Compiling Shaders-Prman-W2K

[jack-lemmon]

I'm interested in compiling .sli files for PRMan on Windows 2000. I've read that NT only works with one brand of C compiler: Microsoft's Visual C++.

What is required to perform this compiling using Windows 2000 Pro?

Thanks.

[mayaismygf]

The *.sli format is a glimpse interface format. PRman comes with it's own shader compiler executable (shader.exe). Look into the *.sl (shading language) format for easier shader writing. You will not need a C compiler unless you plan to write a shader using the C binding..
Here is a good place to start.
http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/~smay/RManNotes/

Frank

[jack-lemmon]

Thanks for the link. I basically have some .sli files and don't have the .slo file to go along with it.
I've downloaded these from the net and wanted to get them operating but am admittedly weak in the programming skills and understanding dept.

Russ

[heydiddlediddle]

If i'm not mistaken, an .sli file is nothing more than an instance of a slim template (doesn't contain the shading code) and there is no way to get an .sl file (which you could compile into an .slo using the shader compiler) out of it w/o the original .slim template file (which carries the shading code that could be reversed into an .sl file). if you can get the .sl, it would be your best bet, if you get the .slim file, you will have to make an .sl file from the slim template to use it w/o Slim (which would be a major headache unless you know slim templates and shader language well).

-Don

[jack-lemmon]

Thanks for the info. I've attempted to run the included shader.exe compiler on a .sl file with no .slo file produced. I'm using W2000 pro. From other posts I've read I'm led to believe I need more than the components that come with the PRenderman and Mtor installation files in order to compile .sl files using the shader.exe compiler.

Time to order some books.

[heydiddlediddle]

make sure you aren't missing any files neccesary i the sl...look for #include noise.h (or whatever other filee it may be looking for) and either that location is set in the environment or included in the shader options (-I /usr/path/here , capital i not lowecase L) when compiling, or in the same directory if that's easiest for you. try the help file on shader (shader -h should do it).

Advanced Renderman is great, and the Renderman Companion is a slightly outdated, but still very useful book. There are plenty of docs that come with, just that a lot of them are a little "hidden"...like in back alleyway links rather than a freeway with signs every where.

[jack-lemmon]

I certainly appreciate your help and suggestions. As great as Prenderman is I'm not thrilled with the aspect of delving into the "coding" aspects of it. But no pain,no gain as they say and maybe with the purchase of Advanced Renderman and some reading I'll finally be able to use some of the matrix math I've never used outside of the classroom. Geez, to think I passed on the opportunity to pick up both of those books from Borders last year for under $10 each.

Russ

[heydiddlediddle]

You might want to look at a program called ShadeTree. It's pretty dated now (hasn't been updated in like 2 years), but it's a graphic way of programming shaders in BMRT and MentalRay. I presume as long as you don't make any trace calls or use area lights (or any of the other optional features that BMRT uses and PRman doesn't), the bmrt shaders should compile into PRman shaders. It's graphic, but still very programming based.
I can't write any decent shaders from scratch, but hacking parts of existing shaders into a new one is the way to go til you're a pro shader programmer...although, i'm told by pro shader programmers they "cut n paste" new shaders all the time. Just start collecting every .sl file you can find from places like renderman.org, exluna.com, etc.

-Don

[roctane]

You don't need the books to use RAT, if you have SLIM and Prman I asume you have the tutorials and manuals, you got everything there.

Felipe.

[jack-lemmon]

you missed the point of the question felipe. Thanks for trying though.

[deke-kincaid]

If your are only an artist and not a programmer then the manuals and tutorials are very lacking. There big gaping holes on how to do many things with mtor, slim and prman. Many, many features in slim arent even documented. Pixar mentioned this at their users group meeting and said that they were working on more artist friendly manuals since they were catering to this crowd now with RAT.

Deke

[jack-lemmon]

yep, that pretty much descibes the situation for the artist with marginal programming skills(me)
It's good to hear that Pixar has acknowledged this and wants to make an effort to make the docs at least more coherent for some of us.