Custom contour shaders

[dlanier]

Hi,

Does anybody know how can I use custom contour shaders with XSI ?
I have a custom contour store shader, as well as a custom contour contrast function shader and then a contour shader. How must I declare them and where should i Set them in the scene for them to be active.
Under Maya and Max it's in the render settings but it doesn't seem to be the case with XSI.
Thank you.
Regards,

[dlanier]

Well, not a lot of XSI and Mental Ray users out there :-)

[ctrl_studio]

Daniel, but it seems also that you're trying to work
on too many dcc at the same time. choose one an
focuse your efforts there, maybe. countour shaders
can be plugged directly into the rendertree. for others
you'll have probably to make a geoshader and register
your shaders from there into the geometry scene cache.

max

[dlanier]

Hi Max

Yes, I am developing Mental Ray shaders for Max, Maya and XSI a the same time and it's a great experience to compare the use and burden of each software... :-)

Thanks for the tips, I am going to see about the render tree and contour shaders.

BTW my name is David, not Daniel but it's a common mistake due to my name Lanier :-)

Regards,

[ctrl_studio]

ok to get custom contour shaders attached to camera as if it was
in maya renderGlobals, you have to...

- register your shaders with spdl files
- do a phenomenon that will encapsulate the prev shaders
- declare its root as a store or contrast shader connection

that means, once you get installed your contour shaders
you'll write a new spdl: you can actually really duplicate
your original spdls, changing just their GUIDs.. so xsi
will register your phen as a new shader. we duplicate
the spdl as we need really the same interface for the
shaders to be used probably. once you get the new spdl
ready in the metashader block start with:

BeginText

#refer to your original contour shader..
Node "contrastshad" = guid "{FAE49B0B-412E-4667-AFB8-B004155ED2C9}"; # the guid of your reg contrast shader

#then make the connection from your phen interface
#to the original shader parameter interface
Connection "contrastshad::myparam1" = interface "myphenparma1;

#then root your phen
Connection contour contrast = "contrastshad";


I did not get for the while where this connection should be made
or if you want.. where I should use this phen. maybe encapsulated
with the shader I'm going to use in the rendertree or just plugged
somewhere so the translator will put it in the right place.
but I have not to make contour shaders actually... just a little hint :wink:

max

[dlanier]

Thanx again max. I'll try to search this way.
I have talked with experienced XSI users on a meeting and they told me they had taken my toon shader for Maya and try to build the spdl file themselves to use it under XSI but unsuccessfully too.... So it doesn't seem to be easy.

I keep thanking you but you are really a key help in developing shaders !
Regards,