Probes are visual objects that can perform render to texture operations; they are rendering offscreen to either a 2D texture (kPlanar) or a cube map (kEnvironment).

Probes can also either be static or dynamic; in the case of static the probe can be use as projector. If the the probe is dynamic it will capture the Scene around it at a capture rate that can be specified by the user (in Mhz).

They are ideal to create effects such as reflections, projectors, shadow maps (either simple or cascading as well as point light shadow maps by using cube maps) or to simulate (ie) surveillance cameras that record a different part of the scene or used for Physical Based Rendering etc...

When they are placed on a RenderLayer that does not have any Camera attached they will indicate that this layer will have to be treated as a Probe Pass; as a result the layer will draw the scene from the point of view of all active dynamic probes located on it.

If a RenderLayer does have a Camera and a Probe are present within the RenderLayer will draw first the probes and then proceed with regular drawing. It is good practice thought to place all probes on a single render layer (that does not have a camera attached) and process them all in batch instead of scattering them on multiple layers.

Static Variables

Name	Description
`object`	Parent Object where the Probe is declared.
Declaration Object *object
`dynamic`	Reference to the ProbeDynamic structure where the dynamic data of the Probe is stored.
Declaration ProbeDynamic *dynamic Note Only available if the probe have been deemed to be dynamic; see `SetDynamic`; instead this propertie is set to `nil` until the Probe become dynamic.
`sampler`	Reference to Sampler used by the active Probe.
Declaration Sampler *sampler

Variables

Name Description

probe_type The current ProbeType the active Probe is set to.

Declaration

ProbeType probe_type

flags Bit mask of options the Probe is currently using.

Declaration

int flags

Cap	Value	Description
`PRB_FLAG_DYNAMIC`	`bit.lshift(1,0)`	Determine wether or not the active probe is dynamic. Warning Do not set this flag manually; always use the `SetDynamic` function to enable or disable dynamic functionalities.
`PRB_FLAG_UPDATE`	`bit.lshift(1,1)`	Force a Probe update; once updated this flag will automatically be removed.
`PRB_FLAG_DEBUG_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0`	`bit.lshift(1,2)`	Specify to visualize in the viewport the first color attachment of the Probe.
`PRB_FLAG_DEBUG_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0`	`bit.lshift(1,3)`	Specify to visualize in the viewport the second color attachment of the Probe.
`PRB_FLAG_DEBUG_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0`	`bit.lshift(1,4)`	Specify to visualize in the viewport the third color attachment of the Probe.
`PRB_FLAG_DEBUG_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0`	`bit.lshift(1,5)`	Specify to visualize in the viewport the fourth color attachment of the Probe.
`PRB_FLAG_DEBUG_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0`	`bit.lshift(1,6)`	Specify to visualize in the viewport the depth attachment of the Probe.

Functions

Name	Description
`SetDynamic`	Toggle on/off the Probe dynamic capabilities.
Declaration void SetDynamic( bool enabled ) Parameters `enabled`: Enable or disable the Probe dynamic functionalities.
`SetTexture`	Connect an existing Texture Sampler to the active Probe.
Declaration bool SetTexture( Texture texture ) Parameters* `texture`: Reference to an existing Texture or `nil` to disconnect that active Sampler in use. Return Value `true` if the Probe is not dynamic and its current ProbeType is set to `kPlanar`; else return false.
`SetCubemap`	Connect an existing Cubemap Sampler to the active Probe.
Declaration bool SetCubemap( Cubemap cubemap ) Parameters* `cubemap`: Reference to an existing Cubemap or `nil` to disconnect that active Sampler in use. Return Value `true` if the Probe is not dynamic and its current ProbeType is set to `kEnvironment`; else return false.
`SetCapture`	Specify/update the active Capture settings for each axis.
Declaration bool SetCapture( const FaceType face, bool enabled, unsigned char fps ) Parameters `face`: The FaceType where the new settings should updated. `enabled`: Toggle the specified `face` capture on/off. `fps`: Specify the capture rate (in Mhz); take note that a value of 0 will force the capture to be updated every frame. Return Value `false` if the Probe is not dynamic; or a different face than `kNegativeZ` have been received for update and the active ProbeType is not `kPlanar`; else return `true` on success.
`GetCapture`	Retrieve the current Capture settings for a specific FaceType.
Declaration Capture GetCapture( const FaceType face ) Parameters `face`: Specify which Capture settings should be returned. Return Value The Capture settings for the FaceType received as parameter.

Events

Events available when an Object is a Probe.

Callbacks	Description
`OnDraw`	This event is triggered just before the Probe is ready to draw a FaceType.
Declaration function OnDraw()
`OnDisplay`	Triggered right after the Probe draw calls have been sent to GPU.
Declaration function OnDisplay()

ProbeDynamic

Properties available when the Probe dynamic functionalities have been enabled.