The RenderMan Interface - Paul Bourke

PREFACE
This document is version 3.2 of the RenderMan Interface Specification, issued July, 2000. It
supercedes version 3.1, originally published in September, 1989 and revised in July, 1995,
and version 3.0, originally published in May, 1988.
Version 3.2 makes fundamental changes to version 3.1, including the addition of many new
features, corrections of unclear or ambiguous material, and deletion of API calls that have
been depricated over the years.
This document is the official technical specification for the RenderMan Interface. It is quite
terse and requires substantial prior knowledge of computer graphics in general and photorealistic
image synthesis in particular. For a more casual reference to the RenderMan
Interface, the reader is directed to Advanced RenderMan: Creating CGI for Motion Pictures
(Anthony Apodaca and Larry Gritz, 1999). The first and second printings of Advanced
RenderMan correspond (except for minor errata) to version 3.2 of the RenderMan Interface
Specification. Readers are also directed to The RenderMan Companion: A Programmer’s Guide
to Realistic Computer Graphics (Steve Upstill 1989), which corresponds (except for minor errata)
to version 3.1 of the RenderMan Interface Specification.
Appendix I gives an overview of what has changed between version 3.1 and 3.2 of the
RenderMan Interface Specification.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Pixar. The information in this publication is
furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not
be construed as a commitment by Pixar. Pixar assumes no responsibility or liability for any
errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this publication.
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