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The optimization process consist of creating a mipmap version of images a source image that can be used efficiently as a texture during rendering. This process is important as non-optimized textures (without mipmap) can slowdown rendering significantly.
Automatic Optimization
If not already optimized, 3Delight will try to optimize textures automatically. Optimized textures are stored During rendering, whenever 3Delight encounters a non-optimized texture, it will create an optimized copy automatically. The optimized texture will be saved at the same location of the source texture and will have the same base name as the original texture in addition to colour space information and the associated non-optimized texture, but with a .tdl extension added. This process will skip any files texture that have the .tdl substring in the file name (e.g. test texname.tdl.tif and test texname.tif.tdl) as they will be considered as optimized)already optimized. Note that 3Delight also detects if a source texture has changed since the optimized copy and will automatically re-optimize it.
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For the automatic optimization to work in the context of teamwork, the texture directory or directories where the textures are located must have write permission not only to oneself, but also to other users as well (so the optimization process to works for them if needed while rendering). Note that source textures The non-optimized texture files themselves do not need to have write permissions as 3Delight only access them for reading and never modifies them. |
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When using 3Delight Cloud, the optimization process does not create additional files. Everything is preformed performed in the cloud. |
The texture optimization processes process takes care of using the proper color space assigned to the texture. Color space assignment depends on the source of the texture:
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Manual Optimization
You may consider preparing optimizing textures manually using the tdlmake tool for these reasons:
- Save storage space as 3Delight will convert textures and save them into a separate folderYou want to pass additional options to tdlmake for a custom preparation (e.g. type of filtering or output data type).
- The automatic color space conversion for Katana is not satisfactory and a more fine tuned approach is needed.
- You want to pass additional options to tdlmake for a custom preparation (e.g. type of filtering or output data typeSave storage space as 3Delight will create a separate texture file for the optimized version. (However, when using the automatic approach, you can manually remove the original non-optimized texture when the optimized version has been done).
Another consideration is if you don't like the delay that will occur at the start of a render the first time one or more textures are used. And instead you prefer handle handling that one time optimization process manually and on your own term.
The Network Cache
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The network cache content is updated automatically: when texture files are modified on the file server, the local (cached) copies will be automatically updated the first time they are needed for a rendering. If there is no more space in the cache, copied textures are removed to make space for incoming textures by following the Least Recently Used (LRU) principle.
By default, the Network Cache in not active. We recommend you turn it on. You only need to specify its maximum size (we recommend at least 50GB). This is done through the 3delight.config configuration file.
The only inconvenience is an initial delay before you start to see the image on the first render (because the first time the cache needs to be filled). The amount of delay will depend on how many textures are used in that particular image. Note that if you use only one computer, and all the textures are on a local drive of that computer, enabling Use Network enabling the Network Cache won't have any effect.