Input Nodes
Last modified: 10 March 2025note
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The different Input nodes, where they can be found, what their outputs are.
Surface Input
When editing a surface, this node always appears in the Node Editor.

Item ID (Integer) - The LWItemID of the intersected primitive
Pixel X, Y (Integer) - The location of the pixel currently being rendered
Frame Width, Height (Integer) - The resolution of the image set in Camera Properties
Ray Position (Vector) - Origin of the ray that intersected this primitive (from the Camera, Reflection, Refraction, Shadow, etc.)
Ray Position dX, dY (Vector) - Ray origin differentials
Ray Direction (Vector) - The direction of the ray that intersected this primitive (from the Camera, Reflection, Refraction, Shadow, etc.)
Ray Direction dX, dY (Vector) - Ray direction differentials
Ray Weight (Color) The accumulated weight of the ray represented as a color
Ray Distance (Scalar) - The distance the ray traveled before intersecting the primitive
Shutter Time (Scalar) - The normalized shutter time (0...1)
Ray type (Integer) - Camera ray, Reflection ray, Refraction ray, Dissolve ray, Shadow ray and Occlusion ray. These can be fed into the Ray Type Switch node.
Ray Bounce (Integer) - The number of bounces the ray has taken to reach this intersection. Starts at 1
World Position (Vector) - The location of the intersection in world coordinates
World Position dX, dY (Vector) - The partial derivative of the world coordinate position in relation to X or Y coordinate of the pixel
World Position dU, dV (Vector) - The partial derivative of the world coordinate position in relation to the U or V coordinate of the pixel (for objects with automatic UV maps)
Perturbed Normal (Vector) - The interpolated normal perturbed by bump or normal mapping
Smooth Normal (Vector) - The interpolated normal
Geometric Normal (Vector) - The un-interpolated geometric normal
Normal dU, dV (Vector) - The partial derivatives of the normal along U and V coordinates
Barycentric Coordinates (Vector) - The masses of each vertex on a triangle
Object Position (Vector) - The location of the intersection in local coordinates
To Local, To World (Matrix) - Transformation matrices for the intersection
U, V (Scalar) - The U or V coordinate for the intersection, presuming the surface has UV coordinates
U and V dX, dY (Scalar) - The U and V partial derivatives along pixel X and Y
Primitive ID (Integer) - A Primitive can have an ID assigned that is different to the Item ID
Surface Side (Integer) - Determines if the intersection hit the front (0) or back (1) of the surface (2 double-sided back) (Example)
Polygon Index (Integer) - The numeric index for the polygon at the intersection
Mesh Element (Integer) - Outputs the element type needed for the Mesh Element Switch node
Nodal Motion
Accessed through Motion Options > Modifiers > Nodal Motion.

Item Position (Vector) - Relating to the item driving the nodal motion
World Position (Vector) - Relating to World coordinates (Vector).
Frame (Integer) - The current frame number (Integer).
Time (Scalar) - The current time in the FPS set in Options (Scalar).
Item Rotation (Vector) - Uses the current Item rotation as an output (Vector).
Item Scale (Vector) - Uses the current Item scale as an output (Vector).
Nodal Displacement
Accessed through Object Properties > Primitive > Modify > Nodal Displacement.

Object Position (Vector) - Provides the undeformed vertex position
World Position (Vector) - Provides the deformed position in world coordinates
Normal (Vector) - The vertex normal
Current Position (Vector) - Provides the current deformed vertex position in object coordinates
Point Index (Integer) - Gives the point index of the vertex.
In addition, the Nodal Displacement destination node has the following options when double-clicked on:
A Mode setting to control if the value is used to displace (add) or set the vertex position.
Deformed Coordinates in texture nodes checkbox for object or world coordinates.
Instance Generator
Accessed through Instance Generator > Nodes > Edit Nodes.

ID Index (Integer) - The ID of each instance
Fixed Random (Scalar) - Gives a random output
Fixed Float (Scalar) - Gives an output relative to the quantity of instances used
Base Position (Vector) - The base position of the instance
Light
Accessed through Light Properties > Edit Nodes.

Direction (Vector) - The direction in which the light is pointing
Distance (Scalar) - A value that can be used for controlling color over distance
Flocking
Accessed through Flocking > Flock > Properties.

Position (Vector) - Final world position of the agent
Velocity (Vector) - Speed and direction of the agent
Bank Up Vector (Vector) - The direction of Up for the agents
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Contributed by Richard Feeney