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OBJECTs

blob

This object is a blob, that is to say a set of interacting meta-balls.
A blob is the isosurface of a three-dimensional field, defined by the sum of spherical functions that possess maximum absolute density at their center and zero density at their border.
For their nature blobs always enclose a solid volume.


box

This object is an axis aligned box.


boundary

This object allows to define a boundary composed by many surfaces.
If the boundary is closed it also defines a solid, which may be used in boolean operations.


box

This object is an axis aligned box.


bspline

This object is a bspline patch.
It is a complex type, and its explanation would require an entire book.
This implementation is similar to the one described in: The RenderMan Companion, from Addison Wesley.


cone

This object is an open cone with the apex pointing in the Z direction, and the base on XY plane.


cylinder

This object is an open cylinder parallel to the Z axis, with the base on the XY plane.


disc

This object is a flat disc on the XY plane.


hfield

This object is a height-field.
In practice it is a square patch, parallel to the X-Y axes, with varying heights on the Z axis.
It may be used to model geographical landscapes or to represent real functions of two variables.


gsurface

This object is an advanced type that allows to handle generic parametric surfaces, with accurate displacement mapping.


nurbs

This object is a nurbs patch.
It is a complex type, and its explanation would require an entire book.
This implementation is similar to the one described in: The RenderMan Companion, from Addison Wesley.


patch

This object is a bilinear patch.
A bilinear patch is the surface formed connecting two lines by linear interpolation. The edges of this surface are always straight lines, but the interior may be non planar. In particular if the two original lines are not coplanar the resulting patch is a piece of hyperboloid.


solid

This object is a solid resulting from a boolean operation between two different objects.


sphere

This object is a sphere centered in the local origin.


surface-engine

This object is an advanced type that allows to handle very large sets of generic parametric surfaces, with accurate displacement mapping.
It is very useful when rendering complex models defined by a great number of triangles that after displacement mapping assume curved shapes.
The surface-engine is highly optimized to handle quantities of geometry that exceed the physical memory.


triangle

This object is a triangle.