PointInstancer : Add new node for making PointInstancer objects

Changes.md

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ Features
 --------
 
 - LightLinkingEditor : Added a new editor UI for inspecting and editing light links.
+- PointInstancer : Added new node for creating PointInstancer objects (#6810). This has the following benefits over the old Instancer node :
+  - Prototypes and points that are editable downstream.
+  - Export to USD.
+  - Faster rendering.
 
 Fixes
 -----

include/GafferScene/PointInstancerCore.h

@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2026, Cinesite VFX Ltd. All rights reserved.
+//
+//  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+//  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+//  met:
+//
+//      * Redistributions of source code must retain the above
+//        copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+//        disclaimer.
+//
+//      * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+//        copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+//        disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with
+//        the distribution.
+//
+//      * Neither the name of John Haddon nor the names of
+//        any other contributors to this software may be used to endorse or
+//        promote products derived from this software without specific prior
+//        written permission.
+//
+//  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS
+//  IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+//  THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+//  PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
+//  CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
+//  EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+//  PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR
+//  PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
+//  LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
+//  NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+//  SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+//
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "Gaffer/ComputeNode.h"
+#include "Gaffer/StringPlug.h"
+#include "Gaffer/TypedObjectPlug.h"
+
+#include "GafferScene/Export.h"
+#include "GafferScene/ScenePlug.h"
+#include "GafferScene/TypeIds.h"
+
+namespace GafferScene
+{
+
+class GAFFERSCENE_API PointInstancerCore : public Gaffer::ComputeNode
+{
+
+	public :
+
+		PointInstancerCore( const std::string &name=defaultName<PointInstancerCore>() );
+		~PointInstancerCore() override;
+
+		GAFFER_NODE_DECLARE_TYPE( GafferScene::PointInstancerCore, PointInstancerCoreTypeId, Gaffer::ComputeNode );
+
+		Gaffer::ObjectPlug *inPointsPlug();
+		const Gaffer::ObjectPlug *inPointsPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringPlug *timeOffsetPlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringPlug *timeOffsetPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringPlug *contextVariablesPlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringPlug *contextVariablesPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypeFormatPlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypeFormatPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::ObjectPlug *outPointsPlug();
+		const Gaffer::ObjectPlug *outPointsPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringVectorDataPlug *prototypeNamesPlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringVectorDataPlug *prototypeNamesPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypeSelectorPlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypeSelectorPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypePlug();
+		const Gaffer::StringPlug *prototypePlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::FloatPlug *prototypeTimeOffsetPlug();
+		const Gaffer::FloatPlug *prototypeTimeOffsetPlug() const;
+
+		Gaffer::AtomicCompoundDataPlug *prototypeContextPlug();
+		const Gaffer::AtomicCompoundDataPlug *prototypeContextPlug() const;
+
+		void affects( const Gaffer::Plug *input, AffectedPlugsContainer &outputs ) const override;
+
+	protected :
+
+		void hash( const Gaffer::ValuePlug *output, const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const override;
+		void compute( Gaffer::ValuePlug *output, const Gaffer::Context *context ) const override;
+
+	private :
+
+		bool affectsPrototypeMap( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashPrototypeMap( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		IECore::ConstObjectPtr computePrototypeMap() const;
+
+		bool affectsOutPoints( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashOutPoints( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		IECore::ConstObjectPtr computeOutPoints() const;
+
+		bool affectsPrototypeNames( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashPrototypeNames( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		IECore::ConstStringVectorDataPtr computePrototypeNames() const;
+
+		bool affectsPrototype( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashPrototype( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		std::string computePrototype() const;
+
+		bool affectsPrototypeTimeOffset( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashPrototypeTimeOffset( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		float computePrototypeTimeOffset() const;
+
+		bool affectsPrototypeContext( const Gaffer::Plug *input ) const;
+		void hashPrototypeContext( const Gaffer::Context *context, IECore::MurmurHash &h ) const;
+		IECore::ConstCompoundDataPtr computePrototypeContext() const;
+
+		Gaffer::ObjectPlug *prototypeMapPlug();
+		const Gaffer::ObjectPlug *prototypeMapPlug() const;
+
+		static size_t g_firstPlugIndex;
+
+};
+
+IE_CORE_DECLAREPTR( PointInstancerCore )
+
+} // namespace GafferScene

include/GafferScene/TypeIds.h

@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ enum TypeId
 	CopyObjectTypeId = 120159,
 	QuantizePrimitiveVariablesTypeId = 120160,
 	RandomPrimitiveVariableTypeId = 120161,
+	PointInstancerCoreTypeId = 120162,
 
 	LastTypeId = 120999
 };