| name | render-settings |
| description | Writing render settings to control rendering behavior. Use when user asks to change render settings, set max bounces, configure path tracing, change render quality, or modify RTX settings on a RenderProduct.
|
| license | LicenseRef-NvidiaProprietary |
| version | 0.3.0 |
| author | NVIDIA ovrtx |
| tags | ["ovrtx","rendering","settings"] |
| tools | ["Read","Grep"] |
Render Settings
When to Use
Use this skill when the user asks to change render settings, set max bounces, configure path tracing, change render quality, or modify RTX settings on a RenderProduct.
Inputs
Resolve inputs in this order: existing repository files and referenced snippets, explicit user request, then broader agent context.
- Target API surface: Python, C/C++, USD, or a combination.
- RenderProduct prim path and the exact
omni:rtx:* setting attribute to author or update.
- Desired setting value, USD type, runtime/write timing, and whether reset/warmup behavior matters.
- Existing scene or snippet that already owns related RenderProduct settings.
- Repository source snippets referenced below. Treat these snippets as the API source of truth.
Prerequisites
- Use an ovrtx checkout that contains the referenced examples and docs tests.
- Read the relevant
> **Source:** snippet before writing or explaining API usage.
- Confirm the setting belongs on the RenderProduct prim, not on a Camera, RenderVar, or renderer creation option.
- Use
writing-attributes when the setting is changed through runtime APIs.
Instructions
- Identify the RenderProduct path and the exact RTX setting attribute to change.
- Write settings on the RenderProduct prim, not on the Camera or RenderVar prim.
- Match the value type to the USD attribute schema and preserve existing authored settings that are unrelated to the request.
- Apply the writing-attributes skill when setting values through runtime APIs rather than static USD.
- When changing code, run the render-settings docs test that owns the setting snippet whenever practical.
Output Format
- For explanations, cite the relevant API names, source snippets, and caveats.
- For code changes, summarize the files changed, snippets affected, and validation run.
Scripts
This skill has no scripts.
Limitations
- The referenced snippets remain the source of truth; update or add tested snippets before documenting new API usage.
Overview
Render settings in ovrtx are written as attributes on the RenderProduct prim. To change a setting, use write_attribute() in Python or ovrtx_write_attribute() in C, targeting the RenderProduct prim path (e.g., /Render/Camera) with the setting's attribute name.
Settings use the omni:rtx: namespace prefix. For example, to set the maximum number of path tracing bounces, write omni:rtx:rtpt:maxBounces as a uint32 attribute.
After changing a render setting, call reset() and run warm-up frames to allow the renderer to converge with the new setting.
Python
Set a render setting on a RenderProduct
Source: tests/docs/python/test_base.py snippet doc-set-render-setting
C
Set a render setting on a RenderProduct
Source: tests/docs/c/test_base.cpp snippet doc-set-render-setting-c
Key Types / Functions
| Python | C |
|---|
renderer.write_attribute(prim_paths=["/Render/Camera"], attribute_name="omni:rtx:rtpt:maxBounces", tensor=np.array([value], dtype=np.uint32)) | ovrtx_write_attribute(renderer, &binding, &buffer, OVRTX_DATA_ACCESS_SYNC) with uint32 DLTensor |
Render Mode Selection
| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|
omni:rtx:rendermode | token | "RealTimePathTracing" | Render mode: "RealTimePathTracing", "PathTracing", or "Minimal" |
Real-Time Path-Tracing Settings (rtpt:)
Sampling and Caching
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:rtpt:cached:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:lightcache:cached:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:ris:meshLights | bool | false |
Ray Bounces and Shading
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:rtpt:maxBounces | uint | 3 |
omni:rtx:rtpt:maxSpecularAndTransmissionBounces | uint | 3 |
omni:rtx:rtpt:maxVolumeBounces | uint | 3 |
omni:rtx:pt:fractionalCutoutOpacity | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:maxRoughness | float | 0.3 |
omni:rtx:rt:reflections:roughnessCacheThreshold | float | 0.3 |
omni:rtx:rtpt:translucency:virtualMotion:enabled | bool | true |
Firefly Filter
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:rtpt:fireflyFilter:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:fireflyFilter:maxUnexposedIntensityPerSample | float | 3200.0 |
omni:rtx:rtpt:fireflyFilter:maxUnexposedIntensityPerSampleDiffuse | float | 3200.0 |
omni:rtx:rtpt:fireflyFilter:maxPerEmissiveUnexposedIntensity | float | 3200.0 |
Gaussian Splatting
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:rtpt:gaussian:accumulatedDepth:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:gaussian:accumulatedAlbedo:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:rtpt:gaussian:maxGaussiansToAccumulate | int | 48 |
