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MDL SDK 2021.1 (349500.7063): 18 Jan 2022
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@lkettnerNV lkettnerNV released this 27 Jan 21:51
· 23 commits to master since this release
2021.1
aa9642b

ABI compatible with the MDL SDK 2021.1 (349500.7063) binary release
(see https://developer.nvidia.com/mdl-sdk)

Added and Changed Features

  • MDL 1.7 Language Specification

    • Removed the draft status of this document.

    • Clarified that constants can be declared locally as well, which is
      working since MDL 1.0.

    • Clarified that the thin_film modifier applies only to
      directly connected BSDFs that have a Fresnel term.

    • Clarified that the state::normal() orientation is
      facing outward from the volume, with thin-walled materials
      treated as enclosing an infinitesimally thin volume, such that
      both sides are facing outward and the normal always points to the
      observer.

  • General

    • The module ::core_definitions requires now MDL 1.6 and contains a new material
      surface_falloff.
    • Added support for texture selectors. The selector can be queried with methods on IImage,
      ITexture, IVolume_data, IValue_texture, and ITarget_code. For non-volume data
      textures, the supported selectors are restricted to "R", "G", "B", and "A" for now.
    • Renamed IVolume_data::get_channel_name() to IVolume_data::get_selector() for consistency
      with IImage and ITexture. The old method is still available if
      MI_NEURAYLIB_DEPRECATED_12_1 is defined.
    • The signature of IMdl_factory::create_texture() has been extended to specify the selector.
      The old signature is deprecated and still available if MI_NEURAYLIB_DEPRECATED_12_1 is
      defined.
    • Added IImage_api::create_canvas_from_reader() to enable canvas creation directly from a
      reader (in addition to create_canvas_from_buffer()).
    • Added the methods get_pixel_type_for_channel() and extract_channel() to IImage_api,
      which are useful for extracting RGBA channels from existing textures.
    • Added a warning to catch some wrong implementations of
      IMdl_resolved_module::get_module_name().
    • Improved resource enumeration on modules. The new method IModule::get_resource() returns
      an IValue_resource with all details, including gamma mode and selector. The old methods
      returning the individual bits are deprecated and still available if
      MI_NEURAYLIB_DEPRECATED_12_1 is defined.
    • Added overloads of IValue_factory::create() that accept a range annotation as argument, and
      a type and an entire annotation block. This makes it simpler to create values that observe
      range annotations. Modified Definition_wrapper to make use of the latter if a parameter has
      no default.
    • Added IFunction_call::reset_argument() which sets an argument back to the parameter default
      (if present), or an value observing given range annotations, or a default-constructed value.
    • Extended IValue_factory::compare() and IExpression_factory::compare() to support floating
      point comparisons with an optional epsilon range.
    • The materials-are-functions feature is now enabled by default. See the documentation
      referenced from IMdl_configuration::set_materials_are_functions(). All examples have been
      updated to avoid usage of IMaterial_definition completely, and IMaterial_instance as much
      as possible.
    • Added an user_data option to the IMdl_execution_context, which allows the user to pass
      its own interface pointer around, in particular to the methods of IMdl_entity_resolver.
    • Improved performance of editing of instances of IMdl_function_call, in particular for
      instances with a large set of arguments. Depending on the exact circumstances, this can cut
      the time for a full edit cycle (create transaction, create argument editor, change argument,
      destroy argument editor, commit transaction) in half. An additional speedup can be obtained
      by making use of the additional optional argument of Argument_editor.
    • Extended IExpression_factory::compare() to support deep comparisons of call expressions.
      Useful to figure out whether an exporter needs to export an argument, or can rely on the
      corresponding default on the definition.
    • Export to EXR takes now the quality parameter into account: a value of 50 or less selects
      half as channel type.
    • Added create_reader() and create_writer() to IMdl_impexp_api.
    • Changed the behavior of IImage_api::adjust_gamma() to include the alpha channel. This also
      affects export operations (if force_default_gamma is set) and the MDL texture runtime if
      derivatives are enabled.
    • Added an implementation variant based on std::atomic_uint32_t to Atom32. This results
      in a large speedup on ARM, and on a rather small speedup on Windows.
    • Added support for animated textures:
      • The signature of various methods on IImage and ITexture has been changed. The frame
        index has been added as first parameter and the order of uvtile index and mipmap level
        has been flipped. The default arguments have been removed. The old signatures are still
        available if MI_NEURAYLIB_DEPRECATED_12_1 is defined. Methods to query the mapping
        between frame index and frame number have been added.
      • The method uvtile_marker_to_string() on IMdl_impexp_api and IExport_api has been
        renamed to frame_uvtile_marker_to_string(). It is still available under the old name if
        MI_NEURAYLIB_DEPRECATED_12_1 is defined. The method uvtile_string_to_marker() on both
        interfaces has been deprecated without replacement. The last component of
        IImage::get_original_filename() is an alternative (if available), or construct a custom
        string from scratch.
      • The interface IMdl_resolved_resource has been split such that it represents an array of
        instances of the new interface IMdl_resolved_resource_element, where each element
        corresponds to a texture frame (only one for non-animated textures and other resources).
      • The frame parameter has been added to various method of the runtime interfaces
        Texture_handler_vtable and Texture_handler_deriv_vtable. A new member m_tex_frame
        to support the intrinsics tex::first_frame() and tex::last_frame() has been added.
      • The examples "DF Native", "DXR", and "Execution Native" have been extended accordingly.
    • Added an overload of IMdl_factory::clone() that allows cloning of an execution context.
      Useful for local changes to the context options.
    • Disabled WEBP export in the FreeImage plugin due to memory access violations.
    • Changed mi::math::gamma_correction() to include the alpha channel, as it is done already in
      other places.

