Let’s face it: bold graphics and visually appealing diagrams will catch the attention of your audience, they are impressive, and have a tendency to leave a mark of professionalism.
Since quality graphics can have a large impact on the professional appearance of a presentation and/or report, Zemax supports various graphical functions which make it easy to completely transform your diagrams.
As an example, the 2D Layout in Zemax is very useful to the professional engineer, but really doesn’t do much for drawing the attention of a general audience:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="2D Layout" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/2D%20Layout%20of%20Double%20Guass.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2F2D%2520Layout%2520of%2520Double%2520Guass.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/2D%20Layout%20of%20Double%20Guass.gif">
We can improve the presentational quality of the drawing by simply choosing a default Shaded Model in Zemax:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Default Shaded Model" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Default%20Shaded%20Model%20of%20Double%20Gauss.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FDefault%2520Shaded%2520Model%2520of%2520Double%2520Gauss.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Default%20Shaded%20Model%20of%20Double%20Gauss.gif">
Or, by changing color combinations, adding some rotation, altering opacity levels, and drawing a ¾ slice of each element, we can easily produce something like this:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Revised Shaded Model" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/revised%20shaded%20model%20of%20Double%20Gauss.jpg" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2Frevised%2520shaded%2520model%2520of%2520Double%2520Gauss.jpg" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/revised%20shaded%20model%20of%20Double%20Gauss.jpg">
And lastly, we can use the power of other software to create a movie from multiple screen captures:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Aminated Shaded Model" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Shaded%20Model%20Rotation.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FShaded%2520Model%2520Rotation.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Shaded%20Model%20Rotation.gif">
This article is designed to provide a detailed discussion on the various techniques and tools available for exporting and creating graphics in Zemax.
Each and every graphic window in Zemax has a “Window” menu item with several submenus.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Export Submenus" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20Submenus.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FExport%2520Submenus.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20Submenus.gif">
The export format options, as indicated above, are Metafile, BMP, JPG High Quality, JPG Medium Quality, and JPG Low Quality.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Windows Save As dialog" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20as%20BMP.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FExport%2520as%2520BMP.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20as%20BMP.gif">
The saved file may be imported into many different Windows applications, and may be post-edited if you wish.
For the JPG export options, medium quality typically produces acceptable image quality with significant reduction in file size.
However, if you plan on modifying the size of your graphics (increasing), it is best to export the image as a Windows Metafile to eliminate the “grainy” or “fuzzy” appearance.
The reason for this is that a Metafile, unlike BitMap or JPG, is a vector graphic format.
To demonstrate, the following two diagrams are enlarged images of an originally small Detector Viewer Plot.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Enlarged Bitmap - Low Resolution" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Enlarged%20BitMap.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FEnlarged%2520BitMap.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Enlarged%20BitMap.gif">
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 1px solid currentColor;" alt="Enlarged Metafile" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20as%20MetaFile.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FExport%2520as%2520MetaFile.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Export%20as%20MetaFile.gif">
One extremely useful Windows feature is the clipboard.
Not only is copying to the clipboard quick and easy, but metafiles are used to copy graphics to the clipboard, which means Windows uses the vector representation to draw this graphic when pasted or imported into other Windows programs.
Newer, 32 bit applications use the “32 Bit Enhanced” format.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="File Preferences dialog" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Metafiles%20in%20File%20Preferences%20menu.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FMetafiles%2520in%2520File%2520Preferences%2520menu.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Metafiles%20in%20File%20Preferences%20menu.gif">
Another way of getting Zemax graphics into other applications is to perform a screen capture which creates a BitMap image of either the entire screen or any single window.
Graphics may be exported from Zemax and annotated in external software, or they may be annotated directly in Zemax via a handy annotation feature.
To use the annotation feature, select Window > Annotate from the main menu of the displayed graphic window:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Annotation Commands" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Window%20Annotate.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FWindow%2520Annotate.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Window%20Annotate.gif">
If we select text for example, the Annotate Text dialog will appear, to which you can type in your desired text:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Annotate Text dialog" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotate%20Text%20dialog.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FAnnotate%2520Text%2520dialog.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotate%20Text%20dialog.gif">
Once “OK” is selected, you may position the cursor to the desired location and click the left mouse button:
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Text Annotation in 3D Layout" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/annotation%20text%20in%203D%20Layout.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2Fannotation%2520text%2520in%25203D%2520Layout.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/annotation%20text%20in%203D%20Layout.gif">
To edit or remove the newly created annotation, the Annotate editor may be used (Window > Annotate > Edit).
