Abstract: A method for generating a user interface within a graphics application for a set of materials, such that each material includes a material definition and is capable of being applied to a geometry in a graphics scene when performing a rendering operation. A GUI generation engine obtains configuration information associated with an environment for a computer system and determines that a first set of materials is associated with the configuration information. The GUI generation selects the first set of materials to be displayed in a graphical user interface, and the graphical user interface is displaying to an end-user. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide for a technique for exposing only those materials, user interface objects, editable material parameters, user interface elements, vocabulary, rendering engines, and/or rendering engine implementations that are relevant to the user of a particular rendering application.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a renderer-agnostic method for representing materials independently from an underlying rendering engine. Advantageously, materials libraries may be extended with new materials for rendering with an existing rendering engine and implementation. Also, new rendering engines and implementations may be added for existing materials. Thus, at run-time, rather than limiting the rendering to being performed on a pre-determined rendering engine, the rendering application may efficiently and conveniently manage rendering a graphics scene on a plurality of rendering engines or implementations.

Abstract: A method for generating a shader that is used by a rendering engine to render a visual representation of a computer model. A shader generation engine receives a set of surface data that describes a surface in view of various lighting conditions. The shader generation engine compresses the set of surface data to generate a compressed representation of the set of surface data based on a selected compression algorithm. The shader generation engine generates a shader based on the compressed representation that is configured to be implemented with a rendering engine, and generates a set of shader data based on the compressed representation that includes a set of material characteristics for coloring pixels of the visual representation. Advantageously, the shader generation process is simplified because different compression algorithm-rendering engine shader combinations can be generated without manually programming the shaders.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for reducing artifacts in rendered images. In one embodiment, a dual UV engine generates a dual of the graph defined by an initial UV set associated with a 3D model. The dual UV engine then uses existing flattening and layout engines to generate a dual UV set from this dual graph. Using the dual graph to define the dual UV set ensures that the seams corresponding to the initial UV set and the dual UV set minimally intersect.

Abstract: A method for generating a user interface within a graphics application for a set of materials, such that each material includes a material definition and is capable of being applied to a geometry in a graphics scene when performing a rendering operation. A GUI generation engine obtains configuration information associated with an environment for a computer system and determines that a first set of materials is associated with the configuration information. The GUI generation selects the first set of materials to be displayed in a graphical user interface, and the graphical user interface is displaying to an end-user. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide for a technique for exposing only those materials, user interface objects, editable material parameters, user interface elements, vocabulary, rendering engines, and/or rendering engine implementations that are relevant to the user of a particular rendering application.

Abstract: A method for generating a user interface within a graphics application for a set of materials, such that each material includes a material definition and is capable of being applied to a geometry in a graphics scene when performing a rendering operation. A GUI generation engine obtains configuration information associated with an environment for a computer system and determines that a first set of materials is associated with the configuration information. The GUI generation selects the first set of materials to be displayed in a graphical user interface, and the graphical user interface is displaying to an end-user. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide for a technique for exposing only those materials, user interface objects, editable material parameters, user interface elements, vocabulary, rendering engines, and/or rendering engine implementations that are relevant to the user of a particular rendering application.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide system and methods for organizing, browsing and editing materials stored in a computer system. The system is configured to dynamically create an organizational structure for the materials according to classification groups specified by the creator of each stored material. Additionally, the system is configured to expose certain editable material parameters of a selected material to the end-user and make available specific GUI elements to the end-user so that the end-user can edit the selected material, thereby changing the appearance of the material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide system and methods for organizing, browsing and editing materials stored in a computer system. The system is configured to dynamically create an organizational structure for the materials according to classification groups specified by the creator of each stored material. Additionally, the system is configured to expose certain editable material parameters of a selected material to the end-user and make available specific GUI elements to the end-user so that the end-user can edit the selected material, thereby changing the appearance of the material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for reducing artifacts in rendered images. In one embodiment, a dual UV engine generates a dual of the graph defined by an initial UV set associated with a 3D model. The dual UV engine then uses existing flattening and layout engines to generate a dual UV set from this dual graph. Using the dual graph to define the dual UV set ensures that the seams corresponding to the initial UV set and the dual UV set minimally intersect.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for extending a graphics rendering framework. A rendering application locates a first file that includes a first implementation involving a first graphics material and compares data associated with the first file to data associated with a second file that includes a second implementation involving a second graphics material. The rendering application compares data associated with the first and second files, determines that the first graphics material matches the second graphics material, and determines that the first implementation is different from the second implementation. The data associated with the first file and the data associated with the second file are then combined into a data structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a renderer-agnostic method for representing materials independently from an underlying rendering engine. Advantageously, materials libraries may be extended with new materials for rendering with an existing rendering engine and implementation. Also, new rendering engines and implementations may be added for existing materials. Thus, at run-time, rather than limiting the rendering to being performed on a pre-determined rendering engine, the rendering application may efficiently and conveniently manage rendering a graphics scene on a plurality of rendering engines or implementations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide sampling methods suited for graphics hardware acceleration. A graphics application may specify a grid of pixels to be rendered. The graphics application may supply a graphics rendering engine with one or more sets of camera parameters. Each set of camera parameters is used to alter the position of the pixel grid relative its original position so that a grid of samples can be generated at the new grid position. The graphics rendering engine then renders a grid of samples at the new grid position. Each sample grid may be used sampled to determine a set of intermediate color values that may be blended together to generate a final color value for each pixel in the pixel grid.

