This reference page is linked to from the following overview topics: Porting Object Plug-ins to Nitrous.

Classes
class	BaseMaterialHandle
class	IDisplayManager
	A core interface for accessing properties of the graphics library introduced in 3ds Max 2012. More...
class	IObjectDisplay
	This is the base interface for all objects that want to be displayed in viewport. More...
class	IParameterTranslator
	Facilitates translation of material and texture map parameter values to their shaders representation. More...
class	IShaderManager
	Represents the programmable shader associated with a material or texture map plug-in. More...
class	IShaderManagerCreator
	Factory class for IShaderManager objects. More...
class	ISimpleMaterial
	ISimpleMaterial provides any material or texture plugin the ability to display itself in the new Viewport Display system in 3ds Max 2012. More...
class	DisplayTextureHelper
	Used for creating texture handles (TexHandle) and updating texture data managed by the viewport display system. More...
class	ITextureDisplay
	This interface enables material and texture map plugins to display textures in the new viewport display system in 3ds Max 2012. More...
struct	MaterialRequiredStreamElement
	This struct describes a single stream element that will be used by the hardware shader of a material. More...
class	MaterialRequiredStreams
	This class is used for describing the mesh stream requirements of a material. More...
class	RenderItemHandle
	This is the base wrapper class for all viewport render items. More...
class	SmartHandle
	This is the base wrapper class for all graphics primitive classes in max viewport: worlds, nodes, render items, materials, etc. More...
Typedefs
typedef MaxSDK::Array < RenderItemHandle >	RenderItemHandleArray
	This is a utility class.
typedef unsigned __int64	Identifier
	This is the unique id type of our internal graphics objects.
Enumerations
enum	VertexFieldType { VertexFieldTypeUnknown, VertexFieldFloat1, VertexFieldFloat2, VertexFieldFloat3, VertexFieldFloat4, VertexFieldColor, VertexFieldTypeCount }
	types available for vertex fields, e.g. More...
enum	VertexFieldUsage { VertexFieldUsageUnknown, VertexFieldUsagePosition, VertexFieldUsageNormal, VertexFieldUsageDiffuse, VertexFieldUsageSpecular, VertexFieldUsageTexcoord, VertexFieldUsageTangent, VertexFieldUsageBitangent, VertexFieldUsageCount }
	Indicates the usage of a vertex field of a vertex buffer. More...
enum	MeshChannelCategory { MeshChannelUnknown, MeshChannelPosition, MeshChannelVertexNormal, MeshChannelTexcoord, MeshChannelVertexColor, MeshChannelTangent, MeshChannelBitangent, MeshChannelFaceMap, MeshChannelCategoryCount }
	Indicates the data source of a vertex field of a mesh vertex buffer. More...
enum	IndexType { IndexTypeUnknown, IndexTypeShort, IndexTypeInt, IndexTypeCount }
	Buffers are composed of arrays of elements all of the same type. More...
enum	MaterialRequirementFlags { MaterialRequirementSplitByMaterialID = 0x00000001 }
	This enum defines requirement flags of material additional to mesh stream requirements of MaterialRequiredStreams. More...
enum	RenderItemCategory { RenderItemCategorySolidMesh = 0x00000001, RenderItemCategoryDiagonalMesh = 0x00000002, RenderItemCategoryEdgeMesh = 0x00000004, RenderItemCategorySubObjectVertexTicks = 0x00000008, RenderItemCategorySubObjectEdgeMesh = 0x00000010, RenderItemCategoryOtherSubObjects = 0x00000020, RenderItemCategoryGizmo = 0x00000040 }
	A renderable plugin object could be consist of several render items. More...
Functions
DataBridgeAPI size_t	GetVertexStride (const VertexFieldType type)
	Get the vertex stride by a given vertex type, in bytes.
DataBridgeAPI size_t	GetIndexStride (const IndexType type)
	Get the index stride by a given index type, in bytes.
IDisplayManager *	GetIDisplayManager ()
	Helper function to access the IDisplayManager core interface.
bool	IsRetainedModeEnabled ()
	Helper function to test whether the new viewport graphics system is running.
GraphicsDriverAPI void	GenerateRenderItems (RenderItemHandleArray &renderItems, Mesh *pMaxMesh, unsigned long renderItemCategoryFlags, const MaterialRequiredStreams &requiredStreams)
	Generate a set of render items from an input mesh and viewport requirements.
GraphicsDriverAPI void	GenerateRenderItems (RenderItemHandleArray &renderItems, MNMesh *pMaxMesh, unsigned long renderItemCategoryFlags, const MaterialRequiredStreams &requiredStreams)
	Generate a set of render items from an input MNMesh and viewport requirements.
Variables
const Identifier	NIL_ID = (Identifier)-1
	Invalid id value.

