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TfmMirror

The Mirror transformation takes two transformation nodes: One where to set the mirror, and a second one to be mirrored.

the mirrored transformation can also be a Beamer or a Camera - in this case the node becomes a mirrored Beamer or Camera node and can be used by a Capture node.

TfmMirror Node

Reflect Transformations Across a Plane

TfmMirror creates a reflected/mirrored version of any transformation. It can mirror standard transformations, but also works with Beamer and SceneCamera nodes — making it possible to render reflections, symmetric projections, or virtual camera views through mirrors.

Reference

The following properties can be configured for this node:

Property Type Description
mirror - mirror node
mirrored - mirrored node - can also be a Beamer or Camera node
mode - the kind of mirror transformation
mirrorplane - set which two axis become the mirror plane
transformation pass - select transfromation pass
Inlet Type Description
properties properties properties | use message [set <propertyPath> <value(s)>] (without node/<nodeName> at the beginning) to set internal properties
Outlet Type Description

How It Works

Mirror and Mirrored Nodes

TfmMirror requires two inputs:

Property Purpose
mirror The transformation that defines the mirror plane's position and orientation
mirrored The transformation to be reflected across the mirror plane

The output is a new transformation representing the mirrored position of the mirrored node, as if reflected in a mirror placed at the mirror node.

Mirror Plane Configuration

Setting the Mirror Plane

The mirrorplane property defines which two axes form the reflective surface:

Mirror Plane Reflects Across
XY Reflects across the XY plane (mirrors Z axis)
XZ Reflects across the XZ plane (mirrors Y axis)
YZ Reflects across the YZ plane (mirrors X axis)

The mirror plane is positioned and oriented according to the mirror node's transformation.

Basic Setup

Creating a Mirrored Transformation

To mirror an object's transformation:

  1. Create a TfmNode to define the mirror plane position/orientation
  2. Identify the transformation you want to mirror (TfmNode, RigidBody, etc.)
  3. Create a TfmMirror node
  4. Set mirror to reference the mirror plane TfmNode
  5. Set mirrored to reference the source transformation
  6. Select the appropriate mirrorplane axis
  7. Use TfmMirror as the parent for objects that should appear reflected

Mirroring Cameras and Beamers

Creating Reflection Renders

TfmMirror has a special capability: when the mirrored node is a Beamer or SceneCamera, the TfmMirror node itself becomes a mirrored camera/beamer that can be used with SceneCapture:

  1. Create a mirror plane TfmNode
  2. Create a TfmMirror node
  3. Set mirror to the mirror plane
  4. Set mirrored to your Beamer or SceneCamera
  5. In a SceneCapture, set parent to the TfmMirror node
  6. The capture type will show as beamer mirror or camera mirror

This renders the scene as seen from a virtual camera reflected in the mirror — useful for real-time mirror/reflection effects.

Use Cases

Common Applications

  • Real-time reflections: Render mirrored camera views for reflective surfaces
  • Symmetric projections: Mirror a calibrated Beamer for symmetric projection setups
  • Virtual mirrors: Create the illusion of mirrors in projection-mapped environments
  • Symmetric object placement: Position objects symmetrically across a plane

Transformation Pass

Execution Order

Like TfmLookAt, TfmMirror produces a transformation matrix that is detached from its transformation hierarchy. If other transformations depend on TfmMirror's result, they must execute in a later transformation pass.

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Last updated: 2025-12-01 | Edit this page on GitHub