GLSL MAT

Summary

The GLSL MAT allows you to write or import custom materials into TouchDesigner. When there are compile errors in a GLSL shader, a blue/red checkerboard error shader will be displayed.

For more information on writing a shader, see Write a GLSL Material, and the GLSL Category.

glslMAT_Class

Parameters - Load Page

GLSL Version glslversion - ⊞ - Pick what version of GLSL to compile the shader with.

1.20 glsl120 -

3.30 glsl330 -

4.00 glsl400 -

4.10 glsl410 -

4.20 glsl420 -

4.30 glsl430 -

4.40 glsl440 -

4.50 glsl450 -

4.60 glsl460 -

Preprocess Directives predat - Use this DAT to place preprocessor directives at the start of your shader, such as #extension. This is required since these need to be the first lines in the shader, and TouchDesigner will be adding code to the start of your shader to declare uniforms/functions which would appear before #extension directives located in the main shader.

Vertex Shader vdat - Path to the DAT that holds the vertex shader code.

Pixel Shader pdat - Path to the DAT that holds the pixel shader code.

Load Uniform Names loaduniformnames - This will read all the declared (and used) uniforms in the compiled GLSL shader, and fill in the various name fields for the uniform parameters.

Clear Uniform Names clearuniformnames - This will clear all of the name fields for the uniform parameters.

Geometry Shader gdat - Path to the DAT that holds the geometry shader code.

Inherit Uniforms/Samplers from inherit - This Material will inherit all of the Textures and Uniforms from the GLSL Material referenced in this parameter.

Lighting Space lightingspace - ⊞ - Allows lighting space switch from the current default World Space to legacy Camera Space which was used for TouchDesigner 088.

World Space worldspace -

Camera Space (Legacy 088 shaders) cameraspace -

Input Primitive Type inprim - ⊞ - The type of geometry that will be inputed into the Geometry Shader.

Points points -

Lines lines -

Triangles triangles -

Output Primitive Type outprim - ⊞ - The type of geometry that the Geometry Shader will output.

Points points -

Line Strip linestrip -

Triangle Strip tristrip -

Num Output Vertices numout - The maximum number of vertices the Geometry Shader will output.

Two Sided Coloring twocolor - Enables support for two-sided coloring. When this is enabled the Vertex and/or Geometry shader can write to gl_FrontColor, gl_BackColor, gl_FrontSecondaryColor and gl_BackSecondaryColor and the correct color will be placed into gl_Color and gl_SecondaryColor in the Pixel shader depending on if the primitive's front face or back face is facing the camera. When this is disabled the values placed into gl_FrontColor and gl_FrontSecondaryColor are passed to gl_Color and gl_SecondaryColor regardless of which side of the primitive is facing the camera.

Parameters - Attributes Page

Attribute attr - A sequence of attributes that should be made accesible in the shader. In the past these would be manually declared inside the shader, but to add support for POP based workflows, they need to be setup via these parameters instead. You can access the shaders using TDAttrib_<attribName>().

Name attr0name - The name to give the attribute.

Type attr0type - ⊞ - The type, both vector size as well as if it's a float, double (d), integer (i), or unsigned integer (u).

float float -

vec2 vec2 -

vec3 vec3 -

vec4 vec4 -

double double -

dvec2 dvec2 -

dvec3 dvec3 -

dvec4 dvec4 -

int int -

ivec2 ivec2 -

ivec3 ivec3 -

ivec4 ivec4 -

uint uint -

uvec2 uvec2 -

uvec3 uvec3 -

uvec4 uvec4 -

Array Size attr0size - The size of the array. Currently a Size == 1 means it's not an array.

Parameters - Samplers Page

Sampler sampler - Sequence of samplers for use in the shader

Name sampler0name - This is the sampler name that the GLSL program will use to sample from this TOP. The samplers need to be declared at the same dimentions as the TOP (sampler2D for a 2D TOP, sampler3D for 3D TOP).

TOP sampler0top - ⊞ - This is the TOP that will be referenced by the above sampler name above it.

