Viewing, Managing, and Sharing 360° Panoramas

The information in this article applies to:

QUESTION

How do I view, manage, or share a 360° Panorama using Chief Architect?

ANSWER

360° Renderings can be exported from within the Chief Architect software, and then viewed, managed, and shared by utilizing the tools available in your Chief Architect Account.

To export a 360° Panorama to the Chief Architect Cloud

360° Panoramas must first be saved to the Chief Architect Cloud before they can be shared or embedded. 

1. Open the plan you would like to export a 360° Panorama from, navigate to 3D> Create Perspective View> Full Camera , and click and drag to create a camera view.
   
   

   For best results, position the camera as near as you can to the center of the scene before exporting.
   

   
   
2. From the menu, select File> Export> Export 360 Panorama .
   
   
   Note: If you do not have a camera view open, the "Export 360 Panorama" option will be grayed out and inaccessible.
   
   
   
3. In the Export 360 Panorama File dialog that opens, check the Save to Chief Architect Cloud checkbox, supply a Name and Description, then click OK.
   
   In X14 and newer program versions, select the Create New or Replace Existing radio button under the Save to Chief Architect Cloud section. The Replace Existing option allows you to Browse existing panoramas that are located on the Cloud and replace/overwrite them.
   
   
   
   
   Note: You can also choose to save the 360 Rendering to a file location of your choice, as well as specify the Width and Height values (in pixels) here to your liking.
   
   
4. If you're not already logged in, the Chief Architect Account Login dialog will display. Login to the online account that is associated with your Chief Architect license.
   
   
   
5. The upload will start, followed by an  information message confirming that the upload was successful. Your 360° Panorama can now be viewed and managed within your Chief Architect online Account. 
   
   

To export a 360° Ray Trace to the Chief Architect Cloud

1. From the menu select 3D> Create Perspective View> Full Camera , then click and drag to place the camera.
   
   

   For best results, position the camera as near as you can to the center of the scene before exporting.
   

   
   
2. From the menu, select 3D> CPU Ray Trace .
   
   
   
3. In the Ray Trace Current View dialog that opens, click the Edit button.
   
   
   
4. On the General Panel of the Ray Trace Options dialog:
   
   
   
   
   • Place a check in the Generate as 360° Panorama box.
     
     
   • Specify the Dimensions and Resolution of the image, as well as any other ray trace options that are desired.
     
     
   • Click OK to confirm the changes.
     
   
   
   
5. Click Ray Trace to start the Ray Trace engine.
   
   
   
6. When the ray trace has reached the desired result, select File> Stop Ray Trace from the menu, then navigate to File> Export 360 Panoramic Ray Trace to Cloud .
   
   
   
7. If you're not already logged in, the Chief Architect Account Login dialog will display. Login to the online account that is associated with your Chief Architect license.
   
   
   
8. In the Export 360 Panorama File dialog that opens next, give the 360° Ray Trace a Name and Description, then click OK.
   
   In X14 and newer program versions, select the Create New or Replace Existing radio button. The Replace Existing option allows you to Browse existing panoramas that are located on the Cloud and replace/overwrite them.
   
   
   
9. The upload will start, followed by an  information message confirming that the upload was successful. Your 360° Ray Trace can now be viewed and managed within your Chief Architect online Account.
    

To view, manage, or share a 360° Panorama

1. Sign in to your Chief Architect Online Account and click on Manage 360° Panoramas.
   
   

   You may notice an "Upload Panorama" button here; this allows you to upload 360° Panorama files that may have been saved to your local computer, directly to the Chief Architect Cloud.
   

   
   
2. Click the View button next to your 360° Panorama to view it in your web browser.
   
   
   
3. If at anytime, you want to remove or deactivate a 360° Panorama from your online account, click on the Deactivate button next to the panoramas name.
   
   
   
4. Panoramas are private by default. A Panorama needs to be made public before it can be shared or embedded. Click the Make Public button to enable sharing.
   
   
   
   To make a 360° Panorama private, click on the Make Private button. Any users that had access to the Panorama lose access immediately and any open instances of the Panorama will be closed.
   
   
   
5. Once the Panorama is made public, click the Share button to bring up the different sharing options.
   
   
   • Direct Link
     Click the Direct Link tab to directly share your Panorama. Copy the link and paste it to wherever you're sharing it.
     
     
     
     
   • E-mail
     Select the E-mail tab. Click the Send E-mail button to open the default mail application on your computer (Outlook, Microsoft Mail, macOS Mail, etc.). Click the copy button if your primary e-mail is a web-based e-mail (Gmail.com, Outlook.com, Yahoo.com, etc.). This will copy the text to your clipboard. Go to your web based e-mail client and start a new e-mail. Then paste the text to add it to your new e-mail.
     
     
     
     
   • Embed
     Click on the Embed tab, copy the HTML code, and paste it into the source code for your website; or provide the code to your webmaster and ask them to add it to your website.