Release v2.4.b is out with improved shader reflection, pipeline resource layouts and more

This release improves pipeline state resource layout definition – variable types and static samplers are now defined during PSO initialization rather than shader creation. This release also introduces new Module – DiligentFX, a high-level renderer as well as Tutorial12 – Render Target, features improved OpenGLES3.0 support and more.

Full Release Notes:

General

• Added cmake options to disable specific back-ends and glslang
• Improved engine support of GLES3.0 devices
• Added new module – DiligentFX, a high-level rendering framework
  • Reworked light scattering post-processing effect to be ready-to-use component

API changes

• Updated

  IRenderDevice::CreateTexture()

    and

  IRenderDevice::CreateBuffer()

    to take pointer to initialization data rather than references.
• Added LayoutElement::AutoOffset and LayoutElement::AutoOffset values to use instead of 0 when automatically computing input layout elements offset and strides.
• Renamed factory interfaces and headers:

  • IRenderDeviceFactoryD3D11

      ->

    IEngineFactoryD3D11

     , RenderDeviceFactoryD3D11.h -> EngineFactoryD3D11.h

  • IRenderDeviceFactoryD3D12

     ->

    IEngineFactoryD3D12

     , RenderDeviceFactoryD3D12.h -> EngineFactoryD3D12.h

  • IRenderDeviceFactoryOpenGL

     ->

    IEngineFactoryOpenGL

     , RenderDeviceFactoryOpenGL.h -> EngineFactoryOpenGL.h

  • IRenderDeviceFactoryVk

     ->

    IEngineFactoryVk

     , RenderDeviceFactoryVk.h -> EngineFactoryVk.h

  • IRenderDeviceFactoryMtl

     ->

    IEngineFactoryMtl

     , RenderDeviceFactoryMtl.h -> EngineFactoryMtl.h
• Renamed

  IShaderVariable

   ->

  IShaderResourceVariable

• Renamed

  SHADER_VARIABLE_TYPE

   ->

  SHADER_RESOURCE_VARIABLE_TYPE

• Renamed

  ShaderVariableDesc

   ->

  ShaderResourceVariableDesc

• Added

  SHADER_RESOURCE_TYPE

   enum
• Moved shader variable type and static sampler definition from shader creation to PSO creation stage:
  • Removed

    IShader::GetVariable

     ,

    IShader::GetVariableCount

     , and

    IShader::BindResources

      methods
  • Added

    IPipelineState::BindStaticResoruces

     ,

    IPipelineState::BindStaticResoruces

     ,

    IPipelineState::GetStaticVariableCount

    , and

    IPipelineState::GetStaticShaderVariable

      methods
  • Added

    PipelineResourceLayoutDesc

     structure and

    ResourceLayout

     member to

    PipelineStateDesc

• Added

  ShaderResourceDesc

    structure
• Added

  IShader::GetResourceCount

    and

  IShader::GetResource

    methods
• Replaced

  IShaderVariable::GetArraySize

   and

  IShaderVariable::GetName

    methods with

  IShaderResourceVariable::GetResourceDesc

    method
• Added

  HLSLShaderResourceDesc

   structure as well as

  IShaderResourceVariableD3D

    and

  IShaderResourceVariableD3D

    interfaces to query HLSL-specific shader resource description (shader register)
• With the new API, shader initialization and pipeline state creation changed as shown below.

Old API:

RefCntAutoPtr<IShader> pVS;
{
    CreationAttribs.Desc.ShaderType = SHADER_TYPE_VERTEX;
    CreationAttribs.EntryPoint = "main";
    CreationAttribs.Desc.Name  = "Cube VS";
    CreationAttribs.FilePath   = "cube.vsh";
    pDevice->CreateShader(CreationAttribs, &pVS);
    pVS->GetShaderVariable("Constants")->Set(m_VSConstants);
}
RefCntAutoPtr<IShader> pPS;
{
    CreationAttribs.Desc.ShaderType = SHADER_TYPE_PIXEL;
    CreationAttribs.EntryPoint = "main";
    CreationAttribs.Desc.Name  = "Cube PS";
    CreationAttribs.FilePath   = "cube.psh";
    ShaderVariableDesc Vars[] = 
    {
        {"g_Texture", SHADER_VARIABLE_TYPE_MUTABLE}
    };
    CreationAttribs.Desc.VariableDesc = Vars;
    CreationAttribs.Desc.NumVariables = _countof(Vars);

    SamplerDesc SamLinearClampDesc( FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, 
                                    TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP, TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP, TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP);
    StaticSamplerDesc StaticSamplers[] = 
    {
        {"g_Texture", SamLinearClampDesc}
    };
    CreationAttribs.Desc.StaticSamplers = StaticSamplers;
    CreationAttribs.Desc.NumStaticSamplers = _countof(StaticSamplers);

    pDevice->CreateShader(CreationAttribs, &pPS);
}
// ...
pDevice->CreatePipelineState(PSODesc, &m_pPSO);

New API:

RefCntAutoPtr<IShader> pVS;
{
    ShaderCI.Desc.ShaderType = SHADER_TYPE_VERTEX;
    ShaderCI.EntryPoint      = "main";
    ShaderCI.Desc.Name       = "Cube VS";
    ShaderCI.FilePath        = "cube.vsh";
    pDevice->CreateShader(ShaderCI, &pVS);
}
RefCntAutoPtr<IShader> pVS;
{
    ShaderCI.Desc.ShaderType = SHADER_TYPE_VERTEX;
    ShaderCI.EntryPoint      = "main";
    ShaderCI.Desc.Name       = "Cube VS";
    ShaderCI.FilePath        = "cube.vsh";
    pDevice->CreateShader(ShaderCI, &pVS);
}
// ...
ShaderResourceVariableDesc Vars[] = 
{
    {SHADER_TYPE_PIXEL, "g_Texture", SHADER_RESOURCE_VARIABLE_TYPE_MUTABLE}
};
PSODesc.ResourceLayout.Variables    = Vars;
PSODesc.ResourceLayout.NumVariables = _countof(Vars);

// Define static sampler for g_Texture. Static samplers should be used whenever possible
SamplerDesc SamLinearClampDesc( FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, FILTER_TYPE_LINEAR, 
                                TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP, TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP, TEXTURE_ADDRESS_CLAMP);
StaticSamplerDesc StaticSamplers[] = 
{
    {SHADER_TYPE_PIXEL, "g_Texture", SamLinearClampDesc}
};
PSODesc.ResourceLayout.StaticSamplers    = StaticSamplers;
PSODesc.ResourceLayout.NumStaticSamplers = _countof(StaticSamplers);

pDevice->CreatePipelineState(PSODesc, &m_pPSO);
m_pPSO->GetStaticShaderVariable(SHADER_TYPE_VERTEX, "Constants")->Set(m_VSConstants);

Samples and Tutorials

1. Added Tutorial12 – Render Target (credits to dolphineye for contribution)