SlimDX shader compiler problem

Unless I'm reading this wrong, you're compiling shaders for vs/ps_2_0 and then the exact same shaders for vs/ps_3_0. (VertScene and PixScene)

Surely if you're using SM3.0 specific stuff in the vs/ps_3_0 version it should be compiling different shaders?

I had originally set it up to be flexible, test the capabilities of the card and load the appropriate technique. Here's the code I used for that:

effect = Effect.FromFile(dev, fullPathName, null, null, null, sf, null, out errors);

Version pv = caps.PixelShaderVersion;
Version vv = caps.VertexShaderVersion;
if ((pv < new Version(3, 0)) || (vv < new Version(3, 0)))
effect.Technique = "RenderScene_2_0";
else
effect.Technique = "RenderScene_3_0";

In that way, if someone runs the app with a card that doesn't support 3.0 or better, it still runs, albiet with less capability.

In any case, I also tried commenting out the 2_0 technique so there was nothing left but the 3_0, and the effect compiler still throws an unhandled exception at the same point.

???????????

Are you using some abs functions?
Because the preshader generation of the march 2009 hlsl compiler with abs functions is freaked up and won't be resolved till the june 2009 sdk.

Yes I was, in one place. So I removed the abs() function and handled it conditionally, but it still throws the same exception at the same place.

Quote:

Original post by ElectricMan Yes I was, in one place. So I removed the abs() function and handled it conditionally, but it still throws the same exception at the same place.

So, post up an example shader that crashes so I can test on my machine and figure out why. :)

Also, does FXC say anything notable about the shader? That seems to be helpful in narrowing down this type of problem.

I'm not very familiar with the fxc syntax. I did the following:

fxc /T vs_3_0 /E VertScene MainEffect.fx
and
fxc /T ps_3_0 /E PixScene MainEffect.fx

In both cases it spit out a lot of info and assembly code, but no error messages.

The shader itself is fairly straight forward, nothing fancy. But I couldn't figure out how to post it without just dumping it into this message. As soon as I figure that out I'll post it.

Here's the shader code:


//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Global variables
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//float fx_appTime; // App's time in seconds

texture fx_TexScene;

float4 fx_EyePos;

int fx_LightType;
//1 = Point, 2 = Spot, 3 = Directional
//the Spot light uses a simple cos(theta) falloff
float4 fx_LightPos;
//fx_LightDir must be normalized with fx_LightDir.w = 0
float4 fx_LightDir; //Light direction
float4 fx_LightDiffuse; // Light diffuse color
float4 fx_LightAmbient; // Light ambient color
float4 fx_LightSpecular; // Light specular color

float4 fx_matDiffuse; // Material diffuse color
float4 fx_matAmbient; // Material ambient color
float4 fx_matSpecular; // Material specular color
float4 fx_matEmissive; // Material Emissive color
float fx_matSpecSharpness; // Material diffuse color

float4x4 fx_mWorld; // World matrix for object
float4x4 fx_mViewProj; // View * Projection matrix
float4x4 fx_mWorldViewProj; // World * View * Projection matrix

sampler g_samScene =
sampler_state
{
Texture = ;
MinFilter = Linear;
MagFilter = Linear;
MipFilter = Linear;
};

void VertScene( float4 inPos : POSITION,
float3 inNormal : NORMAL,
float2 inTex : TEXCOORD0,
out float4 outPos : POSITION,
out float2 outTex : TEXCOORD0,
out float4 outColor : COLOR0 )
{
outPos = mul( inPos, fx_mWorldViewProj );

//position in View space
float4 viewPos = mul(inPos, fx_mWorld);

//Normal in View space
float3 viewNorm = normalize( mul( inNormal, (float3x3)fx_mWorld ) );

float falloff;
float4 v_LightRay;

if (fx_LightType == 1) //Point
{
v_LightRay = viewPos - fx_LightPos;
//v_LightRay.w = 0;
v_LightRay = normalize(v_LightRay);
falloff = 1.0f;
}
else if (fx_LightType == 2) //Spot
{
v_LightRay = viewPos - fx_LightPos;
//v_LightRay.w = 0;
v_LightRay = normalize(v_LightRay);
falloff = dot(v_LightRay, fx_LightDir);
}
else if (fx_LightType == 3) //Directional
{
v_LightRay = fx_LightDir;
//v_LightRay.w = 0;
falloff = 1.0f;
}

//cosine of angle between viewNorm and I (incident light)
float cosI = dot( (float3)viewNorm, -v_LightRay );

float4 viewEye = normalize(fx_EyePos - viewPos);
float4 viewHalf = normalize(viewEye - v_LightRay);

//tried this and it doesn't make a difference
// float3 viewEye = normalize((float3)fx_EyePos - (float3)viewPos);
// float3 viewHalf = normalize((float3)viewEye - (float3)fx_LightDir );

//cosine of angle between viewNorm and viewHalf
//need to handle negative values
float cosHalf = max(0, dot( (float3)viewNorm, viewHalf ));
//This matches the Phong and DirectX lighting more closely
// float specFactor = pow(cosHalf, fx_matSpecSharpness);

//This is more accurate
//cosine of angle between viewEye and R (specular reflection)
float cosDel = 2.0 * pow(cosHalf, 2) - 1.0;
float specFactor = falloff * pow(cosHalf, fx_matSpecSharpness);

//float diffFactor = max( 0, cosI );
float diffFactor = falloff * cosI ;
outColor = saturate(fx_matEmissive +
fx_matAmbient * fx_LightAmbient +
fx_matSpecular * fx_LightSpecular * specFactor +
fx_matDiffuse * fx_LightDiffuse * diffFactor);

outTex = inTex;
}


float4 PixScene( float2 Tex : TEXCOORD0,
float4 Color : COLOR0 ) : COLOR0
{
return tex2D( g_samScene, Tex ) * Color;
}


//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Techniques
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
technique RenderScene_2_0
{
pass P0
{
VertexShader = compile vs_2_0 VertScene();
PixelShader = compile ps_2_0 PixScene();
}
}

technique RenderScene_3_0
{
pass P0
{
VertexShader = compile vs_3_0 VertScene();
PixelShader = compile ps_3_0 PixScene();
}
}

Tried on my engine and it compile and work without any problem in either HLSL 2_0 and 3_0...

I set up a very simple D3DX app. It doesn't use the SampleFramework, just creates a device, loads the effect, then goes into an empty Application.Idle loop. Loading the effect still threw the same unhandled exception.

feal87: did you remember to remove the comment markers from around the RenderScene_3_0 technique? If so, are you using the latest release of SlimDX (March 2009)?

Quote:

Original post by ElectricMan I set up a very simple D3DX app. It doesn't use the SampleFramework, just creates a device, loads the effect, then goes into an empty Application.Idle loop. Loading the effect still threw the same unhandled exception. feal87: did you remember to remove the comment markers from around the RenderScene_3_0 technique? If so, are you using the latest release of SlimDX (March 2009)?

Tried again, it was like i said in the first post.
It work fine in my engine because i'm using the NO_PRESHADER flag. It is a bug of the March 2009 compiler and will be resolved in the June 2009 SDK. Try it with that flag and tell me...

feal87:

Thanks. The NoPreshader flag cleared it up. I really appreciate your help.