DXSAS specification - where is it?
Author
Hi. I'm trying to write a shader-based engine like HalfLife 2 (you're thinking "yeah, right" aren't you??). I want it to be sas-compliant like FX Composer, but I can't find the DXSAS 1.0 specification docs, or whatever the current version is. The stuff in the effect reference section of the DirectX documentation is far from being a complete specification. For example, it says absolutely nothing about scripting which, according to FX Composer, is part of the specification.
According to some thread post somewhere on the net, the specification is 30+ pages, but where the heck is it? Any clues? Should I go ask Bill Gates?
I've not seen it myself, and I dont think its publicly available. I think an earlier version appeared appeared in the SDK (0.8 in Summer '04?), but not the 1.0...
Is there something in particular that the help-file reference section doesn't include? Do you really need the official specs?
However, I think you can ask for a copy of it (I've seen it mentioned on DXDEV) - emailing directx@microsoft.com is probably your best route.
Also, check out the projects in \Utilities\Source\sas\ and \Utilities\Source\DxViewer\. The latter is SAS-compliant so you should be able to get plenty of information from it...
hth
Jack
Is there something in particular that the help-file reference section doesn't include? Do you really need the official specs?
However, I think you can ask for a copy of it (I've seen it mentioned on DXDEV) - emailing directx@microsoft.com is probably your best route.
Also, check out the projects in \Utilities\Source\sas\ and \Utilities\Source\DxViewer\. The latter is SAS-compliant so you should be able to get plenty of information from it...
hth
Jack
Author
Thanks for the reply. I think it's stupid to make a standard not publicly available - it's like saying "follow the rules, but you don't have to know what they are". Anyway, I have the April 2005 SDK and the stuff you mentioned is not there (there is no dxviewer). As for whether I need the specs or not, I want my program to be able to use the effects which could be edited/authored in FX Composer (which is, according to NVIDIA, sas-compliant). Yes, I need the specs because otherwise I wouldn't know how to interpret, say, scripts in effects.
Do you think dxviewer is included in the new April 2006 SDK?
Do you think dxviewer is included in the new April 2006 SDK?
Quote:Original post by adelamroAgreed. I'm going to see if I can chase this one up with MS and see if theres a good reason the spec isn't included in the SDK.
Thanks for the reply. I think it's stupid to make a standard not publicly available - it's like saying "follow the rules, but you don't have to know what they are".
Quote:Original post by adelamrodxviewer and dxops were added as a replacement for MeshViewer late in '05 iirc. I can't remember which SDK they first appeared in, but December '05 (what I'm using) definitely has them - and I think Oct '05 also had them.
Anyway, I have the April 2005 SDK and the stuff you mentioned is not there (there is no dxviewer).
...
Do you think dxviewer is included in the new April 2006 SDK?
hth
Jack
Author
It'd be nice if you'd tell us what MS tells you. As for dxviewer in the DXSDK, I assure you it's not in the April 05 update. But then again, it's an update, and they may have not anticipated the user would have an SDK this old. I don't think I'm going to download the new SDK (~400 MB) just for dxviewer anyway.
Quote:Original post by adelamroWill do! I've pushed it to the right people already, so its just a case of sitting back and waiting to see what they have to say [smile]
It'd be nice if you'd tell us what MS tells you.
Quote:Original post by adelamroI just had a poke around in my archive of SDK downloads - it first appeared in the August 2005 SDK.
As for dxviewer in the DXSDK, I assure you it's not in the April 05 update.
Quote:Original post by adelamroThe "update" name was always a bit misleading as it is a completely stand-alone SDK in its own right. I'm pretty sure that was dropped a few releases ago...
But then again, it's an update, and they may have not anticipated the user would have an SDK this old.
Quote:Original post by adelamroDecember '05, February '06 and April '06 are all much larger due to Direct3D 10; but if you can still find an active link then August '05 or October '05 could be an option.
I don't think I'm going to download the new SDK (~400 MB) just for dxviewer anyway.
You can also open up the .exe using your favourite ZIP tool and extract the source code for your inspection. No need to install anything. It probably wont compile, but you can still read through it....
hth
Jack
Author
Well, for now I'm just going to study the "DXSAS Implementation Sample 0.8" on NVIDIA's developer site. Link:
http://download.developer.nvidia.com/developer/SDK/Individual_Samples/DEMOS/Direct3D9/Dxsas.zip
However, this sample is in C#, and it's for DXSAS 0.8, and it's not a specification, but it should be enough for now.
http://download.developer.nvidia.com/developer/SDK/Individual_Samples/DEMOS/Direct3D9/Dxsas.zip
However, this sample is in C#, and it's for DXSAS 0.8, and it's not a specification, but it should be enough for now.
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