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Shader Includes for Package Manager

Discussion in '2018.1 Beta' started by fherbst, Apr 23, 2018.

  1. fherbst

    fherbst

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2012
    Posts:
    802
    So sometimes it is necessary to include a shader cginc from a package, e.g. when duplicating a shader that I want to make slight adjustments to.

    Using #include pragma, when a "Package" was living in the project, it was possible to reference the relative path of that cginc file, like this:

    Code (CSharp):
    1. #include "UnityCG.cginc"
    2. #include "UnityUI.cginc"
    3. #include "../../../Plugins/TextMesh Pro/Resources/Shaders/TMPro_Properties.cginc"
    (this is from a custom TextMeshPro shader in our project).

    Now, with TMPro being a "package", I can't get that include line to work anymore.
    I tried 
    #include "TMPro_Properties.cginc"
    in the hope that somehow Unity is doing the same as for its internal shader includes for packages as well, but no luck.

    So what is the recommended way to get my custom shader to work again? The TextMeshPro package is installed somewhere on the system, depending on user settings, etc., so what am I supposed to include so this shader works on any machine like before?
     
    fherbst, Apr 23, 2018
    #1

  2. tswierkot

    tswierkot

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2017
    Posts:
    25
    A workaround is to either:
    1) Install TMP from the asset store.
    2) Copy the shader and include it in your project files. Not 100% sure, but the shader compiler first looks for the include files in the location of the shader. Either way, if you're using a custom .cginc you would have to include it in your assets, as any updates to the package would overwrite it.
    3) Wait until they implement package embedding:
     
    tswierkot, Apr 24, 2018
    #2

  3. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2017
    Posts:
    756
    Hi @fherbst,

    This is possible but this is yet to be documented. You have an example in the postprocessing package:

    https://github.com/Unity-Technologi.../Editor/Utils/PostProcessShaderIncludePath.cs

    So the gist of it is to create a static function that *adds* new include paths for the shader compiler using the 
    ShaderIncludePath
    attribute:

    Code (CSharp):
    1. using System.Linq;
    2. using UnityEngine;
    3. using System.IO;
    4.  
    5. namespace YourNamespace
    6. {
    7.     static class TmpShaderIncludePath
    8.     {
    9.         [ShaderIncludePath]
    10.         public static string[] GetPaths()
    11.         {
    12.             // This will add the text mesh pro package root path to the list of
    13.             // shader compiler include paths. Adapt to go deeper in the package
    14.             // folder tree.
    15.             return new string [] {Path.GetFullPath("Packages/com.unity.textmeshpro")};
    16.         }
    17.     }
    18. }
    19.  
    I've reached the TextMeshPro team so they add the shader include path automatically without users having to do it themselves.

    Hope it helps,

    Pascal
     
    okcompute_unity, Apr 24, 2018
    #3
    elbows likes this.

  4. fherbst

    fherbst

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2012
    Posts:
    802
    @tswierkot
    1) Yes, we had the TMP package in the project before, but since Unity is moving in that "package management for everything" direction I'd rather give input on things that are tricky now than just work around ;)
    2) unfortunately that only works with the simplest of shaders, since usually cgincs contain more necessary cgincs. So we're back to (1) with that
    3) again, this goes kinda against the idea of the whole Package Manager for something where I want to extend, not replace, existing functionality

    @okcompute_unity Thanks! That sounds great and very useful. Then how would I, without knowing where TMPro lives on disk, find the right include pathes? For me, the com.unity.textmeshpro folder in Packages does contain some folders, but all are empty. Is there some softlink magic going on internally?
     
    fherbst, Apr 25, 2018
    #4

  5. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2017
    Posts:
    756
    @fherbst Yes, the package manager sits on top of a virtual file system that resolved the correct absolute path internally. This rule apply to any assets located in a package. You can reach for anything inside a package though the logical 
    /Packages/<package name>
    root path.
     
    okcompute_unity, Apr 25, 2018
    #5

  6. fherbst

    fherbst

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2012
    Posts:
    802
    Ok, that is very good to know!
    Last question, I think then everything is covered: where on disk can I find these installed packages?
     
    fherbst, Apr 26, 2018
    #6

  7. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2017
    Posts:
    756
    Packages are physically located in a global cache on your system.

    On macOS, this is in 
    /Users/<your usrname>/Library/Unity/cache/packages

    On Windows, this is in 
    C:\ProgramData\Unity\cache\packages


    *Note*: this paths can change over time as we improve the system
     
    okcompute_unity, Apr 27, 2018
    #7

  8. Kronnect

    Kronnect

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2014
    Posts:
    2,905
    Kronnect, Apr 28, 2018
    #8

  9. okcompute_unity

    okcompute_unity

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2017
    Posts:
    756
    Hi @Thrawn75 ,

    See @elbows answers in the thread you linked. They are all valid.

    Unity's goal is to be as much transparent as we can. For 2018.2, you'll have the option to browse packages content/source directly from Unity.

    Regards,

    Pascal
     
    okcompute_unity, Apr 30, 2018
    #9