---
title: "Pyro Output"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/OPYRO.html"
section_path: "Configuration > Scene > Pyro Output"
element_id: "OPYRO"
command_id: "1059580"
description: "Pyro Output What is it about? This page documents the Pyro Output object in Cinema 4D. Created automatically with the first Pyro tag, it computes the fire …"
---

# Pyro Output

> **Note:** **What is it about?**
>
> This page documents the **Pyro Output object** in **Cinema 4D**. Created automatically with the first Pyro tag, it computes the fire and smoke simulation and manages RAM and .vdb caches — the control center for baking and reusing Pyro results.

You need the settings on this object to calculate the actual fire and smoke simulation. The [Pyro Emitter tag](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/TPYRO.html.md), or the identical [Pyro Fuel tag](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/PYRO_FUEL_TAG.html.md), provide all important settings for the Emitter. The *Pyro Output object* is automatically created when the first [Pyro Emitter tag](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/TPYRO.html.md) or [Pyro Fuel tag](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/PYRO_FUEL_TAG.html.md) is created and provides functions for calculating a RAM cache or saving and loading .vdb cache files, among others. The actual settings for the Pyro simulation calculation can be found in the *Simulation/Pyro* tab of the **Project Settings**). You can also find these settings linked in the *Pyro Scene tab*of the *Pyro Output object* or - as an independent instance - also with the *Simulation Scene object*.

Linking the *Pyro presets* from the *Project Settings* to the *Pyro Output object* makes it possible to have several *Pyro Output objects* in the scene and, for example, to create different caches of the same simulation. On the introduction page to the Pyro Simulation System you will find an example of this at [here](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/GETTING_STARTED_WITH_PYRO_SIMULATION.html.md).

> **Tip:** Note:In the scene, [Simulation Scene objects](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/OPBDSCENE.html.md) can also be used to activate multiple **Pyro Scene** settings at the same time and assign them to individual Pyro tags, for example, to use different simulation settings on the pyro Emitters in the scene. [Here](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/OPBDSCENE-PBDSCENE_GROUP_SCENEPROPERTIES.html.md) you can find an example of this.\
> Simulation Scene objects also offer the Pyro settings described here directly on the object as a tab. However, these settings are then independent of the Project Settings.

As mentioned earlier, the *Pyro Output object* can also save the simulations to a .vdb cache file, which can then be used for rendering or further processing in other programs. Likewise, the *Pyro Output object* can have the simulation saved to RAM, which then allows rendering in the viewports or even in the *Redshift RenderView* or *Picture Viewer* without first saving the simulation as a cache.

The relationship between the Pyro tags, Pyro Output objects, and Pyro Scene settings and the final rendering therefore looks like this:

- Select the object (often a polygon object or spline object) that will serve as the Emitter for the simulation and assign the *Pyro Emitter tag* or *Pyro Fuel tag* to this object.
- Use the settings on the *Pyro Emitter* or *Pyro Fuel tag* and the **Pyro Scene settings** linked on the *Pyro Output object* to set up the simulation.
- In the editor, a meaningful preview of the simulation is already displayed when the animation is played. Be sure to use a shaded display mode, such as *Constant Shading*, *Quick Shading*, or *Gouraud Shading*.
- To render the simulation directly in the viewports, at least switch the *Density* and *Temperature* options on the *Pyro Output object* to **On** or **On Export** and then run the simulation over time. Each simulated frame is thus also stored in RAM and can be rendered, provided that, for example, a *Redshift Pyro Volume material* has been assigned to the *Pyro Output object*.\
  The difference between **On Export** and**On** is that Pyro components marked **On** can also be combined with generators in the *Object Manager*. For example, these properties can then also be meshed directly by grouping the *Pyro Output object* under a *Volume Builder*.
- Make sure that Redshift is enabled as active *Renderer* in the *Render Settings*, and then have a *Pyro Volume material* created (e.g., in the *Material Manager* via *Create>Redshift>Materials>Pyro Volume*). Assign this material directly to the *Pyro Output object*. Since the simulation channels for density and temperature are already entered correctly in this material, it is now possible to render directly with Redshift.
- Important: The simulation cached in RAM is not saved with the scene. After reopening this scene, the cache must therefore be created again by playing the animation. To avoid this, the cache can also be saved. This is detailed in the following section and generally recommended for rendering Pyro simulations.

A second variant looks like this:

- Assign a *Pyro Emitter tag* to an object and configure the simulation there and in the **Pyro Scene settings**of the *Pyro Output object* according to your wishes, as it was also described above. Examine the preview of the simulation in the Viewport.
- When you are satisfied with the simulation, you can also use the *Pyro Output object* to have cache files saved for the required components of the simulation (for example, for the *Density* and *Temperature* of the simulation) by selecting these properties with **On Export** and then using the **Cache** button in the object's *Cache* settings. This means that this simulation can, for example, also be used later in other projects or even in other 3D programs that can handle simulation data.
- In the *Render Settings*, check that Redshift is enabled as a renderer so that you can create the required volume materials (e.g., in the *Material Manager* via *Create>Materials>Pyro Volume*) and also have access to the *RS Volume*object if required.
- The *Pyro Emitter tag* can then be disabled. The simulation is automatically loaded from the cache files by the *Pyro Output object*. Accordingly, this object can then also be assigned, for example, the *Redshift Pyro Volume* material for rendering.
- Alternatively, you can omit the *Pyro Output object* and the *Pyro Emitter tag* altogether and instead use, for example, the *RS Volume* object from the *Volume* menu to load the simulation, which then also has to be assigned the *Redshift Volume* or *Redshift Pyro Volume material*.
- When using the *Redshift Volume object*, enter the storage path to the .vdb cache file there. Since this will usually be a sequence of files, define only the first cache file of the sequence here and also enter the correct frame rate and number of files.
- Make sure that the names of the simulation channels from the cache file are entered correctly in the *Redshift Volume materials* used, e.g., 'density' and 'temperature'. The available channels of the loaded cache file can be read directly in the *Information area*of the *RS Volume object*.
- From this moment on, you can render the simulation or elaborate the representation of the simulation using the Volume material.

> **Tip:** Note:Here you will find an [introduction and overview page](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/GETTING_STARTED_WITH_PYRO_SIMULATION.html.md) for simulating smoke, flames and explosions with Pyro.