DepthToPoints

DepthToPoints is a gizmo containing the DepthToPosition and PositionToPoints nodes. It can be used to generate a 3D point cloud from a depth pass and 3D camera.

See also DepthToPosition, PositionToPoints, DepthGenerator, and Camera.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Type

Connection Name

Function

Input

camera

The camera required by the DepthToPosition node to create the position pass from the depth pass.

image

The image from which the point cloud is generated, and where all the depth data resides. This is also where the color information for the point cloud is taken from.

norm

The image containing normals data. Note that this input takes the place of the channels specified in the surface normal control.

Control (UI)

Knob (Scripting)

Default Value

Function

User Tab

display

display

solid

Adjusts the display characteristics of 3D objects. These settings don’t affect the render output of the scene; these are for display purposes only in the 3D Viewer.

off - hides the 3D geometry object.

wireframe - displays only the outlines of the object’s geometry.

solid - displays all geometry with a solid color.

solid+wireframe - displays the geometry as solid color with the object’s geometry outlines.

textured - displays only the surface texture.

textured+wireframe - displays the wireframe plus the surface texture.

selectable

selectable

enabled

When enabled, you can make selections as normal in the Viewer. When disabled, points cannot be selected or changed.

render

render_mode

solid

Sets how the points will render. This control is independent from the display selection, but has the same settings.

cast shadow

cast-shadow

enabled

When enabled, and a material shader is added to the object, the object can cast shadows.

receive shadow

receive_shadow

enabled

When enabled, and a material is added to the object, the object can receive shadows.

frame range

range_first

1

Sets the start frame for the frame range displayed in the Viewer when the Timeline range is set to Input. This can be used to display the offset used in the TimeOffset node.

range_last

1

Sets the end frame for the frame range displayed in the Viewer when the Timeline range is set to Input. This can be used to display the offset used in the TimeOffset node.

depth

depth

depth.Z

Sets the channel that you want to use for the depth.

invert depth

invert

disabled

Invert the depth before processing the depth pass image. This is best used when the depth channel is z, as opposed to 1/z.

surface normal

N_channel

none

The point normals are taken from these channels in the first input. If the norm input is used, these channels are ignored.

point detail

detail

0.5

Controls the number of available points to display in the Viewer. A value of 0 means no points are displayed. A value of 1 displays all available points.

point size

pointSize

5

Controls the display size of the points in the Viewer.

Step-by-Step Guides

Creating a Point Cloud Using the DepthToPoints Node