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Annotate Editor" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotate%20Editor.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FAnnotate%2520Editor.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotate%20Editor.gif">
To remove an annotation, simply delete the line which represents this annotation in the Annotate Editor.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Text Annotation in 3D Layout" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotation%20text%202%20in%203D%20Layout.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FAnnotation%2520text%25202%2520in%25203D%2520Layout.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Annotation%20text%202%20in%203D%20Layout.gif">
Surfaces (Sequential) and Objects (Non-Sequential) may be colored differently for display in the Shaded Model plots in Zemax.
Surface and Object colors may be changed under the Type tab of the Surface Properties (Sequential) and Object Properties (Non-Sequential) dialogs, via the pull down menu for “Surface Color” and “Object Color,” respectively.
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The colors are listed by number, but as you select a different number, the color is displayed to the right of the pull-down menu.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Surface Properties - Displayed Color" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Color%20displayed%20to%20right%20of%20pull%20down%20menu.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FColor%2520displayed%2520to%2520right%2520of%2520pull%2520down%2520menu.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Color%20displayed%20to%20right%20of%20pull%20down%20menu.gif">
There are 24 colors which are available in the menu at any given time.
These colors are controlled under the “Colors” tabs of the File > Preferences dialog.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="File Preferences - Colors" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Colors%20in%20File%20Preferences.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FColors%2520in%2520File%2520Preferences.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Colors%20in%20File%20Preferences.gif">
Once you have change each color number to the desired color, click “Apply,” followed by the “OK” button.
Now, the color numbers selected in the properties dialogs will correspond to the newly created colors.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Shaded Model of Voxel Detector" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Voxel%20Detector%20Shaded%20Model.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FVoxel%2520Detector%2520Shaded%2520Model.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Voxel%20Detector%20Shaded%20Model.gif">
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The opacity setting for each object or surface is right next to the Color setting in the Object or Surface Properties dialogs.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Object Properties - Opacity Setting" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/opacity%20setting%20in%20OP%20dialog.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2Fopacity%2520setting%2520in%2520OP%2520dialog.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/opacity%20setting%20in%20OP%20dialog.gif">
Sometimes, it takes trial and error to achieve the desired opacity levels for each surface and object to make your graphic look as you so desire.
In addition to the surface specific settings, the Shaded Model and NSC Shaded Model have several settings which may be used to change the appearance of your diagram.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Shaded Model Settings" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Shaded%20Model%20settings.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FShaded%2520Model%2520settings.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Shaded%20Model%20settings.gif">
For creating “smoother” surfaces, the radial and angular segments may be increased.
The brightness can be adjusted as well.
In some cases, it is nice to be able to turn off the opacity settings without having to individually change the opacity for each individual surface via the Surface Properties dialog.
You may also choose to draw fractional segments of your elements via the “Draw Section” pull down menu in the settings of the Shaded Model.
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With the assistance of other software applications, animations of any graphic in Zemax can be generated very easily.
Easy GIF can take a set of images, called frames, and display them in a sequence with a specified delay to create an animation effect.
Each window
The EXPORTBMP, EXPORTJPG, and EXPORTWMF will export any graphics window as a BMP, JPG, or Windows Metafile, respectively.
For the purposes of demonstrating the automation of exporting images through ZPL, we will use a simple sequential file which has been constructed solely for the purposes of drawing a coated mirror.
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The following macro sets the Tilt About Y parameter on the Coordinate Break Surface before the mirror in a FOR loop.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 1px solid currentColor;" alt="Macro" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Macro.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FMacro.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Macro.gif">
By importing the 36 images into Easy GIF Animator, we can create an animated rotation of the coated mirror for presentation purposes.
导出高质量图片与动画" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px solid currentColor;" alt="Coated Mirror Movie" src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Mirror%20Rotation%20movie.gif" action-data="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiantzemax.com%2Fcontent_images%2Fpresentation%2FMirror%2520Rotation%2520movie.gif" action-type="show-slide" real_src="http://www.radiantzemax.com/content_images/presentation/Mirror%20Rotation%20movie.gif">
With the assistance of ZPL and animation software, the possibilities for creating Zemax movies are endless, and will really attract the attention of your audience.