Exposed by the + Button, texture sampling parameters:

Refer to the Texture Sampling Parameters article for more information on the parameters exposed by pressing the + button. The parameter prefix for each of the parameters is top[digit].

Extend U sampler0extendu - ⊞ -

Hold hold -

Zero zero -

Repeat repeat -

Mirror mirror -

Extend V sampler0extendv - ⊞ -

Hold hold -

Zero zero -

Repeat repeat -

Mirror mirror -

Extend W sampler0extendw - ⊞ -

Hold hold -

Zero zero -

Repeat repeat -

Mirror mirror -

Filter sampler0filter - ⊞ -

Nearest nearest -

Linear linear -

Mipmap Linear mipmaplinear -

Anisotropic Filter sampler0anisotropy - ⊞ -

Off off -

2x 2x -

4x 4x -

8x 8x -

16x 16x -

Parameters - Vectors Page

Vector vec - Sequence of vectors to be used as uniforms

Name vec0name - The name of the vector.

Value vec0value - ⊞ - The value to assign to the uniform. If the uniform is a float the first entry of the four is used, if the uniform is a vec2 the first two entries are used, etc.

Value vec0valuex -

Value vec0valuey -

Value vec0valuez -

Value vec0valuew -

Parameters - Arrays Page

CHOP Uniforms allow you to send CHOP channel data into a GLSL shader as an array. Depending on the array type used, the number of values you can send into the shader may be limited. If you are using Uniform Arrays, you can use the Built-In variable $SYS_GFX_GLSL_MAX_UNIFORMS to get an idea of how many values you can pass to the shader. Current GPUs are vec4 based for uniform arrays, so the maximum array size is $SYS_GFX_GLSL_MAX_UNIFORMS / 4. Other uniforms will take away from this maximum. If you are using Texture Buffers the maximum array size is far bigger, $SYS_GFX_MAX_TEXTURE_BUFFER_SIZE will tell you the max for this. The max for texture buffer is per texture buffer, and having multiple texture buffers does not take away from the max for each array.

Name array - Sequence of arrays to be used as uniforms

Array array - Sequence of arrays to be used as uniforms

Parameters - Matrices Page

Relative Xforms are matrices that will transform points and vectors from one space to another space.

Matrix matrix - Sequence of matrices to be used as uniforms

Name matrix0name - The name of the uniform. The uniform should be declared as a mat4.

Matrix matrix0value - The value to assign the matrix. For valid ways to specify this, see the Matrix Parameters article.

Relative rel - A sequence of relative transforms. The transform is the relative transform one Object COMP to another.

Name rel0name - The name of the uniform. The uniform should be declared as a mat4.

Xform from rel0from - Transform from this COMPs world transform.

To rel0to - Transform to this COMPs world transform.

Parameters - Constants Page

Specialization Constants can optionally have their values assigned here.

Constant const - Sequence of constant uniforms.

Name const0name - The constant name, as declared in the shader.

Value const0value - The value to give the constant.

Parameters - Deform Page

Refer to the Deform Article for more information on doing deforms in TouchDesigner.

Deform dodeform - Enables deforms on this material.

Get Bone Data: deformdata - ⊞ - Specifies where the deform bone data will be obtained.

From a SOP sop -

From another MAT mat -

From a DeformIn MAT deformin -

SOP with Capture Data targetsop - Specifies the SOP that contains the deform capture attributes.

pCaptPath Attrib pcaptpath - Specifies the name of the pCaptPath attribute to use. When your geometry has been put through a Bone Group SOP, the attributes will be split into names like pCaptPath0, pCaptPath1. You can only render 1 bone group at a time, so this should match the group you are rendering with this material.

pCaptData Attrib pcaptdata - Much like pCaptPath Attrib.

Skeleton Root Path skelrootpath - Specifies the path to the COMP where the root of the skeleton is located.

MAT mat - When obtaining deform data from a MAT or a Deform In MAT, this is where that MAT is specified.

