Delta Effects: xml, frag and vert files

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Delta Effects: xml, frag and vert files

Delta Effects allows users to create and control the behaviour of the way all media assets are rendered, through Delta Effects, by writing OpenGL fragment and vertex shaders.

Effects can be controlled either through the DeltaGUI or via external control over TCP, UDP or HTTP. This guide demonstrates the process of creating and controlling effects, using some sample effects created by 7thSense (available on servers from Delta 2.3) for you to use and experiment with.

Users with Notch Builder or Playback licences and keys, can import and apply DFXDLL files. Files are added to the C:\Effects\Notch folder.

Using Notch Effects

Delta Effects File Extensions

There are three file extensions which may be used to create your effects: .xml files are used to define the properties for control within a shader, whilst .frag and .vert are the OpenGL shaders used to create the Delta Effects functionality. Each effect may have a frag or vert file, or both.

xml files

This simple example demonstrates the basic code structure:

<Type>
Effect, Colour or Transition

<Name>
the name of the effect

<Description>
a short description of the effect

<PropFloat>
Property Float (or PropInt for an integer)

<Index> unique index number for each property

<Name> name of the property

<Description> description of the property

<Default> the default setting for that property on initial selection

<Minimum> the minimum setting that the property can reach

<Maximum> the maximum setting that the property can reach

frag files

Each frag code consists of 3 functions as seen in the example below:

userTexturedMod()

userSampleMod()

userColourMod()

fCustom[n] lines link to the PropFloat [Index value] line of the xml.

Note: you should use iCustom[n] if integer values are declared in the xml.

For more information on writing frag files, see the examples in the Using Delta Effects section below.

vert files

Vertex shader capability is currently in early development and as such, it is provided as is and will be expanded over time. We welcome your feedback on the possible further development of this area.