mental ray 1.9 User's Manual



Copyright Information

Copyright 1986-1997 mental images GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, Germany, and Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA. Portions Copyright 1986-1997 mental images GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, Germany.

All rights reserved.

This document is protected under copyright law. The contents of this document may not be translated, copied or duplicated in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of mental images GmbH & Co. KG or Microsoft Corporation.

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. mental images GmbH & Co. KG, Microsoft Corporation, and their employees shall not be responsible for incidental or consequential damages resulting from the use of this material or liable for technical or editorial omissions made herein.

mental images (TM) and mental ray (TM) are trademarks of mental images GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, Germany.

All other product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.


Table of Contents


Index

  • 16-bit components: 1
  • 8-bit components: 1
  • adaptive supersampling: 1 2
  • adjacency detection: 1 2 3 4 5
  • alpha channel: 1 2 3 4 5
  • ambience color: 1
  • ambient color: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  • animation: 1 2 3 4 5
  • anti-aliasing: 1 2
  • aperture: 1 2 3 4 5
  • approximation: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 def.17
  • area light: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • area light sampling: def.1
  • array: def.1 def.2 def.3
  • aspect ratio: 1 2 3 4
  • atmosphere: 1 2 3 4 def.5 6 7 8
  • ATM switch: 1
  • attenuation: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  • back culling: def.1 2 def.3 def.4
  • banding: 1 2
  • barycentric coordinates: 1 2
  • basis: 1 2 3 4
  • basis matrix: 1 2 3 4 5
  • basis vector: 1
  • Bézier: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • binary space partitioning: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  • Blinn shading: 1 2 3
  • box: 1
  • BSP: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
  • B-spline: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  • bump basis vectors: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • bump map: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
  • camera: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
  • camera-dependent approximation: 1 2 3 4
  • camera space: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • camera state variables: def.1
  • cardinal: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • cartoon animation: 1 2
  • C development environment: 1
  • clipping plane: 1 2 3
  • code: 1 2
  • color: 1 2 3 4 5
  • color clipping: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • color map: 1
  • color quantization: 1
  • command: def.1
  • comment: 1
  • compiler: def.1
  • compiler options: def.1
  • compiling: 1
  • concave polygon: 1
  • concurrency: def.1
  • connection: 1 2 3 4 5
  • constant shading: 1 2 3
  • contour: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
  • contrast: 1 2 def.3 4 def.5
  • control point: 1 2 3 4
  • convex polygon: 1
  • coordinate systems: 1
  • critical section: def.1 2
  • curvature approximation: 1 2 3
  • curve: 1 2
  • database access: def.1
  • debugging shaders: 1
  • declaration: def.1 def.2 3
  • degree: 1
  • depth: 1
  • depth frame buffer: 1 2 3 4 5
  • depth of field: 1 2 3
  • desaturation: 1 2 3 4 5
  • diffuse color: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
  • diffuse reflection: 1
  • directional light: 1 2 3 4
  • displacement map: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • displacement shader: 1 2 3
  • dissolve: 1 def.2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  • distributed shared database: 1 2
  • dithering: 1 2 3 4 5
  • DSO (Dynamic Shared Object): def.1 def.2 def.3
  • dynamic linking: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • echo: 1
  • edge merging: 1 2 3 4
  • environment map: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  • environment shader: 1 2 3 def.4 5 6 7 def.8 9 10 def.11
