IRender nXt Startup

IRender nXt Startup

The first step is to load IRender nXt onto your machine. Download the software (the link is in the Online Resources), and run the executable file. If you don’t have a license it will run in trial mode, but it will leave a watermark on your

renderings. Once loaded, go the Plug-ins pull-down menu, and activate it–you’ll see the following toolbar show up:

Figure 1 The IRender nXt toolbar with tool descriptions, courtesy Render Plus Systems 

Click on the Options tool to peek see the rendering settings. I usually check the radio button next to “Automatically load IRender nXt toolbars and functions” and “Use single toolbar” for convenience. On the lighting tab, be sure you’ve checked the box next to Interior, as this will optimize for electric light sources. 

SketchUp models can often be in the 20-30mb file size range, and this really taxes IRender nXt. There are a few things you can do to avoid slowing down your computer to a complete crawl, or worse, crashing it. The first step is to save a copy of your project, just in case you get a bad bug splat. Then, you can remove all the detritus from downloaded components and other junk, using the Purge command. 

Purging a SketchUp Model : 

1. From the Window pull-down menu, choose Model Info. 

2. Click on Statistics in the left frame. 

3. Click on the Purge button–this will help IRender nXt work faster. 

4. If you’re model was already in the 30mb range, click Purge again. 

5. Click OK, and then save your drawing again (it should be a much smaller file size now). 

This usually gets rid of the biggest impediments, and will speed up your  model, too. A more drastic step is to delete all components and other drawing  elements that don’t show in your current view. IRender nXt has no way of culling those objects otherwise, and will waste time running calculations.

Look out! It’s easy to forget that object behind the station point may still be visible in a particular view–in a mirror. Check all the angles before deleting absolutely everything. Also, if you delete an exterior wall or roof/ceiling, it will in fact let the light in, which will also mess up your rendering. 


Thanks :
Electronic Workflow for Interior Designers and Architects