Automatic Parameter Translation

For automatic translation of parameters to be possible, a texture map plug-in must contain a ParamBlock2 which is a one-to-one match to the parameters structure in the mental ray shader. Every parameter block that you want to be automatically translated must have a matching structure in the mental ray shader. For example, if your plug-in has a parameter block that is called "Parameters", then the mental ray shader must have a structure that is called "Parameters". The contents of the parameter block will be matched with the contents of the structure.

The contents of the parameter blocks must also be a one-to-one match with the contents of the structure in the mental ray shader. That is, each parameter that you want to be automatically translated must match by name and by type to the parameter in the mental ray shader. The following table describes type compatibility. Note that automatic translation is not case sensitive.

Parameter type in mental ray shader	Possible types in the parameter block
boolean	TYPE_BOOL, TYPE_INT
integer	TYPE_INT, TYPE_BOOL, TYPE_TIMEVALUE, TYPE_RADIOBTN_INDEX, TYPE_INDEX
scalar	TYPE_FLOAT, TYPE_ANGLE, TYPE_PCNT_FRAC, TYPE_WORLD, TYPE_COLOR_CHANNEL
vector	TYPE_POINT3, TYPE_RGBA
transform	TYPE_MATRIX3
color	TYPE_RGBA, TYPE_POINT3, TYPE_POINT4, TYPE_FRGBA
shader, data	TYPE_TEXMAP, TYPE_REFTARG (reference target must be a Texmap*)
colortexture, secalartexture, vectortexture	TYPE_FILENAME if the parameter doesn't have the GUI attribute <"textureInfo" "max_texmap">, and TYPE_TEXMAP/TYPE_REFTARG if it does have the GUI attribute.
light	TYPE_INODE, TYPE_REFTARG (reference target must be INode*)
string	TYPE_STRING, TYPE_FILENAME
lightprofile	unsupported
geometry	TYPE_INODE, TYPE_REFTARG (reference target must be INode*)
material	TYPE_MTL, TYPE_REFTARG (reference target must be Mtl*)
struct*	TYPE_PBLOCK2*
array	Tab of parameters (e.g. "array boolean" is compatible with TYPE_BOOL_TAB and TYPE_INT_TAB).

* Structure must also match. If the mental ray shader contains a sub-structure of parameters, then the parameter block in the texture map plug-in must contain a sub-parameter-block of the same name, and the contents of the sub-parameter-block will be matched with the contents of the sub-structure.

** As long as the parameter does not have the GUI attribute "no_alpha".