About opengl, Open a 3d file, Using the 3d tools (photoshop extended) – Adobe Photoshop CS4 User Manual
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USING PHOTOSHOP CS4
3D and technical imaging
Last updated 1/10/2010
For a video on working with 3D files in Photoshop, see
About OpenGL
OpenGL is a software and hardware standard that accelerates video processing when working with large or complex
images, such as 3D files. OpenGL requires a video adapter that supports the OpenGL standard. Your performance
when opening, moving, and editing 3D models is significantly improved on a system with OpenGL installed.
Note: If OpenGL is not detected on your system, Photoshop uses software-only ray-trace rendering to display 3D files.
If OpenGL is present on your system, you can enable it in Photoshop Preferences.
1
Do one of the following:
•
(Windows) Choose Edit > Preferences > Performance.
•
(Mac OS) Choose Photoshop > Preferences > Performance.
2
In the GPU pane, select Enable OpenGL Drawing.
3
Click OK. The preference affects new (not currently open) windows. No restart is necessary.
Note: Enable OpenGL Drawing must be selected to display the 3D Axis, Ground Plane, and Lights widget.
Open a 3D file
You can open a 3D file on its own or add it to an open Photoshop file as a 3D layer. When adding a file as a 3D layer,
the layer uses the dimensions of the existing file. A 3D layer contains the 3D model and a transparent background.
Photoshop can open the following 3D formats: U3D, 3DS, OBJ, DAE (Collada), and KMZ (Google Earth).
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Do one of the following:
•
Choose File
> Open, and select a 3D file to open.
•
With a document open, choose 3D
> New Layer From 3D File, then select a 3D file to open. This adds an existing
3D file as a layer to your current file.
Note: A 3D layer does not preserve any background or alpha information from the original 3D file.
If you add a 3D file layer to an existing file, it appears above the currently selected layer and becomes the active layer.
•
Textures that are part of the 3D file appear in the Layers panel under the new 3D layer. See “
for 3D models (Photoshop Extended)
•
If your system supports OpenGL and the Enable OpenGL Drawing preference is enabled, the 3D Axis appears when
you select a 3D layer and a 3D tool. See “
Using the 3D Axis (Photoshop Extended)
•
The 3D object and camera tools are active when a 3D layer is selected. See “
•
The components of the 3D file (meshes, materials, and lights) are listed in the 3D panel. See “
Using the 3D tools (Photoshop Extended)
The 3D tools become active when a 3D layer is selected. Use the 3D object tools to change the position or scale of a 3D
model; use the 3D camera tools to change the view of the scene. If your system supports OpenGL, you can also use the
3D Axis to manipulate the 3D model. See “