VRayLightMeter

General

Parameters

MaxScript methods

Notes

General

The VRayLightMeter helper allows the user to evaluate how a scene is illuminated at a given time during the day or how it is affected by different light sources. The information can be displayed in the viewport and it can be also saved to a CSV file.

Parameters

.

Active - enables or disables the VRayLightMeter helper.

 

Dimensions

 

The options in this group allow us to specify the dimensions of the light meter tool and its resolution - the number of points at which the illumination will be measured.

 

Width - the width of the VRayLightMeter.

 

Length - the length of the VRayLightMeter.

 

Width segs - the resolution of the VRayLightMeter in the x direction

 

Length segs - the resolution of the VRayLightMeter in the y direction.

 

Preview

 

The settings in this group control the way the illumination information is represented in the view port.

 

Orientation - enables or disables the preview of the direction from which the light is coming

 

Viewport text - enables or disables the preview of the actually values of the illumination for each point

 

Pseudo Colors - when enabled the VRayLightMeter will display a gradient to illustrate the variation in the illumination.

 

Logarithmic - changes the illumination scale to Logarithmic for the purposes of displaying it in the viewport . This is useful when there is a great variation in the illumination.

 

Min - specifies the minimum illumination displayed in the viewport in lux.

 

Max - specifies the maximum illumination displayed in the viewport in lux.

 

Measured values - specify which part of the illumination in the scene will be measured:

 

Total illuminance - the total illuminance will be measured - this includes direct light, GI and light coming from the environment.

 

Direct illuminance - calculates only the illumination from direct lighting.

 

Indirect illuminance - calculates only the effect of the indirect illumination.

 

Daylight factor - calculates the illumination coming from the sky.

 

Calculate - hitting this button will calculate the measured values at the grid points of the light meter helper.

 

Save to CSV file - this button allows you to save the result in a .csv file.

MaxScript methods

The following methods of the VRayLightMeter object are accessible from MaxScript.

 

VRayLightMeter method	Description
calculate()	Calculates the values along the light meter grid.
saveCSV <filename>	Saves the values from the grid into the specified text file, in CSV (comma separated values) format

 

Notes

• The VRayLightMeter helper is based on the texture baking and render elements functionality of the V-Ray renderer.
• The VRayLightMeter helper uses brute force GI with 100 subdivs and 100 bounces to calculate the measured values.