---
name: "RTCBufferType"
section: "3embree4"
platform: "linux"
package: "embree"
version: "4.4.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/RTCBufferType/3embree4"
---

# RTCBufferType(3embree4)

### NAME

-

  ```
  RTCFormat - specifies format of data in buffers
  ```

### SYNOPSIS

-

  ```
  #include <embree4/rtcore_ray.h>
  enum RTCBufferType
  {
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_INDEX            = 0,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX           = 1,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_ATTRIBUTE = 2,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_NORMAL           = 3,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_TANGENT          = 4,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_NORMAL_DERIVATIVE = 5,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_GRID                 = 8,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_FACE                 = 16,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_LEVEL                = 17,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_EDGE_CREASE_INDEX    = 18,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_EDGE_CREASE_WEIGHT   = 19,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_CREASE_INDEX  = 20,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_CREASE_WEIGHT = 21,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_HOLE                 = 22,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_TRANSFORM            = 23,
    RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_FLAGS = 32
  };
  ```

### DESCRIPTION

The `RTBufferType` structure defines slots to assign data buffers to using the \[rtcSetGeometryBuffer\], \[rtcSetSharedGeometryBuffer\], and \[rtcSetNewGeometryBuffer\] API calls.

For most geometry types the `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_INDEX` slot is used to assign an index buffer, while the `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX` is used to assign the corresponding vertex buffer.

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_ATTRIBUTE` slot can get used to assign arbitrary additional vertex data which can get interpolated using the \[rtcInterpolate\] API call.

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_NORMAL`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_TANGENT`, and `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_NORMAL_DERIVATIVE` are special buffers required to assign per vertex normals, tangents, and normal derivatives for some curve types.

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_GRID` buffer is used to assign the grid primitive buffer for grid geometries (see \[RTC\_GEOMETRY\_TYPE\_GRID\]).

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_FACE`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_LEVEL`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_EDGE_CREASE_INDEX`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_EDGE_CREASE_WEIGHT`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_CREASE_INDEX`, `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_VERTEX_CREASE_WEIGHT`, and `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_HOLE` are special buffers required to create subdivision meshes (see \[RTC\_GEOMETRY\_TYPE\_SUBDIVISION\]).

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_TRANSFORM` buffer is used to provide instance transformation information for instance array geometries (see \[RTC\_GEOMETRY\_TYPE\_INSTANCE\_ARRAY\]).

The `RTC_BUFFER_TYPE_FLAGS` can get used to add additional flag per primitive of a geometry, and is currently only used for linear curves.

### EXIT STATUS

### SEE ALSO

\[rtcSetGeometryBuffer\], \[rtcSetSharedGeometryBuffer\], \[rtcSetNewGeometryBuffer\]