Krakatoa Shadows Explorer

Available in Krakatoa 1.6.0 and higher.

Overview

• The Krakatoa Shadows Explorer is a floating dialog similar to the Light Lister of 3ds Max, but it is mainly designed to set up the Krakatoa Shadows in scene lights that support Shadow Generators.
• It can be accessed through the Explore… button next to the >Save Attenuation Maps button in the Main Controls rollout, from the Krakatoa Menu or via the existing Krakatoa Shadows MacroScript icon if you have customized a toolbar.

Launching The Krakatoa Shadows Explorer

• This Utility can be accessed using one of the following options:
• Press the Explore… button next to the >Save Attenuation Maps button in the Main Controls rollout.
• Select the Launch Krakatoa Shadows Explorer Utility” menu item from the 3ds Max Main Menu > Krakatoa menu (if enabled).
• Click the “KrakatoaShadows” icon on the Krakatoa toolbar (if customized).

The Krakatoa Shadows Explorer User Interface

• The Shadow Explorer dialog contains a Menu Bar and a ListView showing the scene lights supporting a Shadow Generator.
• The dialog can be minimized, maximized and resized freely.

ListView Display

Color Coding

• The ListView shows each light in a separate row with a color coding representing the major features of the light:
  • Green color means the light is on and has Shadow Casting On and Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned.
  • Blue color means the light is on and has Krakatoa Shadow Generator assigned but Shadow Casting was turned Off.
  • Gray color means the light has Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned but the Light itself is turned off.
    • When an Attenuation Map matching the Load Path has been found on disk, the entry (green, blue or gray) will be shown in BOLD font.
  • Red color means the light is on and Shadow Casting is also on, but the Shadow type is NOT set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator.
  • Bright violet means the light is off and shadow casting is also off and the Shadow type is NOT set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator.
  • Dark violet means the light is on but shadow casting is off and the Shadow type is NOT set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator.

Columns

• The ListView displays the following information about the light:
  • Light Name - this is the light’s object name. Double-clicking a row in this column will select the light in the scene.
  • On - this is the light’s On/Off switch shown as YES or no in the list. Double-clicking will toggle the switch on and off.
  • Cast - this is the Shadow Casting switch shown as YES or no in the list. Double-clicking will toggle the switch on and off.
  • Krakatoa - this column shows YES if the Shadow type is set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator, no if it is any other type. Double-clicking this entry will toggle the Krakatoa Shadows Generator on and off using the sub-shadow generator, but only if Krakatoa Shadows Generator was already assigned at least once. Otherwise will do nothing.
  • Geo.Shadows-GS - this column shows the Geometry Shadows Generator of the Krakatoa Shadows Generator or the light’s Shadow Type if not set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator.
  • GS On - this column represents the Geometry Shadows switch in the Krakatoa Shadows Generator. It will show YES if the Krakatoa Shadow Generator’s Geometry Shadows are turned on, no if turned off, and N/A if the shadow type is not Krakatoa Shadows Generator. Double-clicking this item will toggle the Geometry Shadows on and off unless in N/A mode.
  • Size - this column represents the Shadow Map size of the Krakatoa Shadows Generator (if assigned), or of the light’s Shadow Map generator (if ShadowMap type is assigned and no Krakatoa Shadows Generator is assigned). Double-clicking will select the light.
  • Samples - this column represents the Sample Count of the Krakatoa Shadows Generator as integer, or N/A if not applicable. Double-clicking will select the light.
  • Spacing - this column will show the Sample Spacing value in current units if Krakatoa Shadows Generator is assigned, or N/A if not applicable. Double-clicking will select the light.
  • Exp. - this column will show the Sampling Mode - YES if Exponential, no if Linear, N/A if not applicable. Double-clicking will toggle the Exponential and Linear modes unless the display is N/A.
  • Save Path - this column will display the path to save the Deep Attenuation Maps to, or N/A if not applicable. Double-clicking the entry will open a Select Path dialog to specify the path to save to. The file name will be assumed in the format $objectname_0000.exr. If the selected path is a sub-path of the current Render Output filename, the path will be automatically expressed as a relative path using $renderdir. For example, if the Render Output Path is “c:temptestrgb.exr” and you have selected “c:temptestshadowsexample” as the Save Path for Attenuation Maps, the resulting Save Path will look like “$renderdirshadowsexample$objectname_0000.exr”.
  • Auto - this columns shows the state of the Auto Update On Render option of the Krakatoa Shadows Generator - YES if on, no if off, and N/A if the shadow type is not set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator. Double-clicking will toggle the option and and off unless N/A is shown.
  • Found - this column will show an integer representing the number of Attenuation Map files matching the current Load Path pattern, or no if no maps have been found. N/A will be displayed if Shadows are not set to Krakatoa Shadows Generator. Note that when an integer is shown, the whole row will also be displayed in a BOLD font. Double-clicking will select the light.
  • Load Path - this column shows the Load Path used to load the Attenuation Maps when rendering in a renderer other than Krakatoa. Double-clicking the entry will open a Load Path dialog to select a location to load from, assuming $objectname_0000.exr as the file name pattern. To specify an explicit .EXR file that does NOT match the name of the light, double-click the name of the light to select it and use the “Pick a load location…” button in the Krakatoa Shadows Generator’s GUI to provide a full file name and path.

