mi::shader_v3::Bsdf Class Reference

Simplified BSDF interface. More...

#include <shader_bsdf.h>

List of all members.

Public Types

typedef bool Transport
 sampling/evaluation direction
enum  {
  Invalid = 0x00,
  Reflect_diffuse = 0x01,
  Reflect_glossy = 0x02,
  Reflect_specular = 0x04,
  Transmit_diffuse = 0x10,
  Transmit_glossy = 0x20,
  Transmit_specular = 0x40,
  Reflect_regular,
  Transmit_regular,
  All_diffuse,
  All_glossy,
  All_specular,
  All_regular,
  All_reflect,
  All_transmit,
  All
}

Public Member Functions

virtual miColor eval (const miVector &ray, const miVector &out, Type flags=All, Transport dir=From_eye) const =0
virtual Type sample (const miVector &ray, miVector *out, miColor *weight, double xi[3], Type flags=All, Transport dir=From_eye) const =0
virtual bool all_components (Type type) const =0
virtual bool any_component (Type type) const =0
virtual Type get_components () const =0

Static Public Attributes

const Transport From_eye = false
 rendering from the camera
const Transport From_light = true
 from the light, e.g. photons


Detailed Description

Simplified BSDF interface.

The Bsdf interface represents the concept of a Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Function. The BSDF describes the scattering characteristics of a point, i.e. reflection (the BRDF), and transmission (the BTDF).

This interface allows shaders to interact with BSDFs. Note that it is not designed to be implemented by users. This interface is intended to serve the same purpose as the RC Direction Functions and Shading Models functions (see the manual), but in a generalized way.

For example, a shader might use a Bsdf in the following way:

    Access_bsdf bsdf(state);
    
    // do light loop
    for (...) {
        iter->get_contribution(&light);
        light *= iter->get_dot_nl();
        direct += light * bsdf->eval(view_dir,light_dir);
    }

If diffuse and specular contributions are needed separately, the BSDF evaluation can be restricted by passing e.g. Bsdf::Reflect_diffuse or Bsdf::All_glossy as the third parameter of the eval function. Note, however, that multiple separate evaluations of components are more expensive than a single evaluation of all components.

Note that specular components cannot be evaluated, they have to be sampled. Thus, reflections of light sources in perfect mirrors can be achieved by code similar to

    double xi[3];
    mi_sample(xi,0,state,3,0);
    if (bsdf->sample(view_dir,&refl_dir,&mirror,xi,Bsdf::Reflect_specular) 
        && mi_trace_reflection(&hit,state,&refl_dir)
        && !state->child->pri) {        // light source hit
        light_hit = mirror * hit;
    }


Member Enumeration Documentation

anonymous enum
 

scatter type.

Type flags are bit patterns. Typical binary operations are valid e.g. for component combinations or sample result inspection.

Enumeration values:
Invalid  unknown or absorption
Reflect_diffuse  diffuse reflection
Reflect_glossy  glossy reflection
Reflect_specular  specular reflection
Transmit_diffuse  diffuse transmission
Transmit_glossy  glossy transmission
Transmit_specular  specular transmission
Reflect_regular  non-specular reflection
Transmit_regular  non-specular transmission
All_diffuse  diffuse reflection and transmission
All_glossy  glossy reflection and transmission
All_specular  specular reflection and transmission
All_regular  non-specular reflection and transmission
All_reflect  diffuse, glossy, and specular reflection
All_transmit  diffuse, glossy, and specular transmission
All  all types


Member Function Documentation

virtual bool mi::shader_v3::Bsdf::all_components Type  type  )  const [pure virtual]
 

Checks if the BSDF supports all of the given components.

If type is a compound type, e.g All_xxx, this function checks if all of the given components are supported. For single types, this function's result is identical to that of Bsdf::any_component.

Parameters:
type the scatter type to check
Returns:
true if all of the given components are supported by the BSDF, false otherwise.

virtual bool mi::shader_v3::Bsdf::any_component Type  type  )  const [pure virtual]
 

Checks if the BSDF supports the given component.

If type is a compound type, e.g All_xxx, this function checks if one or more of the given components are supported. For single types, this function's result is identical to that of Bsdf::all_components.

Parameters:
type the scatter type to check
Returns:
true if any of the given components are supported by the BSDF, false otherwise.

virtual miColor mi::shader_v3::Bsdf::eval const miVector &  ray,
const miVector &  out,
Type  flags = All,
Transport  dir = From_eye
const [pure virtual]
 

Evaluates the BSDF at the current point.

When tracing rays from the eye towards the scene (the usual case), dir is From_eye, ray is the view direction and out is the light direction. All directions are in world space. The ray direction points towards the intersection, the out direction points away from it.

Because specular components cannot be evaluated (they can only be sampled), this function only evaluates the diffuse and glossy parts. The contribution from specular components is black. Shaders must use sample to obtain a specular direction and contribution.

Parameters:
[in] ray given direction
[in] out sampled direction
[in] flags allowed types
[in] dir trace direction
Returns:
the value of the BSDF at the current point and for the given pair of directions

virtual Type mi::shader_v3::Bsdf::get_components  )  const [pure virtual]
 

Accesses the components supported by this BSDF.

This function returns a combination of Type flags. Its use is slightly less convenient than Bsdf::all_components or Bsdf::any_component because boolean operations have to be performed manually. However, it is slightly faster than calling these functions multiple times. Thus, use of this function is recommended over the aforementioned ones when several tests have to be performed.

virtual Type mi::shader_v3::Bsdf::sample const miVector &  ray,
miVector *  out,
miColor *  weight,
double  xi[3],
Type  flags = All,
Transport  dir = From_eye
const [pure virtual]
 

Importance samples an outgoing direction using the quasirandom numbers supplied in xi and stores it in out.

All directions are in world space. The ray direction points towards the intersection, the out direction points away from it.

The importance sampling weight (i.e. the BSDF value for the sampled direction divided by the probability of sampling the direction) will be written to weight. Note that the weight result contains the probability density in projected solid angle measure. One implication of this is that the weight does not have to be multiplied by cos θ, where θ is the angle between surface normal and light, when tracing secondary rays. This function returns the type of the component that was sampled. Note that, while this function may return Bsdf::Invalid in some cases, it does not perform Russian roulette for absorption. If Russian roulette is needed, then min{1, |weight|} is a good candidate for the continuation probability. Usually, the maximum norm yields the best results.

Suitable values for xi can be acquired e.g. by calling mi_sample.

Parameters:
[in] ray known direction
[out] out sampled direction
[out] weight sample weight
[in] xi sample in [0,1)^3
[in] flags allowed types
[in] dir trace direction
Returns:
the sampled component type

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