From PixieWiki

[edit] ArchiveBegin / ArchiveEnd

By placing a section of RIB inbetween ArchiveBegin and ArchiveEnd you create a named resource which can be recalled within the same render. This allows you to place repeated sections of RIB in one section which can be included in multiple locations. The ReadArchive and DelayedReadArchive RIB requests can be used to recall a previously saved RIBlet.

ArchiveBegin "riblet.rib"
  Attribute "dice" "rasterorient" 0
  Attribute "cull" "backfacing" 0
  Attribute "cull" "hidden" 0
  Surface "complexShader" "lotsOfParams1" value1 "lotsOfParams2" value2 "lotsOfParams3" value3
ArchiveEnd
#...
ReadArchive "riblet.rib"
Sphere 1 -1 1 360
#...
ReadArchive "riblet.rib"
Sphere 1 -1 1 360

The saved RIBlet can also be recalled in RIB files that you ReadArchive - which allows RIB templating.

[edit] Resources

The new Resource RIB request allows selective saving and restoring of attributes fro within a RIB.

Resource "<name>" "<type>" "string operation" "<operation>"

or

Resource "<name>" "<type>" "string operation" "<operation>" "string subset" "<subset>"

Can be used to save and restore attributes to or from a named saved resource.

Operation can be:

"save

save the attributes to the named handle

"restore

restore the named attributes

Subset can be:

"shading"

The shaders, surface color, opacity, active lights, irradiance handle and photonmap settings

"geometrymodification"

Sidedness of geometry, and detail ruler settings (RiDetail)

"geometrydefinition"

patch basis and name identifier

"hiding"

hider settings

"transform"

restore the transform

"all"

all the above (default)

Additionally, ResourceBegin and ResourceEnd allow the scope of saved Resource sets to be controlled, which helps with pipelines which have many embedded ReadArchive calls in them.