tiles/Random Tile Selection.

It will open Random Tile window were you will select the material to be applied.

Here you will see on the top, the original applied material.

On the left, the tree with the materials or you can make a search by size to find some specific materials, since only tiles of the same size can be applied.

When you select one, you will define a value (0 to 100%) to specify the percentage of that material.

For instance:
If you select two materials, and use "50" of each one, you will apply them randomly, making a total of 100%.

After this, click Apply and you will see the result.

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13 - Material Border in an InWall Object

In some 3D objects (InWall), it's possible to create a Materials border around it.

InWall 3D objects= by definition, this special 3D models can cut the tiles on a wall. Some examples are:
Windows, Doors, and some Wall mirrors

Just select the object, right click and select Material Border/Create.

It will open a Pattern Wizard window were you select the pattern, then the material you want to use.
If you have a corner to apply, you could use it too.

You could always delete it, change it's settings and materials after applied

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	14 - Panels / Compositions

In order to add a panel or composition of tiles, follow these steps:

1- Cover the walls with tiles:

2 - Activate "Tile by tile selection".		3 - Right click "Add panel".

4 - Choose the panel you want to use.

5 - Click on "Apply", and you will see the result.

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15 - Tile Layer / Advanced Installation

This is a advanced functionality of the 3D Superb Tool. With this feature you will be able to create special areas on the covered Wall/Floor, like ceramic rugs, empty areas (behind bathtubs or kitchen cabinets), or special patterns.

Also is possible to printout tiles installation details, to help building the wall patterns by the professional technician.

Click in the icon of Advanced Installation and left click in the wall (room or interior) you want to work.

You will see the wall you select with some information of the tiles already applied.

If you click Compute Tiles, you will have a full tile view.

Here you can create extra tile boxes, drawings, as many you want.

Other use is to print it and hand it to the technicians, to help the installation procedure.

You have 3 types of special drawing areas.

1 - Filled Bar - create a selection of tiles, and also a border around it. Ideal to create Ceramic Rugs.
2 - Region - create a simple selection of tiles. Use it to create a special area on the applied ceramic, like a "Panel".
3 - Blank area - instead of materials, it defines an empty region. Very useful on the wall portion behind a bathtub or Kitchen Cabinets.

To create a special area of tiles, just left click and drag the mouse.

Then you can resize, move, or change its parameters.

To access it's option, just right click on it, and chose what you need to change.

You can change it's order (front/back), delete and copy.

Also you can Set Geometry To Surface, and it will fill the wall. This is usefull if you want to cover all the wall not only a specific area.

Then you can define the materials you want to apply.
The Pattern (yellow area), the Border and Corner Patterns (blue area).
The Corner pattern is optional. If you don't use it, select "False" on "Use Corners?" in the properties window.

The "Region" drawing have the option of Set Geometry to Section, this will make it adjust to a specific tile's section (yellow area).

Its possible to save all the special areas that are created on the Advance Installation and use it on other project.
To do so:
- Save your work at any time;
- Open a saved one;
- Merge - this is useful if you want to use several saved "special areas" on the same project.

To define the materials you want to apply, you have two ways of doing it:
- Normal Pattern Wizard
- Custom Pattern. (explained on the next chapter)

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Custom Pattern - Pattern Designer

Here you will create more complex Patterns.
It's a simple tool, but a very powerful one, were you can try many different pattern.
At any time you could test the pattern, and go back to the Advanced Installation, or even back to the 3D Mode, and test the results.

To start, just select a material and click on the white zone.
The material is dropped a zero point position of our Pattern Designer.
The next tiles, must be moved to the right position.

Period Arrows:

Green Arrow - This will make the tile repeat itself on the Y-axis and is defined by the values of X,Y (position and size of the arrow);

Red Arrow - This will make the tile repeat itself on the X-axis and is defined by the values of X,Y (position and size of the arrow);

When we put another material, it will be dropped were we click.
You can select the tile, and move it to a more correct position, and aligned the other(s) tile(s).
The easiest way to align two tiles is right clicking with the mouse button, and use the Align options, to move the material to the exact correct position.

After aligned the tiles, we need to change the Period X and Y arrows to the desire pattern.

In this case we have a 31.6x59.2cm material and the grout is (by default) 0.5cm.

Formula for this pattern:
tile1=31.6x59.2 cm
tile2=31.6x59.2 cm
G=0.5 cm

Pattern= "Period Y Arrow", "Period X Arrow"

Period Y Arrow=
X=0;
Y=[Y(tile1)+Y(tile2)]+2xG

Period X Arrow=
X=[X(tile1)+X(tile2)]+2xG
Y=0

So, "Period Y Arrow" will be [X=0,Y=(2x59.2)+(2x0.5)] and Period X Arrow will be [X=(2x31.6)+(2x0.5),Y=0]

Our example pattern will repeat itself on the Y axis, two times the Y size of the tiles and in the X axis, two times the X size of the same tiles.

If you go to File, Test pattern, you will see something like this:

After exiting the Pattern Designer and having all the materials placed, you have a result like this in the 3D mode

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16 - Render

To create a real image of your room, you must choose "Start rendering Photo". You can make a low quality rendering using our Basic option, or use our new Professional render to have a good quality image.

