Height to Normals node creates thin outline around the edges

[Defonten]

Hi, does anyone know why Height to Normals node creates thin outline around the edges? This is an issue for me cos then they create thin bump lines in areas where these normal maps meat. Here's the zoomed in example:

The heightmap I'm using is a 16bit single-channel grayscale map and it doesn't have any edges along its edges at all. Here's that same area in the heightmap:

(P.S. Of course I have TiIling turned off for all of my nodes.)

Is there any workaround for this? Thanks!

[Cyril Dellenbach]

Hello @Defonten,

What do you mean by "I have Tiling turned off for all of my nodes"? In order to avoid this kind of artifact, make sure the Tiling parameter in the nodes Properties is set to "H and V Tiling".

Best regards,

[Defonten]

@Cyril Dellenbach Well because I actually don't need that texture to be tiled to itself as it needs to be seamless with a series of different normal maps that Im generating off of other relevant heightmaps. 

By a series of maps I mean this cross-like cubemap layout where each of 6 maps represents single side of a cube-mapped planet. That's why it's important for me so that there's no outline along the edges of those maps.

By the way here's the source heightmap I'm using by the way. You can try it for yourself and see that it indeed produces thin 1pixel outline along the edges.

[Nitroleum]

Hi @Cyril Dellenbach, sorry for bothering, do you have any assumptions or thoughts on my previous post please?

[Nitroleum]

Hi @Cyril Dellenbach, sorry for bothering, do you have any assumptions or thoughts on my previous post please?

[Defonten]

Oops sorry for double posting above. 

[Cyril Dellenbach]

Hi @Defonten,

Sorry, I haven't had the time to investigate the issue, but it seems the problem comes from the map itself. I was able to reproduce with your shared image, but not with other maps.

I'll dig deeper and come back to you as soon as I have an answer.

Best regards,

[Cyril Dellenbach · Accepted solution]

Hello @Defonten,

I know Kirkr already helped with your issue (Thanks Kirkr by the way), but as I've investigated with the team, I wanted to keep you updated.

The problem partially comes from the Normal nodes. These nodes were buit for tiling maps and don't support the deactivation of H and V Tiling mode. Considering your map doesn't tile, it creates a one pixel line. An additionnal workaround to the one shared by Kirkr is to use the Distance node in order to dilate the texture on this pixel line.

Best regards,

[Defonten]

@Cyril Dellenbach Awesome this is a great and much simpler alternative actually! Thanks a lot!

[kirkr5689]

I always  had this issew too.  Since very beginning .   Tiling modes don't fix it .    I had to do my own node that copy /paste next row/column  of pixels  on top of that edge  pixel with pixprocessor .       Would be nice it it would be a part of  height to normal  by default .

[Defonten]

@kirkr5689 Sounds cool, could you share your pixel processor node for that or the workflow at least?

[kirkr5689 · Accepted solution]

Here is the pixel processor that fixes it . 

[Defonten]

Wow this is really great concept - I tried it on my 8K heightmap and it does help but.. not entirely - I mean you can still see the thin line there:

Before: 

After:

Can you please point me in the right direction which values should I change in order to have it fixed?

Here's the heightmap I'm using - link

[kirkr5689]

Here I added extra multiplier but remember it's just a quick  hack.     It copies  neighboring column /row of pixels toward the edge . Now it can do 2 or 3 pixels row  with the slider   but it makes other issues at the same time.       .   Perhaps It'spossible with loop node  to make same 1 pix shift many times  but I never tried.

[Defonten]

Great this is much better. Thanks for sharing man! You're the real saviour!