Create a render graph system texture

You can create a render graph texture in a custom render pass. You can then read from or write to the texture.

When the Universal Render Pipeline (URP) optimizes the render graph, it might not create a texture if the final frame doesn't use the texture, to reduce the memory and bandwidth the render passes use. Refer to Introduction to the render graph system for more information.

If you need to use a texture in multiple frames or on multiple cameras, for example a texture asset you imported in your project, refer to Import a texture into the render graph system.

Create a texture

To create a texture, in the RecordRenderGraph method of your ScriptableRenderPass class, follow these steps:

  1. Create a RenderTextureDescriptor object with the texture properties you need.
  2. Use the UniversalRenderer.CreateRenderGraphTexture method to create a texture and return a texture handle.

For example, the following creates a texture the same size as the screen.

RenderTextureDescriptor textureProperties = new RenderTextureDescriptor(Screen.width, Screen.height, RenderTextureFormat.Default, 0);
TextureHandle textureHandle = UniversalRenderer.CreateRenderGraphTexture(renderGraph, textureProperties, "My texture", false);

You can then use the texture in the same custom render pass.

Only the current camera can access the texture. To access the texture somewhere else, for example from another camera or in custom rendering code, import a texture instead.

The render graph system manages the lifetime of textures you create with CreateRenderGraphTexture, so you don't need to manually release the memory they use when you're finished with them.

Example

The following Scriptable Renderer Feature contains an example render pass that creates a texture and clears it to yellow. Refer to Inject a pass using a Scriptable Renderer Feature for instructions on how to add the render pass to a project.

Use the Frame Debugger to check the texture the render pass adds.

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Rendering.Universal;
using UnityEngine.Rendering.RenderGraphModule;
using UnityEngine.Rendering;

public class CreateYellowTextureFeature : ScriptableRendererFeature
{
    CreateYellowTexture customPass;

    public override void Create()
    {
        customPass = new CreateYellowTexture();
        customPass.renderPassEvent = RenderPassEvent.AfterRenderingPostProcessing;
    }

    public override void AddRenderPasses(ScriptableRenderer renderer, ref RenderingData renderingData)
    {
        renderer.EnqueuePass(customPass);
    }

    class CreateYellowTexture : ScriptableRenderPass
    {
        class PassData
        {
            internal TextureHandle cameraColorTexture;
        }

        public override void RecordRenderGraph(RenderGraph renderGraph, ContextContainer frameContext)
        {
            using (var builder = renderGraph.AddRasterRenderPass<PassData>("Create yellow texture", out var passData))
            {
                // Create texture properties that match the screen size
                RenderTextureDescriptor textureProperties = new RenderTextureDescriptor(Screen.width, Screen.height, RenderTextureFormat.Default, 0);

                // Create a temporary texture
                TextureHandle texture = UniversalRenderer.CreateRenderGraphTexture(renderGraph, textureProperties, "My texture", false);

                // Set the texture as the render target
                builder.SetRenderAttachment(texture, 0, AccessFlags.Write);
    
                builder.AllowPassCulling(false);

                builder.SetRenderFunc((PassData data, RasterGraphContext context) => ExecutePass(data, context));
            }
        }

        static void ExecutePass(PassData data, RasterGraphContext context)
        {          
            // Clear the render target to yellow
            context.cmd.ClearRenderTarget(true, true, Color.yellow);            
        }
    }

}

Additional resources