NEW RENDERING 3D SUPERB

(Available in Professional Version)

This new render have as main enhancements the introduction of Refraction levels, natural light (Sunlight) and realistic illumination with soft shadows. You have also available predefined Templates with different adjustments, and a wide number of advanced settings to get the desired balance between quality and rendering time.

How to Use:

To exclusively use realistic illumination, you first need to deactivate all Internal/artificial Lights (3D), so that they will not be used in this new render.

To change this, double click in any light, and it will open the Properties window. Inside General, change “Use In Render” to “False”. If you don’t want to use real illumination from Lamps, this option must stay “True”, to have an illuminated environment. You can also use both types simultaneously, but you need to correctly compensate all levels.

Artificial Lights from 3D (default illumination), will have a similar behavior in new render, but with improved shadows quality.

This illumination emit light in all directions, not being directed like a lamp, and can burn some zones excessively making a non-natural illumination.

After choosing your type of illumination, you can add some Lamp Models. You can look for them in “Complements”, “Lights”. In each model, you have the possibility to choose the “Lamp Type” and its intensity “Luminous Flux”. You can have different intensity options, depending on the models.

After finishing your Project, you can start testing the new render. In the render window, you will find the new “Professional” render, and the old “Basic”, to test the differences between both of them.

You must select “Professional” to choose the new render:

You have four Templates to choose from, with predefined configurations witch progressively increase quality in detriment of speed. They are:

Draft, Balanced, High Quality and Maximum Quality.

In Draft mode, average times are around 1 minute, and Balanced mode could vary between 5 to 15 minutes, depending in the quantity and type of lights you use.

If you are using artificial lights (3D), time of render could be reduced, but you will also lose realism.

The two Quality modes could take several hours, so we recommend using these modes only when you already have your entire project concluded and with correct values, and you pretend a better result for a final image. In these modes we also recommend letting your computer exclusively dedicated to this task, to use full resources of the machine.

Choosing the image size, you can change its Width and Height, and if you unselect “Fixed Scale” you can change separately the dimensions.

You also have an “Advanced” mode that allows the adjustment of several settings individually, personalizing all setting to achieve optimum performance and quality.

1- Trace Level – Field that raises the calculation of reflected rays. You should raise this if you see any black reflections were would normally be an image. Generally, 1 or 2 it’s enough.

2- Smooth Level – Smoothness of the image. The higher the value, smoother the image, but will take more rendering time.

3- Shadows – Change between rough shadows (Draft mode), and smoother shadows (other quality modes).

4- Refraction Level – Gives thickness to the glass items (glass accessories will look real).

Each level increases new parameters:

- Disabled: No Thickness.

- Level 1: glass with IOR (index of refraction).
- Level 2: caustics (better light and shadows projection)
etc.

5- Radiosity Level – Increases projected shadows quality, raising the emitted rays and its calculations.

6- Gamma Correction - Controls the overall brightness of an image, the ratio between the bright and dark parts of the image.

7- Ceiling Brightness – Manual brightness adjustment of the ceiling. If your ceiling is too dark or bright, you can compensate changing from Default to a different value.

8- Sunlight Multiplier - Change the calculated value of the Intensity of Sunlight, to provide more strength to the external light.

9- CPUs / Threads – Changes the number of threads you computer use, depending on you CPU. For a quick render, leave it always in Auto. For a Dualcore CPU use only one core, select 1. For a Quadcore CPU, select 1 to 3 depending the number of cores you want to use.

Natural Illumination (Sunlight)

Changing any info in this graphics will activate the Sunlight function. This type of illumination tries to replicate a correct sunlight, so you need to confirm your windows position to insert the correct angle, and to have the expected result. You first will need to insert the Direction, which defines the angle from where the light will enter the room. Change its Intensity, and its Elevation. Elevation will automatically adjust Sun Color. If you unselect “Sync Color”, you can adjust separately your Elevation and Sun Color.

All render values are saved in the project after you click the OK button to generate the image.

Note: When you have your observer outside the room, exterior will be White instead of having a Landscape. Inside your room, if you disable Landscape, it will turn Blue.

Rendering engine video


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17 - Change of textures in 3D models by project (advanced)

	Its possible to force a different texture to a specific project. This is a more complex process, but it will be possible to save the project and reopen it without losing the texture image information. You need to create a text file with the name of the project +"-remap-textures". The current image file path needs to be remapped to the new image file and its location. All objects that use the first texture, will be using the second instead.



	To do so, you need to go to "Change Color and Textures". Remember that it must select always a individual object, not a group. Click on the image texture (1), then with the correspondent name of the image at the bottom (2), find it in the folder you are (3). Click on it with the "right mouse button" and select "properties".



		At the "Image properties" Window, select the location and clicking with the right mouse button click "Copy". Paste it at the text file and then copy the name image (point 2 at Texture File), and also paste it.

	This is the full path of the image, but because the program recognize the path until "Objects", you will delete the part "C:\Archivos de programa\ 3D Superb\3D Superb\"

	After the image name, use equal "=" to separate from the new one, and then paste the path/name of the image you want. If the path of this one is also inside Object folder, you can delete the initial path. At the bottom you can see the file with the 2 examples (path and long path) you can use. Remember that the second image could always be one that is in a different path inside your computer or mapped drive.



	In the future we plan to have a more automatic and intuitive process avoiding the need for a more advance knowledge of the program structure.

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