Path Tracing Settings (pt:)
Path Tracing
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:samplesPerPixel | uint | 512 |
omni:rtx:pt:samplesPerIteration | int | 1 |
omni:rtx:pt:adaptiveSampling:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:limits:maxBounces | uint | 4 |
omni:rtx:pt:limits:maxGlossyBounces | uint | 6 |
omni:rtx:pt:maxVolumeBounces | uint | 15 |
omni:rtx:pt:limits:maxFogBounces | uint | 2 |
omni:rtx:pt:fractionalCutoutOpacity | bool | true |
Denoising
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:denoising:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:denoising:optix:temporal | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pt:denoising:blendFactor | float | 0.0 |
omni:rtx:pt:denoising:optix:denoiseAOVs | bool | true |
Sampling and Caching
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:radianceCache:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:lightCache:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:ris:meshLights | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pathtracing:rayguide:cached:enabled | bool | false |
Firefly Filter
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:fireflyFilter:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:fireflyFilter:maxUnexposedIntensityPerSample | float | 3200.0 |
omni:rtx:pt:fireflyFilter:maxUnexposedIntensityPerSampleDiffuse | float | 3200.0 |
omni:rtx:pt:fireflyFilter:maxPerEmissiveUnexposedIntensity | float | 3200.0 |
Spectral Rendering
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pathtracing:spectral:enabled | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pathtracing:spectral:wavelengthMin | float | 10.0 |
omni:rtx:pathtracing:spectral:wavelengthMax | float | 10000.0 |
omni:rtx:renderingColorSpace | string | "lin_rec709_scene" |
omni:rtx:pathtracing:spectral:responseCurve | uint | 0 |
Non-Uniform Volumes
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:ptvol:enabled | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pt:volumes:transmittanceMethod | token | "biasedRayMarching" |
omni:rtx:pt:volumes:tracking:maxScatteringSteps | int | 1024 |
omni:rtx:pt:volumes:tracking:maxShadowSteps | int | 32 |
omni:rtx:pt:limits:maxVolumeBounces | uint | 2 |
Multi-GPU
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:multigpu:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:mgpu:autoLoadBalancing:enabled | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:mgpu:compressRadiance | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pt:mgpu:compressAlbedo | bool | true |
omni:rtx:pt:mgpu:compressNormals | bool | true |
omni:rtx:multiThreading:enabled | bool | true |
Global Volumetric Effects
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:ptvol:raySky | bool | false |
omni:rtx:pt:ptvol:raySkyScale | float | 1.0 |
omni:rtx:pt:ptvol:raySkyDomelight | bool | false |
Anti-Aliasing
| Setting | Type | Default |
|---|
omni:rtx:pt:pixelFilter:filter | token | "triangle" |
omni:rtx:pt:pixelFilter:radius | float | 1.0 |
Minimal Settings
Minimal mode is optimized for speed-of-light rendering performance and stability. It only respects the first DistantLight found in the scene, and shadows from that light are hard shadows. Other light types, including DomeLight, are ignored for Minimal mode lighting; if no DistantLight exists, Minimal mode uses a single camera light instead. For improved visibility, use the ambient light attributes documented in docs/sensors/cameras/render_modes/minimal.rst, or disable shadows with omni:rtx:minimal:castShadows.
| Setting | Type | Description |
|---|
omni:rtx:minimal:mode | int | Minimal render mode variant |
omni:rtx:minimal:constantColor | color3f | Constant color output |
omni:rtx:minimal:castShadows | bool | Enable hard shadows from the first DistantLight |
omni:rtx:rt:ambientLight:color | color3f | Ambient light color |
omni:rtx:rt:ambientLight:intensity | float | Ambient light intensity |
Troubleshooting
- Render settings are attributes on the RenderProduct prim, not on a separate RenderSettings prim. Write them to the same prim path you pass to
step() (e.g., /Render/Camera).
- The dtype must match the schema type exactly. Most integer settings above are
uint, so write np.uint32 -- omni:rtx:rtpt:maxBounces is uint32, not int32 or int64. Settings typed token (such as omni:rtx:rendermode and omni:rtx:pt:pixelFilter:filter) are written as interned token IDs, not integers; see writing-attributes for the full USD-type-to-dtype table.
- After changing a setting, call
reset() and run warm-up frames before capturing output. The renderer needs time to reconverge.
- Settings use the
omni:rtx: namespace prefix, with subsystem prefixes like rtpt: (real-time path tracing), post: (post-processing), etc.
References
- Use the
> **Source:** directives in this skill to locate tested snippets before reusing API patterns.
- Keep related skills, docs, and snippets synchronized when changing the workflow.
