The RAYZ API is as open as we could make it, so that RAYZ can be used by plugin developers as a platform to implement all kinds of image processing tasks, not just for compositing. Plugins can be written to create
Plugin nodes can be filters or source nodes (nodes that create images, such as the Gradient node). All of the RAYZ internal image operations are available to a plugin, and multiple operations can be chained together. For example, a plugin that will scale and rotate images can use the internal routines for these operations. This frees the plugin developer to concentrate on the unique aspects of the node design.
In addition to the RAYZ internal image operations, which do the actual work that modifies the image, all of the standard node interface elements, such as menus, buttons, and fields, are also available to use in plugin nodes.
Overlays are optional graphics displays that overlay the node image in the Viewer. An overlay can be an interactive widget used to control node parameters. You can create your own overlays or assign existing RAYZ overlay widgets to plugin nodes.
In addition, custom overlay plugins can be assigned to existing RAYZ nodes to add more interactive functionality or graphical feedback to them.
Extensive documentation of the RAYZ API is available in HTML format for plugin developers, along with examples. You can download the tar file from the Downloads section of the Silicon Grail website. Select the version that matches your platform, such as "sdk.linux.tar.gz."