3D Photos

**Charles Moir** · 29 March 2008, 09:23 AM

There have been a couple of people asking how the 3D photos in the manual was created. OK here's the file so you can play yourself.

The top photo and its reflected image have to be treated as separate 3D objects, partly because the lower one has a graduated reflection on it. The reflection was created by drag copying the top one, turning it upside down in Selector tool, and then adjusting the 3D orientation to 'reflect' the top photo. So it's all done by eye basically. A bit fiddly getting it right but not difficult. I'm sure a better artist than me can make it look better.

So as you can see both the top and lower object are separate 3D extruded images.

Now for the really cool feature - we improved drag 'n' drop photo handling. So you can take any photo (from bitmap gallery or external JPEG file) and just drop on top of the 3D photos, to replace the pictures with your own. Drop one on the top and again on the bottom upside down image - it gets the scale, orientation etc right.

(And you'll see this even works inside grouped, and in this case ClipViewed object. As does the 3D extrude tool - you do not need to un-group or remove the ClipView to adjust the 3D object. The tool automatically drills-down into any group to select the object.)

So now you don't have to be an artist at all to create your own 3D mantelpiece photos. It's drag and drop easy.

**steve.ledger** · 29 March 2008, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Charles Moir

Now for the really cool feature - we improved drag 'n' drop photo handling. So you can take any photo (from bitmap gallery or external JPEG file) and just drop on top of the 3D photos, to replace the pictures with your own. Drop one on the top and again on the bottom upside down image - it gets the scale, orientation etc right.

Yes - that is cool.. I just played around and it even works this way when dragging from Picasa.

I assume you are aware that it doesn't work when dragging photos from the clipart gallery?