Typedef Documentation

typedef MaxSDK::Array<RenderItemHandle> RenderItemHandleArray

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This is a utility class.

It is used for storing a set of render items.

typedef unsigned __int64 Identifier

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This is the unique id type of our internal graphics objects.

Enumeration Type Documentation

enum VertexFieldType

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types available for vertex fields, e.g.

Float4

Enumerator:

VertexFieldTypeUnknown	unknown field Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldFloat1	single float field Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldFloat2	double float field. x,y Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldFloat3	triple float field Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldFloat4	quad float field Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldColor	color field Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldTypeCount	Search for all occurrences

    {
        VertexFieldTypeUnknown, 

        VertexFieldFloat1, 

        VertexFieldFloat2, 

        VertexFieldFloat3, 

        VertexFieldFloat4, 

        VertexFieldColor, 

        VertexFieldTypeCount, 
    };

enum VertexFieldUsage

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Indicates the usage of a vertex field of a vertex buffer.

This enum is used to make hardware shaders understand the usage of vertex buffer.

Enumerator:

VertexFieldUsageUnknown	Unknown usage. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsagePosition	Position. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageNormal	Normal. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageDiffuse	Vertex diffuse color. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageSpecular	Vertex specular color. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageTexcoord	Texture coordinate. Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageTangent	tangent Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageBitangent	bitangent Search for all occurrences
VertexFieldUsageCount	Search for all occurrences

    {
        VertexFieldUsageUnknown, 

        VertexFieldUsagePosition, 

        VertexFieldUsageNormal, 

        VertexFieldUsageDiffuse, 

        VertexFieldUsageSpecular, 

        VertexFieldUsageTexcoord, 

        VertexFieldUsageTangent, 

        VertexFieldUsageBitangent, 

        VertexFieldUsageCount, 
    };

enum MeshChannelCategory

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Indicates the data source of a vertex field of a mesh vertex buffer.

e.g. Position, Normal, Texture, etc.

Enumerator:

MeshChannelUnknown	Unknown data source. Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelPosition	position Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelVertexNormal	vertex normal components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelTexcoord	texture coordinate components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelVertexColor	vertex color components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelTangent	tangent components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelBitangent	bitangent components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelFaceMap	face map components Search for all occurrences
MeshChannelCategoryCount	Search for all occurrences

    {
        MeshChannelUnknown, 

        MeshChannelPosition, 

        MeshChannelVertexNormal, 

        MeshChannelTexcoord, 

        MeshChannelVertexColor, 

        MeshChannelTangent, 

        MeshChannelBitangent, 

        MeshChannelFaceMap, 

        MeshChannelCategoryCount, 
    };

enum IndexType

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Buffers are composed of arrays of elements all of the same type.

This enum describes the size and interpretation of the elements in the buffer. Index buffers can have ushort or uint elements.

Enumerator:

IndexTypeUnknown	not defined Search for all occurrences
IndexTypeShort	unsigned 16 bit short integer, used for index buffers. Search for all occurrences
IndexTypeInt	unsigned 32 bit integer, used for index buffers. Search for all occurrences
IndexTypeCount	Search for all occurrences

    {
        IndexTypeUnknown,

        IndexTypeShort, 

        IndexTypeInt, 

        IndexTypeCount, 
    };

enum MaterialRequirementFlags

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This enum defines requirement flags of material additional to mesh stream requirements of MaterialRequiredStreams.

Enumerator:

MaterialRequirementSplitByMaterialID

Plug-in needs to split mesh to sub meshes according to face material id.

This flag is on when the material is multi/sub material.

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{
    MaterialRequirementSplitByMaterialID        = 0x00000001, 
};

enum RenderItemCategory

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A renderable plugin object could be consist of several render items.

Each render item belongs to a category. Render items that belongs to different category will be visible when the node and viewport has specific settings.

