The VRayGLSLTex texture map can be used to load OpenGL Shading Language GLSL shaders (.frag, .glsl files), as well as V-Ray precompiled fragment shaders (.pfrag files), and render them directly with V-Ray. If the shader file describes a material (rather than a texture), the shader definition can be rendered by either assigning the texture map to the color slot of a VRayLightMtl material, or just by using the VRayGLSLMtl material.
Note that both VRayGLSLMtl and VRayGLSLTex share the same user interface. See the V-Ray GLSL page for more detailed description of the language and examples.
This texture map and material is the first stage of the V-Ray implementation of GLSL support. In this version, the shaders are compiled to byte code for a software virtual machine, which is then interpreted. Due to this run-time interpretation, GLSL shaders can be somewhat slower to render than V-Ray shaders written in C++. In future builds of V-Ray, shaders will be directly compiled to machine code for faster rendering. In the example shown here an example GLSL file has been used.
The General rollout holds parameters that control common shader characteristics.
Shader file – Specifies the .glsl, .frag, or .pfrag file which contains the shader code. This button also supports a context menu with the following options:
Clear – Unloads the current shader and restores the plug-in as if no shaders have been loaded. Reset – Reloads the shader and resets its parameters to the default values. Reload – Reloads the shader but keeps the current parameter values. Open Containing Folder – Reveals the shader location in Explorer. Open in External Editor – Opens the shader in an appropriate external text editor. Open in Quick Shader – Opens the shader in the built-in text editor. Copy File Path – Puts the full path of the currently loaded file in the clipboard. Copy Folder Path – Copies the parent directory of the currently loaded file into the clipboard. Recent Files – Holds a list of the recently loaded shaders and an option to clear the list.
Expand
title
Click here to see the shortcut keys for the context menu options
Shortcut Key
Command
C
Clear
R
Reset
E
Reload
O
Open Containing Folder
X
Open in External Editor
Q
Open in Quick Shader
F
Copy File Path
P
Copy Folder Path
T
Recent Files
1-0
The first 10 items of the Recent Files submenu have assigned shortcuts from 1 to 0
Max ray depth – Specifies the maximum reflection/refraction depth for the shader.
Show preview – Determines whether to render a shader preview in the material editor.
Clamp shader result – Determines whether to force the result in the [0, Clamping limit ] range or not.
Clamping limit – Specifies the upper clamp limit if Clamp shader result is enabled.
Export shader– Saves the shader file as a binary precompiled fragment shader file (.pfrag).