Channels Palette
The Channels palette and the controls that can be found on it are described in the table below. When controls also bring up additional dialogs, these are referenced for more information.
What It Does
The Channels palette displays:
• a list of channels in the project,
• buttons to add, convert, or remove channels,
• options for creating quick channels, and
• channel attribute information.
Note: Channels provide a foundation that layers and layered shaders are built on. These channels can be diffuse, bump, or specular channels, to name only a few. Channels are assigned to lighting shaders, and sliders in that palette give you fine control over aspects of each channel.
Channels Palette Fields
Control |
Type |
What it does |
Dialog |
Notes |
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Quick Channel | ||||
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swatch |
Creates a channel filled in black. The created channel is named Quick Channel. If there are multiple Quick Channels, then the name is followed with a number. |
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swatch |
Creates a channel filled in white. The created channel is named Quick Channel. If there are multiple Quick Channels, then the name is followed with a number. |
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swatch |
Creates a channel filled in mid-gray. The created channel is named Quick Channel. If there are multiple Quick Channels, then the name is followed with a number. |
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swatch |
Creates a channel filled in transparent. The created channel is named Quick Channel. If there are multiple Quick Channels, then the name is followed with a number. |
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<channel size> |
dropdown |
Sets the channel size used when creating a Quick Channel, from the options: • 256x256 • 512x512 • 1024x1024 • 2048x2048 • 4096x4096 • 8192x8192 • 16384x16384 • 32768x32768 |
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Ensure this is set to the size you want before creating Quick Channels. |
<channel depth> |
dropdown |
Sets the channel depth used when creating a Quick Channel, from the options: • 8bit (Byte) • 32bit (Float) • 16bit (Half) |
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Ensure this is set to the depth you want before creating Quick Channels. |
Channels panel |
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button |
Opens an individual palette that displays the layers of that channel only. |
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icon |
Indicates whether the channel is tagged for Channels Palette. - The data in the image-set/channel is considered as color data and is being color managed. - The data in the image-set/channel is considered as non-color data, specifically scalar data, and has no color management applied. |
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icon |
Indicates the color depth of the channel: - 8bit (Byte) - 16bit (Half) - 32bit (Float) |
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button |
Indicates an unlocked state. Clicking the icon changes the channel state to locked. |
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button |
Indicates a locked state. Clicking the icon changes the channel state to unlocked. |
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button |
Adds a new channel to the channels list. |
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button |
Converts the channel into either 8bit (Byte), 16bit (Half), 32bit (Float). |
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button |
Channels can be shared into the layer stack of another channel in the Channels palette. This button shows with which channel it is shared. |
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button |
Removes the channel. |
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General | ||||
File Space |
dropdown |
Set whether the channel is Normal, Vector, Vector (flipped Y), or Normal (flipped Y). |
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Size |
information |
Lists the size of the patches in the channel. |
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Depth |
information |
Lists the color depth of the channel. |
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User Attributes |
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MriImport Path |
information |
Lists the import path of the channel. |
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MriImport Template |
information |
Lists the import file name of the channel. |
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Color Data | ||||
Data Colorspace (advanced color management mode only) or Colorspace (intermediate color management mode only) |
dropdown |
The colorspace of the channel. Automatic is determined by the file name, size, and type of data in the channel. Changing the colorspace of the channel changes all the color pickers and swatches when working on that channel. |
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Working Colorspace (advanced color management mode only) | dropdown | Select the colorspace to use for painting, lighting, applying filters, and similar operations. | ||
Output Colorspace (advanced color management mode only) | dropdown | Select the colorspace to use for the output. | ||
Raw Data (advanced and intermediate color management modes only) |
checkbox |
The colorspace of the channel masks. Automatic is determined by the file name, size, and type of data in the channel. Changing the colorspace of the channel changes all the color pickers and swatches when working on that channel. |
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Scalar Data |
checkbox |
When checked, the data in the image-set/channel is considered as non-color data such as masks, heights, normals, and depths. |
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