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.. DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE, but the VisualInstance.xml source instead.
.. The source is found in doc/classes or modules/<name>/doc_classes.

.. _class_VisualInstance:

VisualInstance
==============

**Inherits:** :ref:`CullInstance<class_CullInstance>` **<** :ref:`Spatial<class_Spatial>` **<** :ref:`Node<class_Node>` **<** :ref:`Object<class_Object>`

**Inherited By:** :ref:`BakedLightmap<class_BakedLightmap>`, :ref:`GIProbe<class_GIProbe>`, :ref:`GeometryInstance<class_GeometryInstance>`, :ref:`Light<class_Light>`, :ref:`ReflectionProbe<class_ReflectionProbe>`, :ref:`RootMotionView<class_RootMotionView>`

Parent of all visual 3D nodes.

Description
-----------

The ``VisualInstance`` is used to connect a resource to a visual representation. All visual 3D nodes inherit from the ``VisualInstance``. In general, you should not access the ``VisualInstance`` properties directly as they are accessed and managed by the nodes that inherit from ``VisualInstance``. ``VisualInstance`` is the node representation of the :ref:`VisualServer<class_VisualServer>` instance.

Properties
----------

+-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+-------+
| :ref:`int<class_int>` | :ref:`layers<class_VisualInstance_property_layers>` | ``1`` |
+-----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+-------+

Methods
-------

+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` | :ref:`get_aabb<class_VisualInstance_method_get_aabb>` **(** **)** |const|                                                                          |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`RID<class_RID>`   | :ref:`get_base<class_VisualInstance_method_get_base>` **(** **)** |const|                                                                          |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`RID<class_RID>`   | :ref:`get_instance<class_VisualInstance_method_get_instance>` **(** **)** |const|                                                                  |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`bool<class_bool>` | :ref:`get_layer_mask_bit<class_VisualInstance_method_get_layer_mask_bit>` **(** :ref:`int<class_int>` layer **)** |const|                          |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` | :ref:`get_transformed_aabb<class_VisualInstance_method_get_transformed_aabb>` **(** **)** |const|                                                  |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| void                    | :ref:`set_base<class_VisualInstance_method_set_base>` **(** :ref:`RID<class_RID>` base **)**                                                       |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| void                    | :ref:`set_layer_mask_bit<class_VisualInstance_method_set_layer_mask_bit>` **(** :ref:`int<class_int>` layer, :ref:`bool<class_bool>` enabled **)** |
+-------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Property Descriptions
---------------------

.. _class_VisualInstance_property_layers:

- :ref:`int<class_int>` **layers**

+-----------+-----------------------+
| *Default* | ``1``                 |
+-----------+-----------------------+
| *Setter*  | set_layer_mask(value) |
+-----------+-----------------------+
| *Getter*  | get_layer_mask()      |
+-----------+-----------------------+

The render layer(s) this ``VisualInstance`` is drawn on.

This object will only be visible for :ref:`Camera<class_Camera>`\ s whose cull mask includes the render object this ``VisualInstance`` is set to.

Method Descriptions
-------------------

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_get_aabb:

- :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` **get_aabb** **(** **)** |const|

Returns the :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` (also known as the bounding box) for this ``VisualInstance``. See also :ref:`get_transformed_aabb<class_VisualInstance_method_get_transformed_aabb>`.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_get_base:

- :ref:`RID<class_RID>` **get_base** **(** **)** |const|

Returns the RID of the resource associated with this ``VisualInstance``. For example, if the Node is a :ref:`MeshInstance<class_MeshInstance>`, this will return the RID of the associated :ref:`Mesh<class_Mesh>`.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_get_instance:

- :ref:`RID<class_RID>` **get_instance** **(** **)** |const|

Returns the RID of this instance. This RID is the same as the RID returned by :ref:`VisualServer.instance_create<class_VisualServer_method_instance_create>`. This RID is needed if you want to call :ref:`VisualServer<class_VisualServer>` functions directly on this ``VisualInstance``.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_get_layer_mask_bit:

- :ref:`bool<class_bool>` **get_layer_mask_bit** **(** :ref:`int<class_int>` layer **)** |const|

Returns ``true`` when the specified layer is enabled in :ref:`layers<class_VisualInstance_property_layers>` and ``false`` otherwise.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_get_transformed_aabb:

- :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` **get_transformed_aabb** **(** **)** |const|

Returns the transformed :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` (also known as the bounding box) for this ``VisualInstance``.

Transformed in this case means the :ref:`AABB<class_AABB>` plus the position, rotation, and scale of the :ref:`Spatial<class_Spatial>`'s :ref:`Transform<class_Transform>`. See also :ref:`get_aabb<class_VisualInstance_method_get_aabb>`.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_set_base:

- void **set_base** **(** :ref:`RID<class_RID>` base **)**

Sets the resource that is instantiated by this ``VisualInstance``, which changes how the engine handles the ``VisualInstance`` under the hood. Equivalent to :ref:`VisualServer.instance_set_base<class_VisualServer_method_instance_set_base>`.

----

.. _class_VisualInstance_method_set_layer_mask_bit:

- void **set_layer_mask_bit** **(** :ref:`int<class_int>` layer, :ref:`bool<class_bool>` enabled **)**

Enables a particular layer in :ref:`layers<class_VisualInstance_property_layers>`.

.. |virtual| replace:: :abbr:`virtual (This method should typically be overridden by the user to have any effect.)`
.. |const| replace:: :abbr:`const (This method has no side effects. It doesn't modify any of the instance's member variables.)`
.. |vararg| replace:: :abbr:`vararg (This method accepts any number of arguments after the ones described here.)`