Index: manual/addons/import_export/images_as_planes.rst =================================================================== --- manual/addons/import_export/images_as_planes.rst (revision 9964) +++ manual/addons/import_export/images_as_planes.rst (working copy) @@ -17,19 +17,19 @@ This add-on imports images and creates planes with them as textures. It automates the process of creating a plane, resizing it to fit the dimensions of the image, -and adding a material and image texture to that plane. -The name of the plane, material and texture is derived from the image name. +and creating a material with the image texture to it. +The name of the plane, material, and texture will be derived from the name of the image file. -You can either import a single image, multiple images, or an image sequence/movie clip. -Selecting a single image will create one plane, selecting multiple images will create -as many planes as images selected, on top of each other or spaced. -Selecting a movie clip, or an image sequence will create a single plane with an animation. +You can import a single image, multiple images, or an image sequence/movie clip. +If you choose a single image, it creates one plane; if you choose multiple images, +it creates as many planes as the number of images you selected, either stacked on top of each other or spaced apart. +Selecting a movie clip or an image sequence will create a single plane with an animation. Properties ========== -You save the current settings of the import as an :ref:`Operator Preset `. +You can save the current import settings as an :ref:`Operator Preset `. Import Options @@ -36,16 +36,16 @@ -------------- Relative Path - Link to the image file using a :ref:`relative file path `. + Set link to the image file using a :ref:`relative file path `. Force Reload - Reloads the image file into Blender if it is already added as an image data-block. + Reload the image file if it already exists as an image data-block. Animate Image Sequences - Import sequentially numbers images as + Import sequentially numbered images as an animated :doc:`image sequence ` instead of separate planes. They will be imported as a *Clip* texture on a single plane. - The frame range will automatically be set but can be changed later. + The frame range will be automatically set but can be changed later. Compositing Nodes @@ -52,110 +52,139 @@ ----------------- Setup Corner Pin - A :doc:`Corner Pin ` node is used to distort a plane - and to create a warp view of the image. Selecting this option will build a compositing setup with - the Image Texture, Scale and Corner Pin Node added to the Compositor. + Add a compositing setup of the Image Texture, Scale, and :doc:`Corner Pin ` + nodes to inject a warped view of the image into the compositor output. The add-on adds drivers to + the corner values of the Corner Pin node so that transforms of the plane and camera drive them. + Make sure to have an active camera in the scene before the import. +.. note:: + You may want to disable the plane object from the final render to prevent it from overlapping the image in + the composite. + + Material Settings ----------------- -The image is displayed on the plane through material and textures nodes. -They can be edited in the Shader editor. +Images as Planes sets up a material to display the image. You can set the type of material and related settings +before the import. -Shader - Principled - Creates a new material for the plane with - a :doc:`Principled BSDF ` shader node - with default settings as the main component. - The base color of the Principled BSDF node comes from an Image Texture node - that is linked to the imported image. - Shadeless - A shadeless material is a material that does not respond to light from - other objects and has always the same color in any lighting environment. - This option creates a new material for the plane with a group node as - the main component. This node group is essentially a mix between a Diffuse - and an Emission shader controlled by a Light Path node. - Emit - Creates a new material for the plane with - an :doc:`Emission shader ` node as the main component. - The base color of the node comes from an Image Texture node that is linked to the imported image. - The strength can be set. +Material Type + :Principled: + The material will have a :doc:`Principled BSDF ` shader node + with default settings as its main component. + An Image Texture node linked to the imported image will be connected to the Base Color of the Principled + BSDF node. + :Shadeless: + A shadeless material is a material that does not respond to light from other objects and always has the same + color in any lighting environment. + This option creates a material with a node group of a mix between a Diffuse and an Emission shader controlled + by a Light Path node. + :Emit: + The material will have a Principled BSDF shader node as its main component, but the Color output from + the Image Texture node will be linked to the Emission input instead of the Base Color. -Override Material - The name of the material is the same as the name of the image. - If the material already exist Blender will append a number to the material name. - With the *Override Material* checkbox, you can force the add-on to replace the existing material. + Strength + Set the strength of the emission. +.. note:: + *Blend Mode* and *Shadow Mode* options are specific to the Eevee renderer. + For a detailed explanation of each option, see :doc:`Material Settings `. + +Blend Mode + Set the alpha blend mode of the material. + +Show Backface + Show backside of the transparent part. + +Shadow Mode + Set the shadow mode of the material. + +Backface Culling + Hide backside of the plane. + +Overwrite Material + The add-on sets the name of the new material from the name of the imported image. However, if there is already + a material with the same name, Blender will append a number to the name of the material to avoid conflict. + This *Override Material* option makes it overwrite the existing material of the same name in that case. + + Texture Settings ---------------- +.. note:: + + For a detailed