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Synopsis

directionalLight [-decayRate int] [-discRadius linear] [-exclusive boolean] [-intensity float] [-name string] [-position linear linear linear] [-rgb float float float] [-rotation angle angle angle] [-shadowColor float float float] [-shadowDither float] [-shadowSamples int] [-softShadow boolean] [-useRayTraceShadows boolean]

directionalLight is undoable, queryable, and editable.

TlightCmd is the base class for other light commands. TnonAmbientLightCmd is a class that looks like a command but is not. It is a base class for the extended/nonExtended lights. TnonExtendedLightCmd is a base class and not a real command. It is inherited by several lights: TpointLight, TdirectionalLight, TspotLight etc. The directionalLight command is used to edit the parameters of existing directionalLights, or to create new ones. The default behaviour is to create a new directionallight.

This is the commmand that instantiates an directionalLight or edits the parameters of an existing one. TdirectionalLightCmd inherits from TnonExtendedLightCmd which defines softShadow flags. See TlightCmd for a global picture of the light commands.

TdirectionalLightCmd behaves like any other command, it has flags, saves undo information etc. the only slightly different behaviour is that it calls up to TnonExtendedLightCmd to complete the functionality of the command.

Return value

double[]when querying the rgb or shadowColor flags double when querying the intensity flag boolean when querying the useRayTraceShadows or exclusive flags linear[] when querying the position flag angle[] when querying the rotation flag string when querying the name flag
intrate of light decay, when querying the decayRate flag
intNumber of shadow samples, when querying the shadowSamples flag boolean True if soft shadows are enabled, when querying the softShadow flag float Shadow dithering value, when querying the shadowDither flag float Disc radius value, when querying the discRadius flag
stringLight shape name

In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Related

ambientLight, exclusiveLightCheckBox, lightList, lightlink, pointLight, spotLight, spotLightPreviewPort

Flags

decayRate, discRadius, exclusive, intensity, name, position, rgb, rotation, shadowColor, shadowDither, shadowSamples, softShadow, useRayTraceShadows
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
-decayRate(-d) int create
Decay rate of the light (0-no decay, 1-slow, 2-realistic, 3-fast)
-discRadius(-drs) linear createquery
Radius of shadow disc.
-exclusive(-exc) boolean createquery
True if the light is exclusively assigned
-intensity(-i) float createquery
Intensity of the light
-name(-n) string createquery
Name of the light
-position(-pos) linear linear linear createquery
Position of the light
-rgb(-rgb) float float float createquery
RGB colour of the light
-rotation(-rot) angle angle angle createquery
Rotation of the light for orientation, where applicable
-shadowColor(-sc) float float float createquery
Color of the light's shadow
-shadowDither(-sd) float createquery
Shadow dithering value.
-shadowSamples(-sh) int createquery
Numbr of shadow samples to use
-softShadow(-ss) boolean createquery
True if soft shadowing is to be enabled
-useRayTraceShadows(-rs) boolean createquery
True if ray trace shadows are to be used
Flag can appear in Create mode of command Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command Flag can be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

// Create a directional light
string $light = `directionalLight -rotation 45 30 15`;

// Change the light intensity
directionalLight -e -intensity 0.5 $light;

// Query it
directionalLight -q -intensity $light;
// Result:0.5//