Class: Layer

pc.Layer

Layer represents a renderable subset of the scene. It can contain a list of mesh instances, lights and cameras, their render settings and also defines custom callbacks before, after or during rendering. Layers are organized inside pc.LayerComposition in a desired order.

Constructor

new Layer(options)

Create a new layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
options Object Object for passing optional arguments. These arguments are the same as properties of the Layer.
Properties:
Name Type Description
enabled Boolean Enable the layer. Disabled layers are skipped. Defaults to true.
name String Name of the layer. Can be used in pc.LayerComposition#getLayerByName.
opaqueSortMode Number Defines the method used for sorting opaque (that is, not semi-transparent) mesh instances before rendering. Possible values are: Defaults to pc.SORTMODE_MATERIALMESH.
transparentSortMode Number Defines the method used for sorting semi-transparent mesh instances before rendering. Possible values are: Defaults to pc.SORTMODE_BACK2FRONT.
renderTarget pc.RenderTarget Render target to which rendering is performed. If not set, will render simply to the screen.
shaderPass Number A type of shader to use during rendering. Possible values are:
  • pc.SHADER_FORWARD
  • pc.SHADER_FORWARDHDR
  • pc.SHADER_DEPTH
  • Your own custom value. Should be in 19 - 31 range. Use pc.StandardMaterial#onUpdateShader to apply shader modifications based on this value.
Defaults to pc.SHADER_FORWARD.
passThrough Boolean Tells that this layer is simple and needs to just render a bunch of mesh instances without lighting, skinning and morphing (faster).
overrideClear Boolean Defines if layer should use camera clear parameters (true) or ignore them and use pc.Layer#clearColor, pc.Layer#clearColorBuffer, pc.Layer#clearDepthBuffer and pc.Layer#clearStencilBuffer.
clearColor pc.Color The color used to clear the canvas to before each camera starts to render.
clearColorBuffer Boolean If true cameras will clear the color buffer to the color set in clearColor.
clearDepthBuffer Boolean If true cameras will clear the depth buffer.
clearStencilBuffer Boolean If true cameras will clear the stencil buffer.
layerReference pc.Layer Make this layer render the same mesh instances that another layer does instead of having its own mesh instance list. Both layers must share cameras. Frustum culling is only performed for one layer.
cullingMask function Visibility mask that interacts with pc.MeshInstance#mask.
onEnable function Custom function that is called after the layer has been enabled. This happens when:
  • The layer is created with pc.Layer#enabled set to true (which is the default value).
  • pc.Layer#enabled was changed from false to true
  • pc.Layer#incrementCounter was called and incremented the counter above zero.
Useful for allocating resources this layer will use (e.g. creating render targets).
onDisable function Custom function that is called after the layer has been disabled. This happens when:
onPreCull function Custom function that is called before visibility culling is performed for this layer. Useful, for example, if you want to modify camera projection while still using the same camera and make frustum culling work correctly with it (see pc.CameraComponent#calculateTransform and pc.CameraComponent#calculateProjection). This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPostCull function Custom function that is called after visibiliy culling is performed for this layer. Useful for reverting changes done in pc.Layer#onPreCull and determining final mesh instance visibility (see pc.MeshInstance#visibleThisFrame). This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPreRender function Custom function that is called before this layer is rendered. Useful, for example, for reacting on screen size changes. This function is called before the first occurrence of this layer in pc.LayerComposition. It will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPreRenderOpaque function Custom function that is called before opaque mesh instances (not semi-transparent) in this layer are rendered. This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPreRenderTransparent function Custom function that is called before semi-transparent mesh instances in this layer are rendered. This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPostRender function Custom function that is called after this layer is rendered. Useful to revert changes made in pc.Layer#onPreRender or performing some processing on pc.Layer#renderTarget. This function is called after the last occurrence of this layer in pc.LayerComposition. It will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPostRenderOpaque function Custom function that is called after opaque mesh instances (not semi-transparent) in this layer are rendered. This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onPostRenderTransparent function Custom function that is called after semi-transparent mesh instances in this layer are rendered. This function will receive camera index as the only argument. You can get the actual camera being used by looking up pc.LayerComposition#cameras with this index.
onDrawCall function Custom function that is called before every mesh instance in this layer is rendered. It is not recommended to set this function when rendering many objects every frame due to performance reasons.
id function A unique ID of the layer. Layer IDs are stored inside pc.ModelComponent#layers, pc.CameraComponent#layers, pc.LightComponent#layers and pc.ElementComponent#layers instead of names. Can be used in pc.LayerComposition#getLayerById.
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Methods

addCamera(camera)

Adds a camera to this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
camera pc.CameraComponent A pc.CameraComponent.
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addLight(light)

Adds a light to this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
light pc.LightComponent A pc.LightComponent.
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addMeshInstances(meshInstances, skipShadowCastersopt)

Adds an array of mesh instances to this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Attributes Description
meshInstances Array Array of pc.MeshInstance.
skipShadowCasters Boolean <optional>
Set it to true if you don't want these mesh instances to cast shadows in this layer.
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addShadowCasters(meshInstances)

Adds an array of mesh instances to this layer, but only as shadow casters (they will not be rendered anywhere, but only cast shadows on other objects).
Parameters:
Name Type Description
meshInstances Array Array of pc.MeshInstance.
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clearCameras()

Removes all cameras from this layer.
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clearLights()

Removes all lights from this layer.
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clearMeshInstances(skipShadowCastersopt)

Removes all mesh instances from this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Attributes Description
skipShadowCasters Boolean <optional>
Set it to true if you want to still cast shadows from removed mesh instances or if they never did cast shadows before.
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(private) decrementCounter()

Decrements the usage counter of this layer. Decrementing the counter from 1 to 0 will disable the layer and call pc.Layer.onDisable. See pc.Layer#incrementCounter for more details.
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(private) incrementCounter()

Increments the usage counter of this layer. By default, layers are created with counter set to 1 (if pc.Layer.enabled is true) or 0 (if it was false). Incrementing the counter from 0 to 1 will enable the layer and call pc.Layer.onEnable. Use this function to "subscribe" multiple effects to the same layer. For example, if the layer is used to render a reflection texture which is used by 2 mirrors, then each mirror can call this function when visible and pc.Layer.decrementCounter if invisible. In such case the reflection texture won't be updated, when there is nothing to use it, saving performance.
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removeCamera(camera)

Removes a camera from this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
camera pc.CameraComponent A pc.CameraComponent.
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removeLight(light)

Removes a light from this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
light pc.LightComponent A pc.LightComponent.
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removeMeshInstances(meshInstances, skipShadowCastersopt)

Removes multiple mesh instances from this layer.
Parameters:
Name Type Attributes Description
meshInstances Array Array of pc.MeshInstance. If they were added to this layer, they will be removed.
skipShadowCasters Boolean <optional>
Set it to true if you want to still cast shadows from removed mesh instances or if they never did cast shadows before.
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removeShadowCasters(meshInstances)

Removes multiple mesh instances from the shadow casters list of this layer, meaning they will stop casting shadows.
Parameters:
Name Type Description
meshInstances Array Array of pc.MeshInstance. If they were added to this layer, they will be removed.
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