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This patch moves material indices from the mesh `MPoly` struct to a generic integer attribute. The builtin material index was already exposed in geometry nodes, but this makes it a "proper" attribute accessible with Python and visible in the "Attributes" panel. The goals of the refactor are code simplification and memory and performance improvements, mainly because the attribute doesn't have to be stored and processed if there are no materials. However, until 4.0, material indices will still be read and written in the old format, meaning there may be a temporary increase in memory usage. Further notes: * Completely removing the `MPoly.mat_nr` after 4.0 may require changes to DNA or introducing a new `MPoly` type. * Geometry nodes regression tests didn't look at material indices, so the change reveals a bug in the realize instances node that I fixed. * Access to material indices from the RNA `MeshPolygon` type is slower with this patch. The `material_index` attribute can be used instead. * Cycles is changed to read from the attribute instead. * BMesh isn't changed in this patch. Theoretically it could be though, to save 2 bytes per face when less than two materials are used. * Eventually we could use a 16 bit integer attribute type instead. Ref T95967 Differential Revision: https://developer.blender.org/D15675
.. Keep this document short & concise, linking to external resources instead of including content in-line. See 'release/text/readme.html' for the end user read-me. Blender ======= Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline-modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking and video editing. .. figure:: https://code.blender.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/springrg.jpg :scale: 50 % :align: center Project Pages ------------- - `Main Website <http://www.blender.org>`__ - `Reference Manual <https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/index.html>`__ - `User Community <https://www.blender.org/community/>`__ Development ----------- - `Build Instructions <https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender>`__ - `Code Review & Bug Tracker <https://developer.blender.org>`__ - `Developer Forum <https://devtalk.blender.org>`__ - `Developer Documentation <https://wiki.blender.org>`__ License ------- Blender as a whole is licensed under the GNU General Public License, Version 3. Individual files may have a different, but compatible license. See `blender.org/about/license <https://www.blender.org/about/license>`__ for details.