The "detail" menu allows to select the organization and the density
of sensors.The list shows the sensors grids provided by default and
the custom grids. The default grids are not editable, but it is
possible to use them to define custom grids (see below).
All sensors grids automatically seek to position themselves parallel
to a longer segment, maximize the number of sensors on the surface,
and center on the edges.
-
Density sensors grids - these grids use an advanced
algorithm that places the sensors on the surface in a density
grid, along the edges and finally in the corners (segment ends).
This type of grid is particularly suitable for surfaces with
complex shapes, the mode "Sensors coverage area" is recommended
(see below advanced settings preferences).
The algorithm has 4 parameters:
-
Density: number of sensors per square meter. This
density is indicative, the final density may be slightly
higher.
-
Distance to the edges: minimum distance between sensors
and edges of surfaces.
-
Corner sensors: try to put sensors in the corners of the
surface.
-
3x3 sensors: try to have at least 3 sensors in each
direction, possibly at the cost of increasing the
density.
The provided grids:
-
Sparse - approximately 1 sensor every 10 square
meters, distance to the edges: 10cm, corner sensors: yes,
3x3 sensors: no.
-
Simple - approximately 1 sensor every 4 square meters
(sensors 2 meters apart in each direction), distance to the
edges: 10cm, corner sensors: yes, 3x3 sensors: no.
-
Detailed - approximately 1 sensor per square meter,
distance to the edges: 10cm, corner sensors: yes, 3x3
sensors: no.
-
Very detailed - approximately 4 sensors per square
meter (a distance of about 50cm between sensors), distance
to the edges: 10cm, corner sensors: yes, 3x3 sensors: no.
-
SF, HSA, NSL grids: these are very dense grids intended for
certain calculations such as the calculation of horizontal
sight angle.
-
EN 12464-1 standard - grid in accordance with
EN 12464-1 standard
requirements, with approximate distance between sensors p = 0,2
× 5^log10(d) meters, where d is the longest dimension of the
calculation area if the length-to-width ratio is between 0.5 and
2.0. For other ratios shorter dimension is used for d.
Nota:
- this grid is used for BREEAM calculations mode,
- for a length d=10m, the size of the mesh is 1.00m.
-
EN 17037 standard - grid in accordance with
EN 17037 standard
requirements, with approximate distance between sensors p = 0,5
× 5^log10(d) meters, where d is the longest dimension of the
calculation area if the length-to-width ratio is between 0.5 and
2.0. For other ratios shorter dimension is used for d. The
surface of the mesh excludes a band of 0.50m along the walls,
the grid is calculated on this reduced surface.
Nota:
-
grid used by default for Daylight Factor and Horizontal
Sight Angle in EN 17037 mode,
- for a length d=10m, the size of the mesh is 2.50m
-
the density of the mesh proposed by EN 17037 standard is
much lower than for EN 12464-1 (in ratio greater than
6).
-
Single sensor in the center - the surface receives only
one sensor, located in the center (or close to the center for
surfaces with holes).
Note: grid used by default for APSH calculation.
-
Classic sensors grids - regular rectangular grid (the
spacing between sensors is fixed), this is the simplest grid.
These grids have 2 parameters:
-
Spacing: distance between the sensors. The distance is
the same in both directions.
-
Distance to the edges: minimum distance between sensors
and edges of surfaces.
Provided grid:
-
50cm grid - grid with a sensor every 50cm and a
minimum distance to edges of 50cm.
Advanced preferences settings
The following parameters are adjustable in the advanced
preferences of each extension and affect the interpretation of
the sensors:
-
Min face area - Minimal surface area, below which
surface is skipped as extremely small. If this limit is
zero, a surface can still be discarded if the distance limit
at the edges of the sensor grid does not allow a sensor to
be positioned.
-
Area limit for single sensor - Area below which a
single sensor is generated for the surface.
-
Coverage area of sensors - Boolean - If enabled,
assign to each sensor a coefficient corresponding to the
area covered by the nearest points (Voronoi diagram). The
traditional alternative is to consider that each sensor
represents the same surface, which can lead to anomalies
(sensors in the corners). In general this option is
recommended to obtain coherent and precise results, but it
is not recommended for the calculations having to respect a
standard specifying that each sensor must have the same
"weight" (for example BREEAM).
These 2 options have no influence on the sensors and the values
returned in the reports, they only concern the rendering of
the textures:
-
Interpolation density - Adjusting the ratio of
interpolated points by sensor, improve the graphic rendering
(for modes RBF and linear interpolation).
-
Maximum scale in pixels / meter - Limit the texture
dimension to a maximum of pixels per meter. The largest
dimension of a texture is defined in the preferences (for
example 1024 pixels). This second parameter also makes it
possible to enforce a limit based on the dimensions of the
surfaces. This makes it possible to maintain a coherent
graphic rendering for successive calculations on surfaces of
very different sizes.
Custom sensors grids
Two dialogs allow you to define custom sensors grids for both
types (density and conventional). These dialogs take the
parameters described above. The default grids are presented in
these dialogs for information purposes.
Features
-
Local storage - defined grids are saved in the local
instance of SketchUp and can be used on any model (either as
the main sensors grid or for exception surfaces).
-
Model storage - any grid used in a model is also
stored in the SketchUp model.
-
Removing grids - Removing a grid (red cross icon)
deletes the grid only locally, but never from the model that
uses it. As a result, there is no point attempting to erase
a grid used in the current model. To remove a grid from a
model, it must be ensured that it is no longer used by any
calculation on the model.
-
Automatic loading vs naming - When loading a model,
the grids used by the model are automatically loaded. The
name of the sensors grids is therefore indicative, 2
identical grids can exist under 2 different names, 2 grids
with the same name but with different parameters can
coexist. The management of naming rules is left to the local
organization.
Density sensors grids
The dialog is accessible from the SketchUp menu:
Extensions -> De Luminae -> Global Parameters ->
Custom Density Sensors Grids
It is also accessible from the Grid Exceptions dialog on
surfaces.
Classic sensors grids
The dialog is accessible from the SketchUp menu:
Extensions -> De Luminae -> Global Parameters ->
Custom Sensors Grids
It is also accessible from the Grid Exceptions dialog on
surfaces.
Exceptions - sensors grid specific to a surface
This dialog allows you to select a specific sensors grid for a
model surface. It is accessible through the Exceptions button to
the right of the main grid selector.
Each line of the table corresponds to a surface of the model.
-
Windows only : click on "loupe" icon displays a
mask on the model that locates the surface.
-
Mac OS only : selecting a row in the table displays
a mask on the model that locates the surface.
-
Clicking on a face of the model loads the face into the
table (or selects it). Initially, the table is empty if all
the surfaces use the default grid, it is then necessary to
click on the faces to be modified.
-
The Custom grids and
Custom density grids buttons provide direct access
to grid characteristics via the dialogs described above.
Definition of columns:
-
Face name - Name of the face (by default its
numerical identifier). The name is editable.
-
Layer - Name of the layer to which the surface is
attached.
-
Grid - The name of the currently assigned grid. If
the default grid is used, the name of the grid is preceded
by the word "Default:". Click on the cell to select a grid
to use from the drop-down list (browse through the list
using the mouse wheel or keyboard).
-
Add layer icon
- Apply the grid of this surface to all surfaces listed in
the table that are attached to the same layer.
-
Face comments - Comment associated with the face. The
comment is editable.
-
Delete icon - Remove the face of the table, so the
face uses the default grid.