Input: Matrix Info

This node is specific to Cycles 4D. It has the same function as the Object Info or Particle Info nodes, but outputs the parameters of a Mograph matrix object.

Node Interface

Rendering a Matrix object

To render a Mograph Matrix object is very simple: apply a Cycles 4D material to the object and render. With a Principled BSDF shader you might see something like this:

Which is, perhaps, less than exciting. But we can also attach a cyInstance tag to the Matrix object, and use the settings in the tag to control the rendered output. Setting the tag's 'Size Multiplier' setting to 300% for example, gives this:

To do more, we need the Matrix Info node, which will then output various parameters from the Matrix object. For example, using a Color Ramp node and connecting the Index port of the Matrix Info node to the Fac port of the color ramp, we could get this:

Here, each element in the Matrix object is rendered with a colour from the color ramp gradient.

Settings

None.

Output

Index

This is the index of each element in the Matrix object. In the third image shown above, the node tree used the Index parameter like this:

Click to enlarge image

The Matrix object used a grid measuring 3x3x3 elements, a total of 27. The Math node divides the index by 27, giving a result varying from 0 to 1 depending on the Index value; this is then used to control the colour returned by the Color Ramp node.

Time

This the value in seconds of the 'Time' parameter in the Matrix object. Note that this is in seconds, so if the project frame rate is 30 frames per second, a 'Time' value of 30 frames will result in a value of 1 being output. This is important if you use the Time output to drive a Color Ramp, for example.

Position

The 3D world position of the Matrix object.

Scale

This is the Size parameter of the Matrix object. Note that in previous versions of Cycles 4D this was labelled 'Size' and output a single value.

Color

This is the value of the Color parameter in the Matrix object.

Weight

This is the value of the Weight parameter in the Matrix object.

UVW

This output contains the internal UVW coordinates used by the Matrix object.

Count

The total number of individual units in the Matrix object.

Random

Outputs a random value. For example, linking the Random output to the Fac input of a Color Ramp would give each element in the Matrix a randomly-selected colour from the Color Ramp like so: