# ShaderGenerator

from pandac.PandaModules import ShaderGenerator

Class : ShaderGenerator
Description : The ShaderGenerator is a device that effectively replaces the classic fixed function pipeline with a 'next-gen' fixed function pipeline. The next-gen fixed function pipeline supports features like normal mapping, gloss mapping, cartoon lighting, and so forth. It works by automatically generating a shader from a given RenderState.
Currently, there is one ShaderGenerator object per GraphicsStateGuardian. It is our intent that in time, people will write classes that derive from ShaderGenerator but which yield slightly different results.
The ShaderGenerator owes its existence to the 'Bamboo Team' at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center. This is a group of students who, as a semester project, decided that next-gen graphics should be accessible to everyone, even if they don't know shader programming. The group consisted of:
Aaron Lo, Programmer Heegun Lee, Programmer Erin Fernandez, Artist/Tester Joe Grubb, Artist/Tester Ivan Ortega, Technical Artist/Tester
Thanks to them!

## Inheritance:

ShaderGenerator: TypedObject
TypedObject: MemoryBase
MemoryBase:

## Methods of ShaderGenerator:

ShaderGenerator (Constructor)
getClassType
synthesizeShader

## Methods of TypedObject:

getClassType
getType
getTypeIndex
isExactType
isOfType

ShaderGenerator ShaderGenerator::ShaderGenerator(PointerTo< GraphicsStateGuardian > gsg); Description: Create a ShaderGenerator. This has no state, except possibly to cache certain results. The parameter that must be passed is the GSG to which the shader generator belongs.

getClassType static TypeHandle ShaderGenerator::get_class_type(void); Undocumented function.

synthesizeShader virtual ConstPointerTo< RenderAttrib > ShaderGenerator::synthesize_shader(RenderState const *rs); Description: This is the routine that implements the next-gen fixed function pipeline by synthesizing a shader. It also takes care of setting up any buffers needed to produce the requested effects. Currently supports: - flat colors - vertex colors - lighting - normal maps, but not multiple - gloss maps, but not multiple - glow maps, but not multiple - materials, but not updates to materials - 2D textures - all texture stage modes, including combine modes - color scale attrib - light ramps (for cartoon shading) - shadow mapping Not yet supported: - 3D textures, cube textures - dot3_rgb and dot3_rgba combine modes - texgen - texmatrix - fog Potential optimizations - omit attenuation calculations if attenuation off

getClassType static TypeHandle TypedObject::get_class_type(void); Undocumented function.

getType virtual TypeHandle TypedObject::get_type(void) const = 0; Derived classes should override this function to return get_class_type().

getTypeIndex int TypedObject::get_type_index(void) const; Description: Returns the internal index number associated with this object's TypeHandle, a unique number for each different type. This is equivalent to get_type().get_index().

isExactType bool TypedObject::is_exact_type(TypeHandle handle) const; Description: Returns true if the current object is the indicated type exactly.

isOfType bool TypedObject::is_of_type(TypeHandle handle) const; Description: Returns true if the current object is or derives from the indicated type.