Overview
A DlShadingNode represents a 3Delight OSL shader. By connecting many DlShadingNodes together, a shading network can be defined, which ultimately is connected to a Katana Network Material node.
Creating a shading network is much simplified by using the shading node layered menu, which automatically handles many small steps such as renaming nodes and creating and connecting required input nodes.
Pressing the S key in the Nodegraph to bring up the shading node layered menu, and begin to type a shader name to narrow down the offered choices.
For an example on how to define a shading network using DlShadingNodes and the shading node layered menu, see Adding Materials to a Recipe.
The DlShadingNode parameters.
Choosing an OSL Shader
Clicking on the down arrow next to nodeType will display a list of available OSL shaders. Selecting one shader in the list will populate the parameters section below with the shader attributes.
Connecting the DlShadingNode
An example of the list of input ports on a DlShadingNode set to use the material3Delight shader.
In the Node Graph, clicking on the arrow on the right end will display the list of available incoming ports for this shader. Clicking the arrow on the left end will show available output ports. Note that input parameters can also be used as output ports; their value is simply passed to the outgoing connection.
Connecting a DlShadingNode to a NetworkMaterial node
The end result of a shading network made of various DlShadingNodes must be connected to a NetworkMaterial node in order to define a material scene graph location. This material can then be assigned to objects. The DlShadingNode that will be connected to a NetworkMaterial node must use a shader of a specific type - surface or displacement shaders - and can then be connected to the appropriate terminal on the Network Material.
To add the required terminal, click on Add Terminal in the NetworkMaterial parameters.
Adding a Surface terminal to a NetworkMaterial Node
Then connect the outColor output of a surface shader DlShadingNode, or the outDisplacement output of a displacement shader DlShadingNode, to the related NetworkMaterial terminal.