Light Textures Keep Getting VRayCompTex Added Multiplying with White VRayColor

[Joelaff]

I frequently go to look at a light's texturemap and I find that instead of whatever the original node I was using I have a VRayCompTex which combines the original node in Multiply mode with a white VRayColor. Obviously this is a NOOP in terms of the result, but I guess it renders more slowly (have not actually tested), and it is annoying .

Anyone else see this? Maybe it is when lights with textures are merged from another scene, but I am not sure. I see it a lot.

[vladimir_krastev]

Anyone else see this? Maybe it is when lights with textures are merged from another scene, but I am not sure. I see it a lot.

If you have used VRayCompTex as a texture map in a VRayLIght it will merge with it.

[Joelaff]

Thanks for the reply. The weird thing is that I set up the scene with the light having only a VrayBitmap, for instance. Then later I find it has a comp Tex instead, with the original map multiplied by a white vray color.

I have seen this with many original map types in the light texture slot, not just VrsyBitmaps, but also with VraySoftBox and others.

I never add the comp Tex myself. They are generated by some bug or feature.

[yavor.rubenov]

Hello,

Probably you are using LightMix and transfer it to your scene ? The transfer creates those VRayCompTex textures to multiply the original texture with the color from the LightMix. We currently check if either the color multiplier is not white or the number multiplier is not 1.0 and then add the comp tex and change Lights multiplier..
Maybe we can skip the comp tex if only the number multiplier is changed..

Best regards,
Yavor

[Joelaff]

Aha! That is it. OK.

So any time I apply the lighting to the scene it will add the CompTex nodes? I figured the VFB apply-to-scene would affect the multiplier value of the light only, not the texture. I guess this is so you can change the color as well as the intensity value?

At least it is by design for them to be showing up. I would think if the end result is a NOOP then, yes, skip the CompTex, as I assume it renders a little slower, and it is a little messy.

[^Lele^]

The speed difference is negligible, unlike f.e. for the Max's Composite map.
I agree on no-ops changing mapping being a nuisance, and i'd say we should also name the created textures in a way that made it easier to realise what they are and where they're from, f.e. as "VRLM_AlphaBlend_001", "VRLM_ColorFilter_001", etc.