Hi all,
RenderTarget nodes have been in octane since the start, but due to the framework changes in recent beta 2.48+ releases (including beta 2.5 and onwards),
they work %100.
These are unique to Octane and offer some very powerfull flexibility for advanced scenes.
Most users don't know how they work, and it's a good idea to learn use of them, as they can save you a lot of time.
Here is a tutorial that explains everything you need to know about RenderTarget nodes.
WHAT IS A RENDERTARGET NODE?
A Rendertarget node is a final configuration for a render.
Eg, it hooks up to everything that forms part of your scene, geometry, materials, environment, camera, render kernel, tonemapper, eg everything required to produce a final image.
WHAT IS THE PREVIEW CONFIGURATION AND THE PREVIEW RENDERTARGET?
A new scene in octane always includes a macro called 'Preview Configuration', located in the top left corner of the project tab (in the nodegraph editor panel).
This macro contains a rendertarget, called the 'Preview Rendertarget', which has a set of nodes connected, eg resolution, camera, kernel, tonemapper, environment,
which the RS Developers deem suitable for previewing and working interactively on scenes.
Imagine attaching the same material on 2 different mesh objects, if you click on either mesh object, you preview the object and it's requirements (eg all nodes connected to it).
A rendertarget takes this to the lowest level, where it has every possible scene parameter connected.
Whenever you click on a mesh object node, material node, or texture node, octane will internally use that rendertarget, eg, it will use the resolution, camera, kernel, tonemapper, environment, etc...
when rendering.
When you click on the shortcuts to the rendertarget or it's connected nodes (vertical icons in the nodeinspector panel on the right), the inspector will show you the relevant nodes of the currently active rendertarget, which, if you are viewing by clicking on a mesh object, material or texture, will always be the preview rendertarget in this macro.
Most users until now have changed the configuration of the preview rendertarget to alter the settings for producing final output (eg changing resolution, tonemapper options, switching from directlighting to pathtracing or PMC, etc...)
USING YOUR OWN RENDERTARGET NODES
In the following images, I have configured 4 rendertargets (by adding rendertarget type nodes, and several cameras, tonemappers etc as nodes).
The end result of this setup, is that I can simply click on any of the 4 rendertargets (bottom of nodegraph editor), to render my scene with that particular configuration.
In this scenario, going from left to right:
* RenderTarget: Normal Camera + PathTracing + High Res (final)
This is the final output quality, with a full scene view camera, pathtracing kernel, high resolution (2048x1024) and an environment HDR map.
* RenderTarget: Normal Camera
Same as above but with default tonemapper, directlighting kernel (in the nodepin/default), default resolution (in the nodepin/default), and environment HDR map.
* RenderTarget: Zoom Camera
Same as above but with a closeup zoom Camera.
* RenderTarget: Zoom Cam + sunsky
Same as above but with a sunsky sunlight environment.
Study the nodegraph layout in the images above to fully understand, it does'nt really require much explaining, the rendertargets are connected to various tonemappers, cameras, etc..., some of them shared and others not.
Unconnected input pins (filled, not hollow) contain internal defaults (but can also be changed).
Rendertarget nodes, can be rendered by clicking on them (eg selecting), just like mesh object nodes, material nodes and texture nodes. (although they can also be filtered with the 4 filter icons in the nodegraph editor's toolbar (left).
As you can see this gives a great degree of flexibility, especially for advances scenes with multiple views, conditions, kernel settings and tonemapper options.
Further, you can set up your favorite workflow rendertargets in an empty project, and save it as Octane's default scene to always have your configuration ready when you start a new project.
BEHAVIOUR OF NODEINSPECTOR SHORTCUTS WHEN USING RENDERTARGETS
The shortcut buttons in the vertical toolbar of the nodeinspector panel on the right, will select the currently active rendertarget (eg the one which is rendering), and the node(s) it's connected to.
Examine the following image to see how.
It's important to know that different nodes will be selected when using shortcuts, depending on the current rendertarget that is rendering, which is either the preview target (if you are 'previewing' a mesh, material or texture) or a custom rendertarget.
This concludes the tutorial,
I hope this will show everyone how to use RenderTarget nodes,
Remember, they only work in beta 2.48, 2.48b and onwards.
Radiance