Menu Bar

Selection

• The following menu items use the terms “Highlight” for ListView Selection and “Selection” for scene objects selection.
  • Highlight ALL List Entries - selects all lights in the ListView but not in the scene.
  • INVERT Light Highlights - inverts the selection in the ListView but not in the scene.
  • Highlight Lights with Shadows ON - selects the lights in the ListView that have Shadow Casting turned on, does not affect the scene.
  • Highlight Lights with Shadows OFF - selects the lights in the ListView that have Shadow Casting turned off, does not affect the scene.
  • Highlight Lights WITH KRAKATOA Shadows Generator - selects the lights in the ListView that have a Krakatoa Shadows Generator.
  • Highlight Lights WITHOUT KRAKATOA Shadows Generator - selects the lights in the ListView that do not have a Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned.
  • Synchronize List Highlights TO SCENE Selection - selects the scene objects highlighted on the list.
  • Synchronize Scene Selection TO LIST Highlights - selects the list items corresponding to lights that are selected in the scene.

Add/Remove

• ADD Default Krakatoa Shadows - adds a new default Krakatoa Shadows Generator to all highlighted lights.
  • If a light already had a Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned, it will be replaced with a fresh one, while preserving the Geometry Shadows Sub-Generator.
• RESTORE Krakatoa Shadows - restores the previously assigned Krakatoa Shadows Generator after a REMOVE operation. Instead of adding a new generator with default settings, the last known settings including Shadow Map Size, Sampling Count and Spacing, Save and Load paths etc. will be used. See below for details.
• REMOVE Krakatoa Shadows - removes the Krakatoa Shadows Generator from highlighted lights (if applicable) and replaces it with the Geometry Shadows Sub-Generator. The relevant settings like Shadow Map Size, Sample Count and Spacing, Exponential Sampling, Save and Load Paths, Auto Update On Render, Geometry Shadows On etc. will be stored in the light’s User Properties buffer as properties prefixed with “KrakatoaShadows_”. When using the RESTORE Krakatoa Shadows option above or double-clicking the “Krakatoa” YES/no entry on the list, if the User Properties are detected, they will be used to restore the Krakatoa Shadows Generator to the exact settings used by it before it was removed.

Shadow Casting

• ENABLE Shadow Casting - enables the base-object shadow casting property in the highlighted lights regardless of the Shadow Generator type.
• DISABLE Shadow Casting - disables the base-object shadow casting property in the highlighted lights regardless of the Shadow Generator type.
• TOGGLE Shadow Casting - toggles the base-object shadow casting property in the highlighted lights regardless of the Shadow Generator type.
• ENABLE Geometry Shadow Casting in Highlighted Lights with Krakatoa Shadows - enables the Geometry shadow casting property in the Krakatoa Shadows Generator of those highlighted lights that have one assigned.
• DISABLE Geometry Shadow Casting in Highlighted Lights with Krakatoa Shadows - disables the Geometry shadow casting property in the Krakatoa Shadows Generator of those highlighted lights that have one assigned.
• TOGGLE Geometry Shadow Casting in Highlighted Lights with Krakatoa Shadows - toggles the Geometry shadow casting property in the Krakatoa Shadows Generator of those highlighted lights that have one assigned.

