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# IES_Sun : Light

    IES_Sun - superclass: light; super-superclass:node - classID:#(603881295, 114241513)

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Instances of the IES_Sun class are used to simulate natural sunlight.

NoteInstances of this class are usually created in the 3ds Max UI as part of the Daylight System .

Constructor

    IES_Sun...
    freeIesSun...

Properties

    <IES_Sun>.absoluteMapBias Boolean default: false -- animatable; boolean; Absolute_Bias

Enable/Disable the Absolute Shadow Map Bias.

    <IES_Sun>.affectDiffuse Boolean default: true -- boolean; Affect_Diffuse

Get/Set the state of the Diffuse checkbox under Advanced Effects > Affect Surfaces

    <IES_Sun>.affectSpecular Boolean default: true -- boolean; Affect_Specular

Get/Set the state of the Specular checkbox under Advanced Effects > Affect Surfaces

    <IES_Sun>.atmosColorAmt Float default: 100.0 -- animatable; percentage; Atmosphere_Color_Amount

Get/Set the Shadow Amount value under Shadow Parameters > Atmosphere Shadows. Controls how much of the atmosphere color is blended with the shadow color.

    <IES_Sun>.atmosOpacity Float default: 100.0 -- animatable; percentage; Atmosphere_Opacity

Get/Set the Opacity value under Shadow Parameters > Atmosphere Shadows

    <IES_Sun>.atmosShadows Boolean default: false -- boolean; Atmosphere_Shadows

Enable/Disable the On checkbox under Shadow Parameters > Atmosphere Shadows.

    <IES_Sun>.castShadows Boolean default: false -- boolean; Cast_Shadows

Enable/Disable the Shadow Casting.

    <IES_Sun>.contrast Float default: 0.0 -- animatable; percentage

Get/Set the Contrast value under Advanced Effects > Affect Surfaces

    <IES_Sun>.hasTarget Boolean default: true -- boolean; Has_Target

Get/Set the Target option. When set to true, the Sun will have target.

    <IES_Sun>.mapbias Float default: 1.0 -- animatable; float; Map_Bias

Get/Set the Shadow Map Bias.

    <IES_Sun>.mapsize Integer default: 512 -- animatable; integer; Map_Size

Get/Set the Shadow Map Size.

    <IES_Sun>.multiplier Float default: 80000.0 -- animatable; float

Get/Set the Light Intensity value.

    <IES_Sun>.on Boolean default: true -- boolean

Enable/Disable the Light.

    <IES_Sun>.rgb Color default: (color 255 242.25 229.5) -- animatable; RGB color

Get/Set the Light Color.

    <IES_Sun>.samplerange Float default: 4.0 -- animatable; float; Map_Range

Get/Set the Shadow Map Sample Range.

    <IES_Sun>.shadowMultiplier Float default: 1.0 -- animatable;float; Shadow_Density

Get/Set the Shadow Density value.

    <IES_Sun>.softenDiffuseEdge Float default: 50.0 -- animatable; percentage; Diffuse_Soften

Get/Set the Soften Diffuse Edge.Increasing the value of Soften Diffuse Edge softens the edge between the diffuse and ambient portions of a surface. This helps eliminate edges that can appear on a surface under certain circumstances.

    <IES_Sun>.targetDistance Float default: 240.0 -- animatable; float; Target_Distance

Get/Set the Target Distance.

    <IES_Sun>.twoSidedShadows Boolean default: false -- boolean

Get/Set the Two Sided Shadows option.When on, backfaces are not ignored when calculating shadows. Objects seen from the inside are not lit by lights from the outside. This costs a bit more render time. When off, backfaces are ignored. Rendering is quicker, but outside lights illuminate object interiors.

    <IES_Sun>.useGlobalShadowSettings BooleanClass default: false -- boolean; Use_Global_Shadow_Settings

When set to true , the global shadow settings will be used.

## IES_Sun interfaces:

    Interface:NaturalLightClass

Methods:

    <boolean>isSun()

Returns true if the list is a Sun light. In the case of IES_Sun , it will return true .

    <boolean>isSky()

Returns true if the list is a Sky light. In the case of IES_Sun , it will return false .

EXAMPLE:
    sun = freeIesSun()
    sun.NaturalLightClass.isSun()
    true
    sun.isSky()-- can be called without explicitly giving the interface name
    false

#### See Also

- IES_Sky : Light

- Node Common Properties, Operators, and Methods

- MAXWrapper Common Properties, Operators, and Methods

- Value Common Properties, Operators, and Methods