  • MDL Compiler and Backends

    • Added support for libbsdf normal adaption for CUDA and native runtime. The --an option for
      the df_cuda and df_native examples demonstrates the feature (the dummy implementation
      does not change the normal, though).
    • The libbsdf implementations of the functions df::diffuse_reflection_bsdf and
      df::diffuse_transmission_bsdf now compensate for energy loss caused by differences of
      shading and geometric normal.
    • Added frame sequences resolution using frame markers in resources to the MDL core compiler.
    • Added an error message to the JIT backend that is issued if the user specifies
      a state module that does not contain all necessary functions.
    • Removed a redundant call to the entity resolver in the MDL core compiler when
      importing modules.

  • MDL SDK examples

    • Examples Shared
      • All examples load now the dds plugin by default.
    • Example DF Native
      • Added support for custom texture runtime.
    • Example DXR
      • Added a new dependency to the DirectX Shader Compiler, which is optional for Windows SDK
        10.0.20348.0 and later.
      • Write a memory dump file in case an application crash occurs.
      • Added support for the glTF extension "KHR_materials_emissive_strength" to
        the example renderer and to the MDL support module.
    • Example Python Bindings
      • Added many more interface to the Python bindings, e.g., IBaker, ICanvas,
        ICompiled_material, IImage_api, IMdl_Module_builder,
        IPlugin_configuration, and ITile, and extended the examples.

Fixed Bugs

  • General

    • Fixed a bug in mdlm and i18n if the environment variable HOME is not set.
    • Fixed a bug in i18n which caused command MDL search paths other than "SYSTEM" and "USER"
      to get ignored.
    • Fixed IFactory::clone() when dealing with untyped arrays.
    • Fixed IMdl_backend::deserialize_target_code() such that the internal DF texture are no
      longer missing under certain circumstances.
    • Fixed handling of weak imports for MDL < 1.6 if an external entity resolver is set. The
      semantic of weak imports is now handled by the core compiler itself, an external entity
      resolver sees now only absolute or strictly relative module names.
    • Fixed ICompiled_material::get_hash() to take the material slots for surface.emission.mode
      and backface.emission.mode into account. Added enumerators SLOT_SURFACE_EMISSION_MODE and
      SLOT_BACKFACE_EMISSION_MODE to mi::neuraylib::Material_slot. Also added SLOT_FIRST and
      SLOT_LAST to support easier enumeration over all material slots.
    • Fixed a crash with default constructed BSDF measurements during MDL export/MDLE creation.
    • Fixed gamma value of pink 1x1 default textures.
    • Fixed a race condition for accessing global core JIT backend options from
      different threads, which could have caused overwritten options or a crash,
      by using the thread local core thread context options instead.

  • MDL Compiler and Backends

    • Improved numerical stability in base::coordinate_projection().
    • Improved performance of math::blackbody() implementation.
    • Fixed incorrect normal flip for strongly bumped normal input (libbsdf).
    • libbsdf: Fixed incorrect flipping of the shading normal for strongly bumped normals. Note
      that libbsdf requires that state input shading and geometric agree on sideness (it has been
      forgiving with respect to that due to this bug).
    • libbsdf: Fixed a numerical issue for df::fresnel_factor() (for ior == 0).
    • libbsdf: Fixed implementation of albedo for df::tint(reflect, transmit).
    • Fixed handling of resource sets if used inside MDLE archives.
    • Fixed a crash inside the MDL core compiler if a material preset
      with too many arguments is compiled.

  • MDL SDK examples

    • Example OptiX 7
      • Fixed normal orientation (as libbsdf needs side consistency between geometric and shading
        normal).
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