explanation of each option, see :doc:`Image Texture Node `. + +Interpolation + Set the method to scale the image. + +Extension + Set how the image is extrapolated past the original bounds. + Use Alpha - The alpha channel of the image is used for transparency. + Use the alpha channel of the image for transparency. - Alpha Mode - Representation of alpha in the image file, to convert to and from when saving and loading the image. - See :term:`Alpha Channel`. - Auto Refresh - Automatically refresh images in the viewport on frame changes. + Automatically refresh the images in the viewport on frame changes. Position -------- -A single plane is positioned at the 3D Cursor. Multiple planes can be offset against -each other following a selected axis. +Images as Planes creates the plane at the 3D Cursor's location. With *Offset Planes*, multiple planes will be +placed with distance intervals set in *Offset*, along the axis set in *Local Axis*, beginning at the 3D Cursor's +location. Offset Planes - Local Axis - The axis that is used to offset the different planes. For example, if you choose *X+*, - the images are positioned along the X axis, starting at the X coordinate of - the 3D cursor and following with X+ offset. + Place multiple planes with an offset. If disabled, all planes will be created at the same location. - X+, X-, Y+, Y-, Z+, Z- - Offset - The space between each plane. +Local Axis + Choose a local axis (not the global axis) to offset the planes. For example, if you choose *X+*, the planes + will be placed along the positive direction of the plane's local X axis. +Offset + Set a distance between each plane. + Plane Dimensions ---------------- -Use the image's pixel count to determine the planes size in units. +Set how the plane's size will be determined. Absolute - The size of the plane is based on the amount of pixels in the image. + The size of the plane will be set based on the height value set in *Height*. The width will be set in direct + ratio to the height value. For example, with the default height value of 1 m, an image of 800 × 600 pixels + will have a width of 1 / 600 × 800 or 1.33 m. Height - The width is calculated based on the input height and the pixel dimensions of the image. - For example, with the default *Height* of 1, an image of 800 × 600 will have - a calculated width of 1 / 600 × 800 or 1.33 units. + Set the height of the plane. Camera Relative - The size of the image plane is set relative to the size of the camera frame. + The size of the plane will be set to fit or fill the camera frame. This will automatically set the *Align* + option to *Face Camera*. Make sure to have an active camera in the scene before the import. - Fit - Scales the image to fit inside the camera view without altering the aspect ratio. - Fill - Scales the image so that it fills the entire camera view, without altering - the aspect ratio but some of the image can be spilled outside the camera frame. + :Fit: + Scale the plane to fit inside the camera frame while preserving the aspect ratio. + :Fill: + Scale the plane so that it fills the entire camera view while preserving the aspect ratio, but some part of + the image can spill outside the camera frame. -DPI - Dots per Inch. +:abbr:`DPI (Dots per inch)` + The size of the plane will be set based on the pixels per inch value set in *Definition*. With the *Unit System* + set to *Metric* and the default definition of 600 DPI, an image of 800 × 600 pixels will have a size of + 0.0339 × 0.0254 units since 600 pixels are defined as 1 inch (0.0254 m). Definition - This is the number of pixels that fit in 1 inch. So, with the *Unit System* set to - *Metric* and the *Definition* field set to the default 600 DPI, - an image of 800 × 600 pixels will have a size of 0.0339 × 0.0254 units - because 600 pixels are defined as 1 inch which equals 0.0254 m. + Set the number of pixels to fit in 1 inch. Dots/BU - Dots per Blender Unit. + The size of the plane will be set based on the pixels per Blender Unit set in *Definition*. With the default + definition value of 600, an image of 800 × 600 pixels will have a size of 1.33 × 1 units. Definition - The field *Definition* is by default set to 600, indicating that 1 unit equals 600 pixels - in the image. So, an image of 800 × 600 will have a size of 1.33 × 1 unit. + Set the number of pixels to fit in 1 Blender Unit. Orientation @@ -162,22 +191,17 @@ ----------- Align - With this option you can set the rotation of the plane. + Set the rotation of the plane. - Main Axis - The plane is positioned so that it faces the camera. This is achieved by rotating the plane - so that the viewing axis of the camera is perpendicular to the plane. - Face Camera - *Face Camera* is similar to *Main Axis*, but the plane is also rotated so that - it aligns with the rotation of the camera. - Z- (Down), Y-, X-, Z+ (Up), Y+, X+ - The plane is rotated in such a way that the selected axis is perpendicular to - the plane with the front face pointing to the positive or negative side of the axis. - For example, the option Z+ (Up) is fully visible in Top View, - because the Z axis is pointing perpendicular to the plane in this view - and the front face of the image is pointing to the positive (Up) side of the Z axis. + :Main Axis: + The plane will be aligned to a major axis that is best to face the camera's view direction. + If there is no camera in the scene, the plane will face toward Z+ (Up) axis. + :Face Camera: + Similar to the *Main Axis* but the plane will be rotated to directly face the camera's view direction. + :Z- (Down), Y-, X-, Z+ (Up), Y+, X+: + The plane will be rotated to face toward the selected axis. Track Camera - Uses a :doc:`Locked Track Constraint ` to make - the plane always align with the camera. The plane always faces the camera, even if the camera is moved. - This option is only available if *Main axis* or *Face Camera* is selected in the *Align* panel. + Add a :doc:`Locked Track ` constraint to make the plane always + face the camera, even if the camera moves. This option is only available when *Main Axis* or *Face Camera* + option is selected in the *Align* menu.