Light Cannon - light from view

Here’s an addon that creates a light aligned to the current view. It creates a toolshelf panel in the 3d view with a number of different options.

The Zip Download - Light Cannon

If you want to follow development,
The Github Project page


The tool is run by a button in the tool shelf. It is possible to use a custom keyboard shortcut, but it’s not working quite right at the moment so it’s disabled. You can select to either generate a lamp light or a mesh light. You can also just create a camera from view with no light.

The Panel has all the general options available for each light type and emission color and strength settings. With a mesh light object selected, you will also see the Ray Visibility options. These options only work for the creation of the object, and not for objects already created.

All objects created are also added to a group called “Light Cannon”. Keep in mind, some of the lamps are not visible when created because they’re out of view slightly. Change your view position and you’ll see them.

Any feedback and/or bug reports would be appreciated!

This was inspired by a post I saw on Lesterbanks about this post, a simple script for Maya to do the same.

Edit
Script updated to work with Blender 2.80. If you need the 2.7 version just check the github previous commit.

2 Likes

works fine! tnx a lot
usefull!
win7 64 - blender 269

thanks very much! works awesome

Thanks! Realy useful addon.

Nice idea! Thanks!

Does this work for Blender 2.8 ?

1 Like

Bumped, 2.8version possible ?

Why do you need this? Just create the light and use the feature ”selected as camera" and position it, it’s exactly the same, but you may have some reason to need this, so I’m curious :slight_smile:

Hey !
No problem, allow me to explain the usefulness of this add-on.
Rotate the viewport [we are not talking camera or anything here, just rotating around a selection in the viewport].

Inside Light Canon, we can click many things, I choose…area light for example.
Hit create and it is done !
That’s…ONE CLICK ! :smiley:

Now let’s try doing it the default way.
1: Create an area light.
2: Press Control Numpad 0 to set as active.
3: In the N Panel, check “Lock Camera to View”
4: Get the view you want.
5: In the N Panel, uncheck “Lock Camera to View”
6: Put gun in mouth and fire for time wasted.

A good shortcut :slight_smile:

Cheers!

I’m glad someone found this addon useful. I’ll try and get this updated to work with 2.80 here soon. I have some work projects I need to get out the door to get some money coming in the door, when I’m in the clear I’ll put some time towards this.

1 Like

OMG the ORIGINAL CREATOR !!! You are the original creator of this add-on and you are still HERE !!!

I am SO HAPPY !!!

Thank you for responding !!!

I had a small window of time today and considering your enthusiasm I went through and updated the addon to work with 2.80. Github links in the first post have the updated version. From quick tests, everything should work as expected but please let me know if you run across bugs. Tool panel is in a tab on the right side of the 3d view.

One thing to note, in Eevee, mesh lights need some extra steps to get working properly (not built into this addon). You can find more info here: How to make mesh lights work in EEVEE.

First of all, IT WORKS YEAH !!!
SO SO SO Happy !!!

But I am getting these messages:
Spot Light:

Area Light:

Let me repeat, despite the messages, it WORKS !!!
So this is just a matter of whether you are free to look into it that’s all, no big, it already works THANKS TO YOU !!!

Convenient Restored !

@anon62435837, Thanks for the bug report and the issue was a quick fix, Github link has the latest. The error was related to collections in the outliner, as a convenience the new light is added to it’s own collection called “LightCannon”.

Thank you.
Your add-on should have been part of core.
It’s one of those things that once you used it…the annoyance of not having it gets to you.
Very useful.
Thank you.