Piranesi Out for ArchiCAD 6.5

About the "Piranesi Engine" ArchiCAD Add-On

What is Piranesi?

Piranesi is an interactive paint system that enables you to produce exhibition quality images from three-dimensional models. You can paint any of the surfaces on a rendered scene, and the paint is sensitive to the surface you want to paint, and to the angle and distance of the surface within the scene.

How to install Piranesi Add-On

Copy the "EPX_Engine.REX" file into the ArchiCAD 6.0 or ArchiCAD 6.5 Add-On folder and restart ArchiCAD.

How to work with the "Piranesi Engine"

With this ArchiCAD add-on properly installed, you can save 3D models of your projects in the Piranesi file format.

• From the "Image/PhotoRendering Settings" menu, choose "Effects" and then select one of the classical rendering methods, e.g., "ArchiCAD Rendering Engine."
• Render image.
• Save rendered image as BMP file with "Color depth" option set to 24-bit/pixel (this is the default).
• On the "Image/PhotoRendering Settings" menu click "Effects" and choose "Piranesi Z channel" as rendering method.
• Render image. During rendering process, you will be prompted to enter the name of the BMP file to be used as a template for creating the EPX file, and the name of the EPX file.
• You have then created an EPX file that can be read by Piranesi.
• The image on screen can be closed without saving.

Notes

Piranesi works with 24-bit/pixel "Color depth" BMP file files only. If you try to use a BMP file in any other "Color depth" as a template for the Piranesi EPX file, you will be notified by an alert.

The BMP picture used as a template for creating the EPX file must be the same size as the picture being rendered.

Perspectives only:
Piranesi works with perspective projections only. If you try to save an axonometric or orthogonal view in Piranesi format, you will be notified by an alert.

Page last updated: Thursday, November 7, 2002