Section Planes

Section cut through a SketchUp model.Note: Even though you use a section plane to remove geometry - such as this front wall - the illumination inside is not changed. (The sun does not shine in through the now-open wall - and still creates shadows from the invisible windows.)
Section cut through a SketchUp model.
Note: Even though you use a section plane to remove geometry - such as this front wall - the illumination inside is not changed. (The sun does not shine in through the now-open wall - and still creates shadows from the invisible windows.)

You can use SketchUp Section Planes to cut sections enabling you to view geometry within your model.

What Section Planes means to you...


Section Plane Settings


IRender nXt cannot tell which section planes are enabled or disabled. Ordinarily, only the first section plane which is visible is used to clip the rendering.

This can be changed on the nXt Tab to allow processing of all section planes and processing of hidden section planes.

Note: SketchUp only supports 1 active Section Plane at the main model level. IRender nXt can support multiple section planes.

Note: Section Planes in groups or components are not supported.




Advantages of section planes

See entire room with using a wide angle lens

No section plane. Camera placed inside of the room and the field of view was increased to see the entire room. However the image gets distorted and has a fish-eye look.
No section plane. Camera placed inside of the room and the field of view was increased to see the entire room. However the image gets distorted and has a fish-eye look.

Option 1 often produces a distorted image.

Especially if you want to see detail on the left and right walls.

Remove geometry which blocks the view without altering the scene

Wall removed and camera placed outside of room. This creates a good perspective. However light is let in the room due to the missing wall.
Wall removed and camera placed outside of room. This creates a good perspective. However light is let in the room due to the missing wall.

Removing geometry is a problem for photorealistic renderers.

Especially if there is sun and sky lighting to be processed through windows, because you have effectively removed an entire wall which means that light from the outside is now able to filter in causing improper illumination.

Section Planes provide the best result

Section Plane cut through building. The geometry sectioned out is still used for lighting and reflections.
Section Plane cut through building. The geometry sectioned out is still used for lighting and reflections.

You get the best of both worlds. The wall is removed, allowing for better camera positioning, but the wall is still used for shadows, illumination and reflection which means the room will be lit accurately.

See also