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tools:multiimage_sampler

Multi-Image Sampler

This node allows the user to use select one of a list of images dynamically for texturing. One example would be to use an instance ID to randomly texture instances given a list of images.

Controls

Background Colour / Blend Mode / Opacity

The three controls define how the texture is composited. They are identical to the controls found in the native texturing nodes.

Index

This defines which of the images in the list is being used to compute the output colour. Usually the index is driven by a value connected to the nodal index input.

Interpolate

If enabled, indices that result in a value between two images will not pick the first respective image, but interpolate between this and the next image.

Relative / Absolute

This defines how the Index is interpreted.

  • Relative The index should be between 0.0 and 1.0 which will correspond to the start and the end of the image list. This is irrespective of the amount of images in the list.
  • Absolute The index number will be taken as is. I.e. if the index number is 5, the 6th image in the list will be used (this is because the index is 0 based. I.e. is the index is 0, the first image is used).

Pre Behaviour

This defines how the index is interpreted if it's below zero.

  • Blank The output will be blank.
  • Repeat The list of images will be repeated
  • Mirror The list of images will be mirrored
  • Hold The first image in the list will be used

Post Behaviour

This defines how the index is interpreted if it's above 1 or above the number of images in the list (Depending on the Relative/Absolute switch).

  • Blank The output will be blank.
  • Repeat The list of images will be repeated
  • Mirror The list of images will be mirrored
  • Hold The last image in the list will be used

Image Preview

This displays the image currently selected in the list below.

Image List

This control displays a list of all images used by the node. The top most images has the lowest index (0).

Selecting an image will display it in the preview control.

All other interactions are via two pop-up menus. One is launched by double clicking on an image entry, the other by right clicking anywhere on the control:

LMB double-click menu

This allows you to change the select image to another loaded image, load a new image and select it or change it to (none) - which will treat the list entry as being black with no alpha when rendering.

RMB Menu

This menu can be launch by right clicking anywhere on the list control. Some of the options will only be available if an image is selected in the list.

Move Up

If an image is selected - and isn't the first image in the list already - it will move up by one entry in the list.

Move Down

If an image is selected - and isn't the last image in the list already - it will move down by one entry in the list.

Add Image...

This will add a new image to the list. If an image is selected, the new image will be added below the selected image, otherwise at the end of the list.

Load Image(s)...

This allows the user to load multiple images from disk. These will be added below the currently selected image or at the end of the list.

Images that are loaded into LightWave 3D already will not be loaded again.

Remove Image

This removes the currently selected image from the list.

Clear all Images

This clears the list of images.

Pixel Blending / Use MipMaps / MipMap Strength

These controls correspond to the identical controls in the native image sampler or image texturing nodes.

U Tiling / V Tiling

These controls correspond to the identical controls in the native image sampler or image texturing nodes.

Bump Strength

This controls how pronounces the bump mapping will be.

Node Connections

Inputs

Background

The Background colour, used if the opacity is not 100% or the blending mode is not “normal”.

Opacity

The Opacity of the texture on the background.

Projection *

The Projection to be used for all images. If it's not connected, the default UV Map will be used if has been defined.

Index

The index of the image to use currently, either between 0 and 1 or 0 and the number of images in the list, depending on the Relative / Absolute setting.

MipMap Strength

The strength of the mip-mapping, if it's enabled.

Bump Strength

The strength of the bump mapping.

Outputs

Colour

The projected texture composited onto the background colour using the blend mode.

RGB

Only the texture colour without any compositing.

Luma

The luminance of the texture.

Alpha

The Alpha of the texture.

Bump

The bump map for the texture.


This is the plugin of the month for December 2018, made possible by the finest patrons on Patreon.

We'd like to thank Antti Järvelä from the LightWave 3D Group in helping us figure out the specifics of the bump mapping code in LightWave 3D.

tools/multiimage_sampler.txt · Last modified: 2019/12/02 09:53 by lightwolf