  • environment shader example: def.1
  • environment variable: def.1 2
  • error messages: def.1
  • Ethernet: 1
  • FDDI ring: 1
  • field rendering: 1 2 def.3 4 5 def.6 7
  • file data types: 1
  • file format: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • filter: 1 2 def.3 def.4
  • floating point: 1
  • focal distance: 1 2
  • focal length: 1
  • fog: 1 def.2 3 4 5
  • frame: 1 2 def.3 4 def.5
  • frame buffer: 1 2 3 def.4
  • frame number: 1
  • free-form curve: 1 2 3
  • free-form surface: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
  • free-form surface degree: 1 2
  • free-form surface parameter: 1
  • free-form surface parameter vector: 1
  • free-form surface step size: 1 2
  • Fresnel: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • Fresnel shading: 1
  • function: 1
  • function call summary: def.1
  • gamma correction: 1 2 3 4 5
  • geometry: 1 2 3
  • global texture: 1
  • global textures: def.1
  • group: 1 2
  • header files: 1
  • hole curve: 1 2 3 4 def.5 6
  • homogeneous coordinates: 1 2
  • IDO: 1
  • illumination: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
  • image: def.1
  • image file: 1 2 3
  • image processing: 1
  • image texture: 1 def.2 def.3 4 5
  • include command: def.1 2 3 4
  • index of refraction: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  • infinity: 1
  • infrasampling: 1 def.2 def.3
  • integer: 1
  • interlaced video: def.1 def.2
  • internal space: 1 def.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • IRIS Development Option: 1
  • jitter: 1 def.2 def.3
  • knot vector: 1
  • label: 1 2 3 4
  • label frame buffer: 1 2
  • Lambert shading: 1 2 3
  • layered fog: 1
  • LD_LIBRARY_PATH: def.1
  • lens_depth_of_field: def.1
  • lens effects: 1 2
  • lens shader: 1 2 def.3 4 def.5 6 7
  • lens shader example: def.1
  • light: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 def.10 11 12
  • light list: 1 2 3 4 5
  • light ray: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • light shader: 1 2 def.3 def.4 def.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
  • light shader example: def.1 def.2
  • link: 1
  • linker: def.1
  • linker options: def.1
  • load balancing: 1
  • locking: 1 2 3 def.4
  • master host: 1
  • material: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 def.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
  • material shader: 1 2 3 4 5 def.6 def.7 def.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
  • material shader example: def.1
  • math functions: def.1
  • matrix functions: def.1
  • memory: 1
  • memory leaks: def.1 2
  • memory-mapped textures: def.1
  • mental images file formats: def.1
  • merge epsilon: 1
  • messages: def.1 def.2
  • mi_blinn_specular: def.1
  • mi_call_shader: 1 2 3 4 5 def.6 7 8 9
  • mi_db_access: 1 2 def.3
  • mi_db_flush: def.1
  • mi_db_type: 1 def.2
  • mi_db_unpin: 1 2 def.3
  • mi_debug: 1 def.2
  • mi_delete_lock: def.1
  • mi_error: def.1
  • mi_fatal: def.1
  • mi_fresnel: def.1
  • mi_fresnel_reflection: def.1
  • mi_fresnel_specular: def.1
  • mi_img_get_color: 1 2 3 def.4
  • mi_img_get_depth: 1 2 def.3
  • mi_img_get_label: def.1
  • mi_img_get_normal: def.1
  • mi_img_get_scalar: def.1
  • mi_img_get_vector: def.1
  • mi_img_put_color: 1 def.2
  • mi_img_put_depth: def.1
  • mi_img_put_label: def.1
  • mi_img_put_normal: def.1
  • mi_img_put_scalar: def.1
  • mi_img_put_vector: def.1
  • mi_info: def.1
  • mi_init_lock: def.1
  • mi_light_info: 1 def.2
  • mi_lock: def.1
  • mi_lookup_color_texture: 1 2 3 def.4
  • mi_lookup_scalar_texture: def.1
  • mi_lookup_vector_texture: def.1
  • mi_matrix_ident: def.1
  • mi_matrix_invert: def.1
  • mi_matrix_prod: def.1
  • mi_matrix_rotate: def.1
  • mi_mem_allocate: def.1
  • mi_mem_check: def.1
  • mi_mem_dump: def.1
  • mi_mem_reallocate: def.1
  • mi_mem_release: def.1
  • mi_mtl_refraction_index: 1
  • mi_noise_1d: def.1
  • mi_noise_1d_grad: def.1
  • mi_noise_2d: def.1
  • mi_noise_2d_grad: def.1
  • mi_noise_3d: def.1
  • mi_noise_3d_grad: def.1
  • mi_par_localvpu: def.1
  • mi_par_nthreads: def.1
  • mi_phong_specular: def.1
