From 0c07ee2fd43ff4fce825a380db3a1596562a43d6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Noeri Huisman <8823461+mrxz@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2025 23:54:50 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Use child mesh in `SplatMesh` to auto-inject `SparkRenderer`
 instead of monkey-patching (#158)

---
 examples/editor/index.html              |  1 +
 examples/envmap/index.html              |  1 +
 examples/multiple-viewpoints/index.html |  1 +
 src/SparkRenderer.ts                    | 44 -------------------------
 src/SplatMesh.ts                        | 39 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 5 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 44 deletions(-)

diff --git a/examples/editor/index.html b/examples/editor/index.html
index 946ab9d..fc5a851 100644
--- a/examples/editor/index.html
+++ b/examples/editor/index.html
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
     const canvas = document.getElementById("canvas");
     const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ canvas });
     const spark = new SparkRenderer({ renderer });
+    scene.add(spark);
 
     function handleResize() {
       const width = canvas.clientWidth;
diff --git a/examples/envmap/index.html b/examples/envmap/index.html
index 60c08a3..b260e1f 100644
--- a/examples/envmap/index.html
+++ b/examples/envmap/index.html
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 
     // Explicitly create a SparkRenderer to render environment maps
     const spark = new SparkRenderer({ renderer });
+    scene.add(spark);
 
     const splatURL = await getAssetFileURL("fireplace.spz");
     const packedSplats = new PackedSplats({ url: splatURL });
diff --git a/examples/multiple-viewpoints/index.html b/examples/multiple-viewpoints/index.html
index c3ff97e..90984c2 100644
--- a/examples/multiple-viewpoints/index.html
+++ b/examples/multiple-viewpoints/index.html
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 
     // Explicitly create a SparkRenderer in the scene to spawn new viewpoints
     const spark = new SparkRenderer({ renderer });
+    scene.add(spark);
 
     const splatURL = await getAssetFileURL("butterfly.spz");
     const butterfly = new SplatMesh({ url: splatURL });
diff --git a/src/SparkRenderer.ts b/src/SparkRenderer.ts
index 6562ec3..226aef8 100644
--- a/src/SparkRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/SparkRenderer.ts
@@ -40,48 +40,6 @@ import {
 // of 5 to avoid excessive memory usage.
 const MAX_ACCUMULATORS = 5;
 
-// Scene.onBeforeRender monkey-patch to
-// inject a SparkRenderer into a scene with SplatMeshes if there isn't
-// one already. Restore original Scene.onBeforeRenderer and Scene.add when done.
-let hasSplatMesh = false;
-let hasSparkRenderer = false;
-
-let sparkRendererInstance: SparkRenderer;
-
-function containsSplatMesh(object3D: THREE.Object3D) {
-  let hasSplatMesh = false;
-  if (object3D instanceof SplatMesh) {
-    return true;
-  }
-  object3D.traverse((child: THREE.Object3D) => {
-    hasSplatMesh = hasSplatMesh || child instanceof SplatMesh;
-  });
-  return hasSplatMesh;
-}
-
-const sceneAdd = THREE.Scene.prototype.add;
-THREE.Scene.prototype.add = function (object: THREE.Object3D) {
-  hasSplatMesh = hasSplatMesh || containsSplatMesh(object);
-  hasSparkRenderer = hasSparkRenderer || object instanceof SparkRenderer;
-  sceneAdd.call(this, object);
-  return this;
-};
-
-const sceneOnBeforeRender = THREE.Scene.prototype.onBeforeRender;
-THREE.Scene.prototype.onBeforeRender = function (
-  renderer: THREE.WebGLRenderer,
-) {
-  if (!hasSplatMesh) {
-    return;
-  }
-  if (!hasSparkRenderer) {
-    const spark = sparkRendererInstance || new SparkRenderer({ renderer });
-    this.add(spark);
-  }
-  THREE.Scene.prototype.onBeforeRender = sceneOnBeforeRender;
-  THREE.Scene.prototype.add = sceneAdd;
-};
-
 export type SparkRendererOptions = {
   /**
    * Pass in your THREE.WebGLRenderer instance so Spark can perform work
@@ -368,8 +326,6 @@ export class SparkRenderer extends THREE.Mesh {
     this.prepareViewpoint(this.viewpoint);
 
     this.clock = options.clock ? cloneClock(options.clock) : new THREE.Clock();
-
-    sparkRendererInstance = this;
   }
 
   static makeUniforms() {
diff --git a/src/SplatMesh.ts b/src/SplatMesh.ts
index 2940b16..3ab66cf 100644
--- a/src/SplatMesh.ts
+++ b/src/SplatMesh.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   type SplatEncoding,
 } from "./PackedSplats";
 import { type RgbaArray, readRgbaArray } from "./RgbaArray";
+import { SparkRenderer } from "./SparkRenderer";
 import { SplatEdit, SplatEditSdf, SplatEdits } from "./SplatEdit";
 import {
   type GsplatModifier,
@@ -235,6 +236,8 @@ export class SplatMesh extends SplatGenerator {
         }
       }
     }
+
+    this.add(createRendererDetectionMesh());
   }
 
   async asyncInitialize(options: SplatMeshOptions) {
@@ -933,3 +936,39 @@ export function evaluateSH3(
       `),
   }).outputs.rgb;
 }
+
+const EMPTY_GEOMETRY = new THREE.BufferGeometry();
+const EMPTY_MATERIAL = new THREE.ShaderMaterial();
+
+// Creates an empty mesh to hook into Three.js rendering.
+// This is used to detect if a SparkRenderer is present in the scene.
+// If not, one will be injected automatically.
+function createRendererDetectionMesh(): THREE.Mesh {
+  const mesh = new THREE.Mesh(EMPTY_GEOMETRY, EMPTY_MATERIAL);
+  mesh.frustumCulled = false;
+  mesh.onBeforeRender = function (renderer, scene) {
+    if (!scene.isScene) {
+      // The SplatMesh is part of render call that doesn't have a Scene at its root
+      // Don't auto-inject a renderer.
+      this.removeFromParent();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Check if the scene has a SparkRenderer instance
+    let hasSparkRenderer = false;
+    scene.traverse((c) => {
+      if (c instanceof SparkRenderer) {
+        hasSparkRenderer = true;
+      }
+    });
+
+    if (!hasSparkRenderer) {
+      // No spark renderer present in the scene, inject one.
+      scene.add(new SparkRenderer({ renderer }));
+    }
+
+    // Remove mesh to stop checking
+    this.removeFromParent();
+  };
+  return mesh;
+}