Installing the Lights Extension will equip CET with many different light sources to pick from, everything from freestanding lamps and pendants to ceilings with integrated lights.

Below, each section on the Lights component tab is described.

Light settings

At the top of the Lights component tab, open the click Light settings ... to edit lights, groups of lights, and global lights. The settings and options available are determined by which light source is selected in the drawing view. 

Enable real time lights

Check Enable realtime lights to update lights sources instantly as you work, letting you preview how they will change when you try out different settings.

Lighting effects

• Omni Light: An orb of light that casts light in all directions but isn’t visible in renderings and can be placed anywhere in the drawing.
• Rectangular Area Light: Draws an illuminated rectangular area and can be placed anywhere in the drawing and casts light downward.

Ceiling

Place either a Florescent ceiling or a Light wire grid which have integrated lights.

To place one of these ceilings, follow these steps:

1. Pick the desired ceiling component and move the mouse pointer to the drawing area.
2. Click once to set a starting point.
3. Start moving the mouse sideways to the desired width, or enter a measurement in the green input box. Click to confirm the width.
4. Move the mouse down to the desired depth, or enter a measurement in the green input box. Click to confirm the depth.
5. Move the mouse pointer outside of the drawing area or hit the Esc key to release the ceiling component.
6. In the green properties box that is displayed when the ceiling is selected, you can make settings for your ceiling.

Set the properties of the ceiling. If you are using Natural or Simple lighting in combination with the ceiling grid, be sure to check the Solid check box so the space isn’t over-lit. If you are using Multiple suns you do not need to make the ceiling solid:

The option, Dropped Ceiling Distance, refers to the downward thickness of the lights. Here is an elevation view for a better picture...

In the Ceiling section, there is also a tool to reset the light, and a remover tool:

Select the Reset tool and hover the mouse pointer over a ceiling. A small green input box appears in the upper left corner where you can choose to reset the selected ceiling (Single) or all ceilings in the drawing.(All). Click to recover any lights that have been removed with the Remover tool.

With the Remover tool, you can either click to remove individual lights, or draw a rectangle around an area to remove all lights within the space.

These ceilings default to being solid. This means that all light, including sunlight, is blocked and that the ceiling is solid both from below and above. To change this, select the ceiling and uncheck the Solid option in the green input box. The ceiling is now see-through from above but solid from below.

Custom ceiling

These are tools that enable you to create a florescent ceiling of any shape you like with integrated lights.

To create a freeform ceiling, follow these steps:

1. Pick the custom ceiling component and move the mouse pointer to the drawing area.
2. Click once to set a starting point. Continue to click to draw the shape of your ceiling. Each time you click, a new point is added. Make sure to finish by fully closing the shape.
3. A new custom ceiling component is now placed on your pointer to keep letting you place more ceilings. If you do not wish to do so, move the mouse pointer outside of the drawing area or hit the Esc key to release the custom ceiling component.
4. In the green properties box that is displayed when the ceiling is selected, you can make settings for your custom ceiling.

In the Custom Ceiling section, there are also tools for editing your ceiling:

	Add point: Insert a stretch point anywhere along the ceiling’s 2D outline.
	Remove point: Delete selected stretch points along the ceiling’s 2D outline.
	Switch straight/curved: Click anywhere between two edit points to switch the line from straight to curved and vice versa.
	Slice shape: Draw a line across a custom ceiling in order to divide it into two ceilings.

Fluorescent lights

The items in the Fluorescent Lights section are used for adding additional lights to florescent ceilings. Therefore, you first need to place a ceiling. You can then go ahead and pick a light type and click it in place in the ceiling.

Other lights

All other lights – Ceiling lamps, Sconces, Desk lamps and Floor lamps – are all standalone items that you can use as light sources or decoration in your drawings. Below are some examples of lamps that can be found here. Some have had their finish changed with textures from the Material Explorer.

Desk lights will automatically hop to the height of a worksurface when placed on top of one.