Map Size

• Set Shadow Map Size To XXX - all entries change the Shadow Map Size of the Krakatoa Shadow Generator (if applicable) to the respective value. If the Shadow Generator is not of type Krakatoa Shadows Generator (e.g. Shadow Map), its Shadow Map Size property will NOT be affected.

Samples

• Set Sample Count To … - sets the Sample Count of highlighted lights with a Krakatoa Shadows Generator to the given value.
• COPY Sample Count From First Highlighted Light - copies the Sample Count value from the first light with a Krakatoa Shadows Generator found in the ListView selection and stores it in a dedicated Clipboard to be pasted later. It is a good idea to highlight a single light entry before copying to be sure what value is being copied. This options will be enabled if at least one entry is highlighted on the list.
• PASTE Sample Count To Highlighted Lights - pastes the value stored using the previous option to all highlighted lights that have a Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned. The option will only be enabled if the dedicated Clipboard contains a value. The Clipboard is valid only during the current Shadows Explorer session - closing and reopening the Explorer will clear the Clipboard.
• Set Sample Spacing To … - sets the Sample Spacing of highlighted lights with a Krakatoa Shadows Generator to the given value.
• COPY Sample Spacing From First Highlighted Light - copies the Sample Spacing value from the first light with a Krakatoa Shadows Generator found in the ListView selection and stores it in a dedicated Clipboard to be pasted later. It is a good idea to highlight a single light entry before copying to be sure what value is being copied. This options will be enabled if at least one entry is highlighted on the list.
• PASTE Sample Spacing To Highlighted Lights - pastes the value stored using the previous option to all highlighted lights that have a Krakatoa Shadows Generator assigned. The option will only be enabled if the dedicated Clipboard contains a value. The Clipboard is valid only during the current Shadows Explorer session - closing and reopening the Explorer will clear the Clipboard.
• Set Sample Spacing to EXPONENTIAL - Switches the Sample Spacing to Exponential mode (which is the default). In this mode, the distance between samples will grow exponentially based on 2^(N-1) function.
• Set Sample Spacing to LINEAR - Switches the Sample Spacing to Linear mode. In this mode, the distance between samples will remoan constant. See the Krakatoa Shadows Generator topic for details.

Save Paths

• Assign New ABSOLUTE Save Path To Highlighted Lights - opens a Directory Selector dialog to pick a new save location for Attenuation Maps. This will not change the file name, only the path.
• Reset Highlighted Paths To DEFAULT Relative Path [$renderdir$objectname_0000.exr] - changes the Path and Filename to “$renderdir$objectname_0000.exr”
• Convert Highlighted RELATIVE Paths To Absolute Paths - converts the highlighted relative paths to absolute paths using the current Render Output Path and Light’s Object Name.
• Convert Highlighted ABSOLUTE Paths To Relative Paths - tries to convert the highlighted absolute paths to relative paths, if possible. The beginning of the absolute path must match the complete Render Output Path for a successful conversion.
• CREATE Highlighted Save Paths - makes the highlighted paths on disk to ensure they exist even before rendering.
• EXPLORE Highlighted Save Paths - opens one Windows Explorer for each unique Save Path highlighted in the ListView.

Load Paths

• Assign NEW LOAD Path To Selected Lights - opens a Directory Selector dialog to pick the location to load Attenuation Maps from. This will affect only the paths and not the file names - to load custom file names, select each light and use its “Pick a load location…” button.
• EXPLORE Selected Load Paths - opens one Windows Explorer for every unique highlighted Load Path.

Refresh!

• Updated the display of the Krakatoa Shadows Explorer without completely restarting it. Note that the Krakatoa Shadows Explorer will update automatically if a light is created or deleted from the scene, but won’t update if changes are made to the Shadows of a selected light using the Command Panel - in that case, pressing the Refresh! button will ensure the ListView reflects the actual content of the scene.

See Also

• Krakatoa Shadows Generator