Enumerator:

RenderItemCategorySolidMesh	Solid Mesh, it could be: vertex color mesh or general mesh. This will be displayed in any viewport that requires smooth mesh. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategoryDiagonalMesh	Diagonal Mesh. This is the dotted edge lines when user enabled "show edges" of a node and enable the wireframe mode of viewport. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategoryEdgeMesh	Edge mesh, this layer includes the edges. This will be displayed in viewport that has "wireframe" or "hidden line" on. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategorySubObjectVertexTicks	Vertex ticks mesh. This will be displayed when the node has "Vertex Ticks" display option on or the vertex tick sub-object be selected. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategorySubObjectEdgeMesh	Sub object edge mesh. The difference between this kind of render item and the edge mesh render item is that this kind of render item highlight selected edges, and only be displayed when the node is selected. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategoryOtherSubObjects	Other sub objects. This will be treated as gizmos and will only be displayed when the node is selected. Search for all occurrences
RenderItemCategoryGizmo	Gizmos part. This layer includes all other renderable items, like slice plane, mouse helper, etc. This kind of render items will be displayed in all viewports. Search for all occurrences

{
    RenderItemCategorySolidMesh              = 0x00000001, 

    RenderItemCategoryDiagonalMesh           = 0x00000002, 

    RenderItemCategoryEdgeMesh               = 0x00000004, 

    RenderItemCategorySubObjectVertexTicks   = 0x00000008, 

    RenderItemCategorySubObjectEdgeMesh      = 0x00000010, 

    RenderItemCategoryOtherSubObjects        = 0x00000020, 

    RenderItemCategoryGizmo                  = 0x00000040, 
};

Function Documentation

DataBridgeAPI size_t MaxSDK::Graphics::GetVertexStride ( const VertexFieldType type )

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Get the vertex stride by a given vertex type, in bytes.

Parameters:

type	the vertex type.

Returns:: the vertex stride, in bytes.

DataBridgeAPI size_t MaxSDK::Graphics::GetIndexStride ( const IndexType type )

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Get the index stride by a given index type, in bytes.

Parameters:

type	the index type.

Returns:: the index stride, in bytes.

IDisplayManager* MaxSDK::Graphics::GetIDisplayManager ( ) [inline]

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Helper function to access the IDisplayManager core interface.

Returns:: A pointer to IDisplayManager

{
    return dynamic_cast<IDisplayManager*>(GetCOREInterface(INITROUS_DISPLAY_MANAGER_INTERFACE_ID));
};

bool MaxSDK::Graphics::IsRetainedModeEnabled ( ) [inline]

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Helper function to test whether the new viewport graphics system is running.

Returns:: TRUE if new viewport graphics is active

{
    IDisplayManager* pGraphicsManager = GetIDisplayManager();
    return NULL != pGraphicsManager && pGraphicsManager->IsRetainedModeEnabled();
}

GraphicsDriverAPI void MaxSDK::Graphics::GenerateRenderItems	(	RenderItemHandleArray &	renderItems,
		Mesh *	pMaxMesh,
		unsigned long	renderItemCategoryFlags,
		const MaterialRequiredStreams &	requiredStreams
	)

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Generate a set of render items from an input mesh and viewport requirements.

Remarks:: Usually plugins use this function in their UpdateDisplay(). If plugins maintain instances of Mesh, then they should use this function to convert those mesh instances to render items (RenderItemHandle).

Parameters:

renderItems	the container that accept newly generated render items.
pMaxMesh	the input mesh to be converted to render items.
renderItemCategoryFlags	defines the visible render item categories. It is a combination of RenderItemCategory
requiredStreams	defines the required mesh channel. This parameter defines which channel (for example: normal channel, texture coordinate channel, etc.) will be added to the final render item.

GraphicsDriverAPI void MaxSDK::Graphics::GenerateRenderItems	(	RenderItemHandleArray &	renderItems,
		MNMesh *	pMaxMesh,
		unsigned long	renderItemCategoryFlags,
		const MaterialRequiredStreams &	requiredStreams
	)

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Generate a set of render items from an input MNMesh and viewport requirements.

Remarks:: Usually plugins use this function in their UpdateDisplay(). If plugins maintain instances of MNMesh, then they should use this function to convert those MNMesh instances to render items (RenderItemHandle). Converting MNMesh to Mesh via MNMesh::OutToTri() and then use the Mesh version of GenerateRenderItems is possible but not recommended because it causes unnecessary conversions and is very slow.

Parameters:

renderItems	the container that accept newly generated render items.
pMaxMesh	the input MNMesh to be converted to render items.
renderItemCategoryFlags	defines the visible render item categories. It is a combination of RenderItemCategory
requiredStreams	defines the required mesh channel. This parameter defines which channel (for example: normal channel, texture coordinate channel, etc.) will be added to the final render item.

Variable Documentation

const Identifier NIL_ID = (Identifier)-1

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Invalid id value.

MaxSDK::Graphics Namespace Reference

Classes

Typedefs

Enumerations

Functions

Variables

Typedef Documentation

Enumeration Type Documentation

Function Documentation

Variable Documentation