Loading Existing Effects Files in the Preset Manager

Softimage recognizes any effects (*.cgfx and *.fx) files that are located in the user, workgroup, or factory locations under the Application/cgfx or Application/hlsl folders. Textures should be placed in Application/fxtextures. If these folders do not altready exist in these locations, then you can create them.

1. Put your effects files in one of the following locations:

   User is the location for your personal customizations.

   • Place your .cgfx files in C:\users\username\Autodesk\Softimage_2011\Application\cgfx on Windows or ~/Autodesk/Softimage_2011/Application/cgfx on Linux.

   • Place your .fx files in C:\users\username\Autodesk\Softimage_2011\Application\hlsl on Windows.

   • Place your textures in the Application/fxtextures folder of your user location.

   Workgroup is the location for customizations that are shared among a group of users working on the same local area network. For information about setting a workgroup, see Creating and Using Workgroups [Customization].

   Installation (Factory) is the location for presets and sample customizations that ship with Autodesk Softimage. It is located in the directory where the Softimage program files are installed. Although a recognized location by Softimage, it is not recommended that you store your own customizations here.

2. Open Softimage and the render tree. If your effects files contain no category strings (see Categorizing Effects Shaders in the Preset Manager), they will be displayed in the preset manager in the default Realtime > HLSL or Realtime > CgFX categories.

3. Drag an effects shader into the render tree workspace.

   • If the effects file is valid and the shader compiles, it displays as a realtime blue node ready to be connected.

     

   • If the effects file is not valid and the shader fails to compile, it displays as a red node to indicate that it is in an error state.

     

4. To fix any problems, you can edit the shader in the shader code editor.

   • To load and edit your effects file in the shader code editor, choose View Rendering/Texturing Shader Code Editor from the main menu (or you can use any text editor for that matter).

   • If you are working in the render tree, right-click the node and select Edit Shader to open the shader code editor.

Once you have finished editing the effects file in the shader code editor, click Validate to check your code and then Apply your changes. To update the preset manager you may have to restart Softimage.