---
name: "moonlight"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "moonlight"
version: "0.5.3-6"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/moonlight"
---

# moonlight(1x)

create and render 3D scenes

## NAME

moonlight - create and render 3D scenes

## SYNOPSIS

**moonlight** \[-h\] \[-mlrc\] \[-gamma\] \[-display\] \[-fs\] \[-debug\]\
 **moonlight** -convert \[-outname \<out\_scene\_name\>\] \[-db \<database\_path\>\] \[-v\] \[-rv\] \[-dxfl2o\] \[-nw\] *\<infile\>*

## DESCRIPTION

Moonlight Creator is a graphical environement in which you can do modelling, illuminating and rendering of 3D objects and scenes.

## INTERFACE

Clicking on a 3D window does nothing. You have to tell Moonlight to use a mode. A mode defines the type of action you want to do. Use the mouse to perform the action. You enter a mode by pressing its associated mode-key.

Example: The Select mode-key is Space. For selecting an object:

- press and hold Space key

  - select the object with the mouse

  - release Space

  ## KEYS

- **o**

  Orbit camera about the focus point

- **p**

  Walk forward or backward

- **z**

  Zoom/Unzoom (Button 2), Pan (Button 1)

- **space**

  Select object (or area for raytracing)

- **backspace**

  Delete object

- **h**

  Hide/Unhide object

- **i**

  Get object information

- **d**

  Duplicate an object

- **alt-d**

  Instantiate an object

- **f**

  Set hierarchy (Select child and then its father)

- **x**

  Scale selection

- **alt-x**

  Coordinate Scaling (Button 1=X,Button 2=Y,Button 3=Z)

- **c**

  Rotate selection (get a headache)

- **alt-c**

  Coordinate Rotation (Button 1=X,Button 2=Y,Button 3=Z)

- **v**

  Translate selection

- **alt-v**

  Coordinate Translation  (Button 1=X,Button 2=Y,Button 3=Z)

- **u**

  Undo (Button 1=undo,Button 3=redo)

- **r**

  Refresh screen (no mouse action)

- **C**

  Orient Z axis of an object (Button 1=-Z,Button 3=+Z) (still doesn't work very well...)

- **t**

   Tag vertices (Button 1=toggle,Button 2=select,Button 3=unselect)

- **g**

  Tag polygon by ray-casting and go to POLygon modelling. (Button 1=toggle,Button 2=select,Button 3=unselect)

- **a**

  Edit object material

- **ESC**

  Escape current mode if any.

## OPTIONS

- **-h**

  display usage summary

- **-gamma**

  specify gamma correction (default is 1)

- **-mlrc**

  Specify resource file (default is ~/.moonlightrc)

- **-fs**

  Run full-screen (default)

- **-debug**

  Don't run full-screen

- **-display displayname**

  Specify X display to use.

Converter options

- **-convert**

  Run the converter.

- **-outname out\_scene\_name**

  Specify output scene name.

- **-db database\_path**

  Specify a custom database.

- **-v**

  Verbose mode.

- **-rv**

  Reverse polygons.

- **-dxfl2o**

  Convert DXF layers to objects

- **-nw**

  Don't write. For testing.

- **infile**

  Input filename for converter.

## FILES

- **~/.moonlightrc**

  Resource file. See /usr/doc/moonlight/RESOURCE\_FILE for file format documentation.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **MESA\_NO\_DITHER**

  If you have a 16bpp display, set this variable to speed up Mesa rendering.

## AUTHOR

Moonlight was written by Stephane Rehel \<rehel@worldnet.fr\>. This manual page was written by Joey Hess.