  • mi_point_from_camera: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_from_object: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_from_world: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_to_camera: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_to_object: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_to_world: 1 def.2
  • mi_point_transform: 1 def.2
  • mi_progress: def.1
  • mi_random: def.1
  • $MI_RAY_LOAD_NUM: def.1
  • $MI_RAY_LOAD_TIME: def.1
  • mi_reflection_dir: 1 2 def.3
  • mi_refraction_dir: 1 def.2
  • mi_sample_light: 1 2 3 def.4 5
  • .mi scene file: def.1
  • mi_softshade.h: 1
  • mi_spline: def.1
  • mi_texture_info: 1 def.2
  • mi_trace_environment: 1 2 def.3 4
  • mi_trace_eye: 1 2 def.3 4
  • mi_trace_light: 1 def.2
  • mi_trace_reflection: 1 2 def.3 4
  • mi_trace_refraction: 1 2 def.3 4
  • mi_trace_shadow: 1 2 def.3 4
  • mi_trace_transparent: 1 def.2 3
  • mi_tri_vectors: def.1
  • mi_unlock: def.1
  • mi_vdebug: def.1
  • mi_vector_add: def.1
  • mi_vector_det: def.1
  • mi_vector_dist: def.1
  • mi_vector_div: def.1
  • mi_vector_dot: def.1
  • mi_vector_from_camera: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_from_object: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_from_world: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_max: def.1
  • mi_vector_min: def.1
  • mi_vector_mul: def.1
  • mi_vector_neg: def.1
  • mi_vector_norm: def.1
  • mi_vector_normalize: def.1
  • mi_vector_prod: def.1
  • mi_vector_sub: def.1
  • mi_vector_to_camera: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_to_object: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_to_world: 1 def.2
  • mi_vector_transform: 1 def.2
  • mi_warning: def.1
  • mi_wave_color_texture: def.1
  • mi_wavefront.h: 1
  • mi_wave_light: 1 def.2
  • mi_wave_material: def.1 2
  • mi_wave_reflection_map: def.1
  • mi_wave_scalar_texture: def.1 2 3
  • mi_wave_shadow: def.1
  • mi_wave_vector_texture: def.1
  • Monte Carlo: 1 def.2 3 4
  • motion blur: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • motion vector: 1 2 3 4
  • multiprocessor: def.1
  • multithreading: def.1
  • mutual exclusion: def.1
  • NaN (Not a Number): 1 2
  • normal: 1 2 3 4 5
  • normal frame buffer: 1 2
  • normal vector: 1
  • numerical precision: 1 2
  • NURB (non-uniform rational B-spline): 1 2
  • object: 1 2 3 4 5 def.6 7
  • object code: 1
  • object inside/outside: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  • object space: 1 2 3 4
  • operating system version: 1
  • optimization: 1
  • option: 1 2 3
  • option state variables: def.1
  • orthographic camera: 1 2 3 4
  • out_depth_of_field: def.1
  • output file: def.1
  • output shader: 1 2 3 4 5 def.6 def.7 def.8 9
  • output shader state: 1
  • output statement: 1 2 3
  • output state variables: def.1
  • paper scale: 1 2
  • paper size: 1 2
  • parallelism: 1 2
  • parameter ranges: 1
  • parameters: def.1
  • parameter space: 1
  • parameter to a function: 1
  • parameter vector: 1 2 3
  • parametric approximation: 1 2 3
  • patch: 1
  • Perlin noise functions: def.1
  • perspective: 1 2
  • Phong exponent: 1 2
  • Phong shading: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • physical RAM: 1 2
  • pinhole camera: 1 2
  • point light: 1 def.2 3 4 5 6
  • polygon: 1 2 3 4
  • polygon normal: 1
  • polygon with holes: 1
  • portability of shaders: 1
  • post filtering: 1
  • PostScript: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • premultiplication: 1
  • primary ray: 1 2 3 def.4 5 def.6 7 def.8 9
  • primary rays: 1
  • procedural texture: 1 2 def.3 def.4 5
  • process: 1 2 3
  • quantization: def.1 def.2
  • Quasi-Monte Carlo: 1 def.2 3 4
  • race conditions: def.1
  • raster space: 1 2
  • rational parametric representation: 1 2 3 4
  • ray classification: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • .rayhosts: 1
  • ray intersection: def.1 def.2
  • ray marching: 1 2 3
  • ray tracing: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • ray type: 1
  • recursive supersampling: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • reentrant: def.1
  • reflection: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
  • reflection map: 1 2 def.3 4 5
  • reflectivity: 1 2 3 4