Abstract: A system that implements a “tangent space brush,” allowing a user to paint directly onto a parameterized object, for example a three dimensional object. A tangent space brush projects coordinates from an input device to the world-space point on the surface of the 3D object. A normal is determined at that point and a brush image is projected from that point, along the normal, to the underlying surfaces. The system is implemented by providing a system that implements selecting a selected area of a displayed object, and projecting a brush directly onto a surface of the selected area.

Abstract: A method for generating a shader that is used by a rendering engine to render a visual representation of a computer model. A shader generation engine receives a set of surface data that describes a surface in view of various lighting conditions. The shader generation engine compresses the set of surface data to generate a compressed representation of the set of surface data based on a selected compression algorithm. The shader generation engine generates a shader based on the compressed representation that is configured to be implemented with a rendering engine, and generates a set of shader data based on the compressed representation that includes a set of material characteristics for coloring pixels of the visual representation. Advantageously, the shader generation process is simplified because different compression algorithm-rendering engine shader combinations can be generated without manually programming the shaders.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide system and methods for organizing, browsing and editing materials stored in a computer system. The system is configured to dynamically create an organizational structure for the materials according to classification groups specified by the creator of each stored material. Additionally, the system is configured to expose certain editable material parameters of a selected material to the end-user and make available specific GUI elements to the end-user so that the end-user can edit the selected material, thereby changing the appearance of the material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide system and methods for organizing, browsing and editing materials stored in a computer system. The system is configured to dynamically create an organizational structure for the materials according to classification groups specified by the creator of each stored material. Additionally, the system is configured to expose certain editable material parameters of a selected material to the end-user and make available specific GUI elements to the end-user so that the end-user can edit the selected material, thereby changing the appearance of the material.

Abstract: A method for generating a user interface within a graphics application for a set of materials, such that each material includes a material definition and is capable of being applied to a geometry in a graphics scene when performing a rendering operation. A GUI generation engine obtains configuration information associated with an environment for a computer system and determines that a first set of materials is associated with the configuration information. The GUI generation selects the first set of materials to be displayed in a graphical user interface, and the graphical user interface is displaying to an end-user. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide for a technique for exposing only those materials, user interface objects, editable material parameters, user interface elements, vocabulary, rendering engines, and/or rendering engine implementations that are relevant to the user of a particular rendering application.

Abstract: A method for assigning background pixels an appropriate color to fill all remaining background pixels by a computer after standard paint and overscan techniques to prevent and reduce artifacts. The method includes computing an initial mipmap level and keeping track of which pixels are background pixels. Four pixels at a subsequent mipmap level correspond to a single pixel at a higher level. If the four pixels at the lower level are background pixels, then the single pixel is also a background pixel and a corresponding color is used. Otherwise, the color of the single pixel is the average of non-background pixels.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for extending a graphics rendering framework. A rendering application locates a first file that includes a first implementation involving a first graphics material and compares data associated with the first file to data associated with a second file that includes a second implementation involving a second graphics material. The rendering application compares data associated with the first and second files, determines that the first graphics material matches the second graphics material, and determines that the first implementation is different from the second implementation. The data associated with the first file and the data associated with the second file are then combined into a data structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for reducing artifacts in rendered images. In one embodiment, a dual UV engine generates a dual of the graph defined by an initial UV set associated with a 3D model. The dual UV engine then uses existing flattening and layout engines to generate a dual UV set from this dual graph. Using the dual graph to define the dual UV set ensures that the seams corresponding to the initial UV set and the dual UV set minimally intersect.