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what is the difference between "float4 pos:SV_POSITION"and "float4 pos;"

Discussion in 'Shaders' started by JohnSonLi, Jan 8, 2013.

  1. JohnSonLi

    JohnSonLi

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    why do we need sv_position?
     
    JohnSonLi, Jan 8, 2013
    #1

  2. RC-1290

    RC-1290

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    SV_Position is a semantic, they're used to tell the engine how to move data through the graphics pipeline. You can't just send data between steps (e.g.: from vertex shader to pixel shader), because there are steps in between that you don't see in Shaderlab code.
     
    RC-1290, Jan 8, 2013
    #2
    behram likes this.

  3. Lulucifer

    Lulucifer

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    Jul 8, 2012
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    As I remember,it is the second time you ask this question,Martin answered it fews month ago
     
    Lulucifer, Jan 8, 2013
    #3

  4. KelsoMRK

    KelsoMRK

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    KelsoMRK, Jan 8, 2013
    #4

  5. JohnSonLi

    JohnSonLi

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    I am a dull boy,and computer graphics is not my major,it is however sometimes too abstract for me...... Thank you all............it takes time
     
    JohnSonLi, Jan 10, 2013
    #5
    Agent0023 likes this.

  6. JohnSonLi

    JohnSonLi

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    is sv_position something from the hardware?like video card???some data slot or bus from the video card???
     
    JohnSonLi, Jan 10, 2013
    #6

  7. Aras

    Aras

    Graphics Plumber Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
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    "Kind of".

    SV_Position is one of "predefined" semantics, that is telling the GPU "this is the position". That's how it knows which value, well, determines the position on the screen.
     
    Aras, Jan 10, 2013
    #7

  8. JohnSonLi

    JohnSonLi

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    I love you Aras.......
     
    JohnSonLi, Jan 10, 2013
    #8

  9. Martin-Kraus

    Martin-Kraus

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    Feb 18, 2011
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    What I never understood is why the Unity documentation is using "SV_POSITION" instead of "POSITION" for the output of the vertex shader (and the input of the fragment shader). Is there a particular reason? Or was it just to use something different to distinguish the vertex attribute from the transformed position?
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2013
    Martin-Kraus, Jan 10, 2013
    #9

  10. Jessy

    Jessy

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    Jun 7, 2007
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    7,327
    Why doesn't whatever you give the POSITION / SV_POSITION semantic work with the inout keyword? (i.e. you use that as a vert shader parameter instead of passing in a struct.) It compiles, but doesn't render, or at least in the expected way.
     
    Jessy, Jan 10, 2013
    #10

  11. JohnSonLi

    JohnSonLi

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    all of you are masters.......
     
    JohnSonLi, Jan 11, 2013
    #11

  12. Aras

    Aras

    Graphics Plumber Unity Technologies

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    Nov 7, 2005
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    Yes, the reason is compatibility with DX11.

    SV_POSITION expands to just POSITION on all other platforms, and SV_Position on DX11. Why Microsoft made DX11 have "SV_Position" for the output position? I don't know ;)
     
    Aras, Jan 11, 2013
    #12
    behram likes this.

  13. RC-1290

    RC-1290

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    I assume because they want to group together all System Values. I don't really understand what their definition for a System Value is, though. At first they mention that:
    But then they go on to list all the exceptions, where system values are NOT valid at other parts of the pipeline...

    Hopefully NVIDIA documents this stuff at some point. I usually prefer the way they explain things.
     
    RC-1290, Jan 11, 2013
    #13

  14. Yanger_xy

    Yanger_xy

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2010
    Posts:
    7
    Hi,
    I have the same issue.
    When to use POSITION and when to use SV_POSITION?
     
    Yanger_xy, Mar 9, 2013
    #14

  15. frogsbo

    frogsbo

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2014
    Posts:
    79
    SV seems to be a screenspace x y position, with z not doing very much. i do sin(svpos.x) it does straight bars in line with the screen sides.
     
    frogsbo, Aug 30, 2014
    #15

  16. Aras

    Aras

    Graphics Plumber Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
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    Best use SV_POSITION. This will work on all platforms; whereas "POSITION" will work only on "most of them". For example, I think shaders on PS4 require SV_POSITION.
     
    Aras, Aug 30, 2014
    #16
    andrew-lukasik and behram like this.