Shader/Preset Management Proposition

• Git branch, to specify which shaders are used
• Git commit hash from when the download occurred (to make sure each user of the preset has the exact same set of files)
• List of shaders and variables + values
• Optional: Encoded texture data of stuff like LUT textures?

• All shaders on GitHub
• Multiple branches with different shader collections to prevent messy blob (as it is currently)
• Presets stored in INI with branch name + commit hash + variable values
• Download required shaders as specified in a preset from GitHub on-demand

crosire wrote: I'd like to propose a concept on how shaders and presets could be managed in ReShade 3.0, which I think would be very benefitial for both users and developers. But I prefer to have some community feedback, before actually implementing it.

The idea is as follows:
The GitHub repository is used as main distributor for all shaders. But to keep it from becoming a huge blob of stuff like it is now, it should be split up into multiple Git branches. As an example: an "everything" branch, a "ssao-and-tonemapping" branch, etc., each designed for a specific task and only containing the files needed for that.

Now when booting a game ReShade was installed to (only the DLL, the main download shouldn't contain anything else), ReShade's in-game UI will pop up, allowing the user to select an existing preset or create a new one. If latter option is chosen, he/she can select one of the Git branches as the collection of shader he/she wants to use and configure. Those will then be downloaded from GitHub and loaded into the game. The user is allowed to change various variables those shaders expose and save the preset, which is essentially stored in a simple INI file containing the following data. Those preset files can then be easily shared, uploaded/downloaded and selected in ReShade.

• Git branch, to specify which shaders are used
• Git commit hash from when the download occurred (to make sure each user of the preset has the exact same set of files)
• List of shaders and variables + values
• Optional: Encoded texture data of stuff like LUT textures?

Also. Every shader should be self-contained. No overall framework. So it's easier to take one oút of context and put it somewhere else. And much, much easier for developers.

OtisInf wrote: Perhaps you could instead store paths to shader files? E.g. github.com/crosire/reshade-shaders/blob/.../Otis/AdaptiveFog.fx for master version, github.com/crosire/reshade-shaders/blob/.../Otis/AdaptiveFog.fx for exact commit version?

Root
---- Effect 1
-------- Effect1.fx
-------- Texture.png
---- Effect 2
-------- Effect2.fx
...

DeMondo wrote: This latest post from you, I have to admit it sounds confusing to me, but thats because Im totally non-techsavvy when it comes to GitHub repositories, shader-coding, etc..

DeMondo wrote: yr: "Those preset files can then be easily shared, uploaded/downloaded and selected in ReShade."
Does this mean that sfx.thelazy.net/games/ will move more into the background or being replaced or?

DeMondo wrote: Yr: "Also. Every shader should be self-contained." No clue what it means, is it comparable like the vid-container Matroska (.mkv files)?
That every part needed is inside the file?

crosire wrote: I see your point on using branches. I don't like using any more higher-level concepts like extra files specifying shader sets though. Too complex.

...
Fortunately, GitHub has a sophisticated REST API, which could be used to list the contents of the repository. If each shader was put in a separate subdirectory with all its dependencies in the same place, ReShade could then easily download those folders separately (via api.github.com/repos/crosire/reshade-shaders/contents/ ...).

Root
---- Effect 1
-------- Effect1.fx
-------- Texture.png
---- Effect 2
-------- Effect2.fx
...

An alternative idea: It would be much nicer to just specify a number of ZIP download paths in a preset from which ReShade gathers all required files. That way we can use GitHub for official stuff (using GitHub zipball), but also leave the option for preset creators to include custom shaders/files. We could even get rid of the main GitHub repository altogether then, so every developer can host his/her shaders on his/her own place of preference.