Parameters - Common Page

Blending

Blending is summing the color value of the pixel being drawn and the pixel currently present in the Color-Buffer. Blending is typically used to simulate Transparency. The blending equation is: Final Pixel Value = (Source Blend * Source Color) + (Dest Blend * Destination Color)

Blending (Transparency) blending - This toggle enables and disables blending. However see the wiki article Transparency.

Blend Operation blendop - ⊞ -

Add add -

Subtract subtract -

Reverse Subtract revsubtract -

Minimum minimum -

Maximum maximum -

Source Color * srcblend - ⊞ - This value is multiplied by the color value of the pixel that is being written to the Color-Buffer (also know as the Source Color).

Zero zero -

Dest Color dcol -

One Minus Dest Color omdcol -

Source Alpha sa -

One Minus Source Alpha omsa -

Dest Alpha da -

One Minus Dest Alpha omda -

Source Alpha Saturate sas -

One one -

Constant Color constantcol -

One Minus Constant Color omconstantcol -

Constant Alpha constanta -

One Minus Constant Alpha omconstanta -

Destination Color * destblend - ⊞ - This value is multiplied by the color value of the pixel currently in the Color-Buffer (also known as the Destination Color).

One one -

Src Color scol -

One Minus Src Color omscol -

Source Alpha sa -

One Minus Source Alpha omsa -

Dest Alpha da -

One Minus Dest Alpha omda -

Zero zero -

Dest Color dcol -

One Minus Dest Color omdcol -

Source Alpha Saturate sas -

Constant Color constantcol -

One Minus Constant Color omconstantcol -

Constant Alpha constanta -

One Minus Constant Alpha omconstanta -

Separate Alpha Function separatealphafunc - This toggle enables and disables separate blending options for the alpha values.

Alpha Blend Operation blendopa - ⊞ -

Add add -

Subtract subtract -

Reverse Subtract revsubtract -

Minimum minimum -

Maximum maximum -

Source Alpha * srcblenda - ⊞ - This value is multiplied by the alpha value of the pixel that is being written to the Color-Buffer (also know as the Source Alpha).

Zero zero -

Dest Color dcol -

One Minus Dest Color omdcol -

Source Alpha sa -

One Minus Source Alpha omsa -

Dest Alpha da -

One Minus Dest Alpha omda -

Source Alpha Saturate sas -

One one -

Constant Color constantcol -

One Minus Constant Color omconstantcol -

Constant Alpha constanta -

One Minus Constant Alpha omconstanta -

Destination Alpha * destblenda - ⊞ - This value is multiplied by the alpha value of the pixel currently in the Color-Buffer (also known as the Destination Alpha).

One one -

Src Color scol -

One Minus Src Color omscol -

Source Alpha sa -

One Minus Source Alpha omsa -

Dest Alpha da -

One Minus Dest Alpha omda -

Zero zero -

Dest Color dcol -

One Minus Dest Color omdcol -

Source Alpha Saturate sas -

Constant Color constantcol -

One Minus Constant Color omconstantcol -

Constant Alpha constanta -

One Minus Constant Alpha omconstanta -

Blend Constant Color blendconstant - ⊞ -

Blend Constant Color blendconstantr -

Blend Constant Color blendconstantg -

Blend Constant Color blendconstantb -

Blend Constant Alpha blendconstanta -

Legacy Alpha Behavior legacyalphabehavior -

Post-Mult Color by Alpha postmultalpha - Multiplies the color by alpha after all other operations have taken place.

Point Color Pre-Multiply pointcolorpremult - ⊞ -

Already Pre-Multiplied By Alpha alreadypremult -

Pre-Multiply By Alpha in Shader premultinshader -

Depth Test depthtest - Enables and disables the Depth-Test. If the depth-test is disabled, depths values aren't written to the Depth-Buffer.

Depth Test Function depthfunc - ⊞ - The depth value of the pixel being drawn is compared to the depth value currently in the depth-buffer using this function. If the test passes then the pixel is drawn to the Frame-Buffer. If the test fails the pixel is discarded and no changes are made to the Frame-Buffer.

