Giving a Geometry group a Render Layer ID

[treddie]

I have been playing around with render layers, and I know how to have one .obj file (attached to an object layer node with a render layer ID) casting a shadow onto another 'obj file as a shadow catcher object. But is there no way to give a geometry group a Render Layer ID? I have a complex object made up of multiple obj files and need the whole thing to cast a shadow onto the shadow catcher, while making the geometry group hidden.

[bepeg4d]

Hi treddie,
the default layer id is 1 for all the mesh nodes, so if you change the layer id number of the shadow catcher object, you should be able to hide the entire group with id 1.
ciao beppe

[treddie]

Thanks, ciao!

One other question. I got it to work ok now, except that the render only updates the screen once, leaving a very noisy render that never improves.

[bepeg4d]

Hi,
sorry difficult to say without the scene , or at least some screenshots.
Note that you should have to disable the Matt/Shadow catcher option of the floor material, when you use the Render Layer technique.
ciao beppe

[treddie]

You know, I had a procedure written up some years ago that indicated the matte option, but for the life of me I cannot find it anywhere.

[bepeg4d]

Hi,
in c4doctane you can find the Matte/Shadow catcher option in the Common tab of the material, while in Standalone should be one of the latest pin of the material in the node inspector.
ciao beppe

[treddie]

Weird...That pin appears to be no more. And if I create a new diffuse material, same problem; matte option is gone.

[bepeg4d]

Hi treddie,
which version of c4doctane are you using?

ciao beppe

[treddie]

I'm sorry...I'm using standalone 3.07.

[bepeg4d]

Sorry for the confusion, my fault, in c4doctane is named Matte, in Standalone you need to untick the latest pin Shadow Catcher in a Diffuse matetial node:

ciao beppe