There are several ways in 3Delight for Maya to create, select and render Render Passes:
- Using the 3Delight Menu (from the Maya menu bar)
- Using the 3Delight Shelf
- Using the Render Settings window
- Using the Attribute Editor
But only the 3Delight Menu offers all the options in one place. We will use it as a guide to explain each option available to manage Render Passes. And for each option, we will indicate the alternate ways available in 3Delight for Maya to perform the same action.
3Delight Menu items for Managing Render Passes
Render
Render with
The Render menu item selects 3Delight as the current renderer and starts a render using the active Render Pass in the Render Settings window. Whereas the Make Active and Render sub-menu list all the Render Passes in the scene; selecting one selects 3Delight as the current renderer, makes the select Render Passit active in the Render Settings window and renders it. 3Delight for Maya also offers a few additional ways to launch a render:
(in the 3Delight Shelf) | Clicking on this 3Delight Shelf button selects 3Delight as the current renderer and starts a render using the active Render Pass in the Render Settings window. This is the same operation done by choosing the 3Delight > Render menu item. Right-clicking on the button instead pops up a menu listing all the Render Passes in the scene; selecting one makes it active and renders it. The same operation is done by choosing an item under the 3Delight > Render with > sub-menu. |
(in the Attribute Editor) | When a Render Pass is displayed in the Attribute Editor, a rendering can be launched simply by clicking on the Render This Pass button located at the top of the editor. In this instance, it selects 3Delight as the current renderer, it make the Render Pass displayed in the Attribute Editor active in the Render Settings window, and renders it. |
(Maya's Render Menu) | If Maya’s current renderer in the Render Settings is set to ‘3Delight’, selecting Render Current Frame or Batch Render will launch a rendering using the active Render Pass as set in the '3Delight' tab of the Maya Render Settings window. |
Select Render Pass
This item is to select a Render Pass node and have it displayed in the Attribute Editor. It pops up a menu listing all Render Pass in the scene. The active Render Pass in the Render Settings window is identified by a check mark in this menu. 3Delight for Maya also offers one additional way to select a Render Pass:
| This button serves the same function: pops up a menu listing all Render Pass in the scene, The active Render Pass in the Render Settings window is identified by a check mark in this menu. Selecting one displays it in the Attribute Editor. |
(in Render Settings) | This function is not entirely equivalent: In Render Settings you can select a Render Pass that will be displayed in that window only (not in the Attribute Editor). This is not to be confused with the Select Render Pass we have just explained. |
Create Render Pass
Creates a new Render Pass with all available attributes set to their default values. 3Delight for Maya also offers a few additional ways to create a Render Pass:
(in the 3Delight Shelf) | Clicking on this shelf button creates a new Render Pass with all available attributes set to their default values. Right-clicking on this button instead is the equivalent to Create Render Pass from Templates explained below. |
(in Render Settings) | It is also possible to create a new Render Pass using the Create Render Pass button at the top of the 3Delight tab in the Render Settings Window. |
Create Render Pass from Template
This item displays a sub-menu listing all Render Pass Templates. Selecting one will create a new Render Pass using that template. 3Delight for Maya also offers one additional way to create a Render Pass from the list of templates:
(in the 3Delight Shelf) | Right-clicking on this shelf button pops up a menu listing all Render Pass Templates; selecting one will create a new Render Pass using that template. |
Duplicate Render Pass
This item displays a sub-menu listing all the Render Passes in the scene (not the templates). Selecting one will duplicate it.
When a new Render Pass node is created using Create Render Pass, Create Render Pass from Template or Duplicate Render Pass, but not when using the Create Render Pass in the Render Settings window, it is automatically selected in Maya upon creation and displayed in the Attribute Editor where it can be given a new name. Also, the Create and Select Render Pass buttons do not make them active in the Render Settings window (and thus will not be the ones rendered using the Render button and menu item).
Save Render Pass as Template
A Render Pass can be saved as a template to add it to the list of templates. All templates are listed in the Create Render Pass from Template menu. This could be useful for example to create a standard pre-defined Render Pass across multiple scenes or across multiple projects. To create a Render Pass template, first create a Render Pass, rename it and configure its attributes as desired. Then select that Render Pass in the sub-menu Save Render Pass as Template to save it. This menu item lists all Render Pass in the scene. Clicking on one saves it as a template. It will now be available across multiple scenes.
Each template is saved in a separate file in the template folder as specified in the 3Delight Data Locations window. The default location puts it inside the Maya Project, which is good if you want to share the templates among all the scenes in your project. But is not a good location if you want to share these templates among different projects. In this case, you are advised to change it to a location of your choice (outside of the Maya Project).