Less Than less -

Less Than or Equal lessorequal -

Equal equal -

Greater Than greater -

Greater Than or Equal greaterorequal -

Not Equal notequal -

Always always -

Depth Test

Depth-Testing is comparing the depth value of the pixel being drawn with the pixel currently in the Frame-Buffer. A pixel that is determined to be in-front of the pixel currently in the Frame-Buffer will be drawn over it. Pixels that are determined to be behind the pixel currently in the Frame-Buffer will not be drawn. Depth-Testing allows geometry in a 3D scene to occlude geometry behind it, and be occluded by geometry in-front of it regardless of the order the geometry was drawn.

For a more detailed description of Depth-Testing, refer to the Depth-Test article.

Write Depth Values depthwriting - If Write Depth Values is on, pixels that pass the depth-test will write their depth value to the Depth-Buffer. If this isn't on then no changes will be made to the Depth-Buffer, regardless of if the pixels drawn pass or fail the depth-test.

Discard Pixels Based on Alpha alphatest - This enables or disables the pixel alpha test.

Keep Pixels with Alpha alphafunc - ⊞ - This menu works in conjunction with the Alpha Threshold parameter below in determining which pixels to keep based on their alpha value.

Less Than less -

Less Than or Equal lessorequal -

Greater Than greater -

Greater Than or Equal greaterorequal -

Alpha Threshold alphathreshold - This value is what the pixel's alpha is compared to to determine if the pixel should be drawn. Pixels with alpha greater than the Alpha Threshold will be drawn. Pixels with alpha less than or equal to the Alpha Threshold will not be drawn.

Wire Frame wireframe - ⊞ - Enables and disables wire-frame rendering with the option of OpenGL Tesselated or Topology based wireframes.

Off off -

OpenGL Tesselated Wire Frame tesselated -

Topology Wire Frame topology -

Alpha Test

Alpha-testing allows you to choose to draw or not draw a pixel based on its alpha value.

Line Width wirewidth - This value is the width that the wires will be. This value is in pixels.

Cull Face cullface - ⊞ - Selects which faces to render.

Use Render Setting userender - Use the render settings found in the Render or Render Pass TOP.

Neither neither - Do not cull any faces, render everything.

Back Faces backfaces - Cull back faces, render front faces.

Front Faces frontfaces - Cull front faces, render back faces.

Both Faces bothfaces - Cull both faces, render nothing.

Polygon Depth Offset polygonoffset - Turns on the polygon offset feature.

Offset Factor polygonoffsetfactor -

Offset Units polygonoffsetunits -

Wire Frame

The wire-frame feature will render the geometry as wire-frame, using the actual primitive type used in the render. What this means is surfaces like Metaballs, NURBs and Beziers will become a wire-frame of the triangles/triangle-strips used to render them (since these types of primitives can't be natively rendered in OpenGL).

Cull Face

The cull face parameter will cull faces from the render output. This can be used as an optimization or sometimes to remove artifacts. See Back-Face Culling for more infomation.

Polygon Depth Offset

This feature pushes the polygons back into space a tiny fraction. This is useful when you are rendering two polygons directly on-top of each other and are experiencing Z-Fighting. Refer to Polygon Depth Offset for more information. This is also an important feature when doing shadows.

Info CHOP Channels

Extra Information for the GLSL MAT can be accessed via an Info CHOP.

Common MAT Info Channels

Common Operator Info Channels

total_cooks - Number of times the operator has cooked since the process started.

cook_time - Duration of the last cook in milliseconds.

cook_frame - Frame number when this operator was last cooked relative to the component timeline.

cook_abs_frame - Frame number when this operator was last cooked relative to the absolute time.

cook_start_time - Time in milliseconds at which the operator started cooking in the frame it was cooked.

cook_end_time - Time in milliseconds at which the operator finished cooking in the frame it was cooked.

cooked_this_frame - 1 if operator was cooked this frame.

warnings - Number of warnings in this operator if any.

errors - Number of errors in this operator if any.

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