vertex attributes [standalone]

[rodeo-ny]

Hi,

Are the TexMeshVertexColor plugins the only way to send attributes from a mesh to its shader? Is there a way to send single channel attributes?

I want to check if I'm missing something before I start a plugin for this.

Also, in Maya, why is a TexSwitch plugin used with vertex textures? What advantage does it give?

Thanks

[vladimir.nedev]

TexMeshVertexColor has two parameters - "colors" and "alphas", either of which may not be set. So, if you need a single channel attribute you can use TexMeshVertexColor with the alphas parameter.

We use TexSwitch for vertex textures because the VRayVertexColors texture can be applied to many instances simultaneously. As long as all the meshes the texture is applied to, have a vertex color set with the appropriate name, it will work on all of them. No need to connect the specific color set to the texture ( like in the mental ray vertex color texture). The actual vertex colors are stored in the TexMeshVertexColor plug-in texture, instead of in the mesh, because this makes it easier to export only the color sets that are actually used.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[rodeo-ny]

Makes sense now, thanks!