Vector State

Category: Data > Shading State

Shader Family: Texture

Output: Vector

Exposes deep raytracing parameters, which change each time a new subpixel is computed.

You should have some shader-writing knowledge in either mental ray 1.9, 2.0, or 2.1 in order to use this tool properly.

NoteTo be able to convert a vector/point expressed in internal space to another system coordinate, refer to the Vector Coordinate Converter tool shader.

Name

The shader's name. Enter any name you like, or leave the default.

State Parameter

Eye Ray Vector: Returns the camera ray vector cast in the scene.

Origin: Returns the origin of the ray (start ray) in internal space. If applied to a Light or Shadow node, it will return to the origin of the light source.

Intersection Point: Returns the intersection point to internal space (end ray).

Normal: Returns the Normal Vector to the intersection point.

Normal at Geometry: Returns Non-interpolated Geometry Normal to the intersection point.

Motion Vector: Returns interpolated Motion Vector to the intersection point. If the object doesn't have a motion vector, the return value will be null (0,0,0)

Texture Vector: Returns the texture vector to the intersection point.

Render Tree Usage

This shader is usually used at the left end of a render tree effect to define a vector's input value for a shader. In a simple example, you could use this shader to define the Noise coordinates of the 3D Warp shader.