  • refraction: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
  • rendering algorithms: 1
  • resident set: 1 2
  • resolution: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • RGBA color space: 1
  • sample rate: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • sampling: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
  • scalar map: 1 2
  • scanline: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • scene complexity: 1 2
  • scene file: def.1
  • screen space: 1
  • secondary ray: 1 2 3 4 def.5 6 def.7 8 9 10
  • shader call tree: def.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  • shader cleanup: def.1 2
  • shader declaration: 1 2 def.3 def.4
  • shader initialization: def.1 2
  • shader parameter example: def.1
  • shader parameters: 1 2 3 4 def.5 6
  • shader parameters in C: def.1
  • shader parameter types: 1 def.2
  • shaders: def.1 def.2
  • shading model: 1 2 3
  • shadow: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
  • shadow factor: 1
  • shadow filter: 1
  • shadow flag: def.1
  • shadow object: 1 2
  • shadow ray: 1 2 3 4 def.5 6 7 8
  • shadow shader: 1 def.2 def.3 4 def.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
  • shared memory: 1 2
  • shell: 1
  • shinyness: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • shutter: 1 def.2 3 def.4
  • slave host: 1
  • soft_color: def.1
  • soft_color_3d: def.1
  • soft_displace: def.1
  • soft_env_sphere: 1 def.2
  • soft_fog: def.1
  • SOFTIMAGE shaders: def.1
  • soft_infinite: def.1
  • soft_layered_fog: def.1
  • soft_light: 1 def.2
  • soft_material: 1 2 def.3 def.4
  • soft_point: def.1
  • soft shadow: 1 def.2
  • soft_spot: def.1
  • soft_staticblur: 1
  • soft_vertex_color: def.1
  • soft_vertex_color_alpha: def.1
  • source code: 1 2 3
  • spatial approximation: 1 2 3 4
  • special curve: 1 2 3 4 5 def.6 7
  • special point: 1 2 3 def.4
  • specular color: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  • specular exponent: 1
  • specular reflection: 1 2
  • spot light: 1 def.2 3 4
  • square pixels: 1 2
  • state variables: 1 def.2 def.3 def.4 def.5 def.6 def.7 def.8 def.9 def.10 def.11
  • static blur: 1 2
  • statistics: 1 2
  • string: 1
  • subdivision: 1
  • supersampling: 1 2
  • surface derivatives: def.1
  • swap partition: def.1
  • tag: def.1
  • tag flushing: def.1
  • tag pinning: def.1
  • tag type: 1 def.2
  • tag unpinning: def.1
  • Taylor: 1 2 3 4 5
  • texture: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 def.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
  • texture blending: 1
  • texture coordinate: 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • texture cropping: 1
  • texture map: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  • texture miss: 1 2
  • texture seam: 1
  • texture shader: 1 2 def.3 def.4 def.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  • texture shader call: def.1
  • texture shader example: def.1 def.2
  • texture space: 1 2 def.3 4 5 6
  • texture surface: 1 2 3
  • texture transformation: 1
  • texture vertex: 1
  • thread numbers: def.1
  • threads: 1 2
  • time contrast: def.1 def.2
  • timeout: 1
  • trace: 1
  • trace depth: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  • trace flag: def.1
  • trace object: 1 2
  • transmission filter: 1 2 3
  • transparency: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
  • triangle vertices: 1
  • triangulation: 1
  • trimming: 1
  • trimming curve: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 def.12 13 14
  • vector: 1
  • vector functions: def.1
  • vector index: 1
  • vector map: 1
  • vector sharing: 1 2
  • verbose message: 1 2
  • vertex: 1 2 3
  • vertex index: 1 2
  • vertex order: 1
  • vertex sharing: 1 2
  • view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 def.18 19
  • viewing plane: def.1 2 3 4 5 def.6 7 8 9
  • virtual shared database: 1
  • visible flag: def.1
  • visible object: 1
  • volume shader: 1 2 3 4 5 6 def.7 8 9 10 def.11 12 13 14 15 16
  • volume shader example: def.1
  • VPU: def.1
  • Wavefront shaders: def.1 2
  • white pixels: 1
  • Whitted: 1
  • window: 1 2 3
  • world space: 1 2

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