Hi conitec,

I create a decal in a while (1) loop for visualising a mouse selection radius. I use this code:


my_pp is a local PARTICLE* pointer.
decal_mat looks like this:


I create the decals on a terrain that uses a multitexturing shader. At the beginning of my test the decal looks all right. Then I change the shader of the terrain (it's cloned by the way) using effect_load on the terrain's material (not on decal_mat of course). Once I do this the decals are always created with the terrain's shader settings applied (it even uses their mtlskins) altough every decal is given the decal_mat as material at the creation. I have particle_mode at 8.

If it's an internal effect assigned in MED to the terrain skin, it will override the effect from the decal material - same behavior as the entity material. But I don't know how this could be affected by effect_load.

I'd need to look into your project to find out what's happening.

Ok I will send the project to the support. It's not a shader that is assigned in med to the terrain, the shader is created by script at runtime. But there might be various reasons for the problem as there are done several things besides effect_load (eg. I change the material skins of the terrain, assign new skins using ent_setskin etc.).

If you're using ent_mtlset somewhere, the reason of the problem is clear. ent_mtlset sets a skin material that overrides the entity and decal material.

No the material is always the same for each entity. Only the shader and skins (of the entity material) are changed. The decal material is only set when creating it and not changed or edited in any way.

Ok, then I'd need your project. I'll look for the problem when you send it to the support.

I am having a similar problem with the decals. I'm using the latest beta(7.25), but my decals remain black no matter what. It doesn't apply the material I am setting to the decal. I'm not using mtl_set or effect_load. This is how I apply my effects:

if(lightmap_level == 1){road_shader.effect = "multitex4_ps1_0sha.fx";}
if(lightmap_level != 1){road_shader.effect = "multitex4_ps1_0ans.fx";}

Although, this shouldn't matter, since the decals are being applied long after any shaders are set to the world geometry.

That's a text string, not an effect. You can read in the manual how to apply effects:

http://manual.conitec.net/Shader-effect_load.htm

Huh, that's an effect. It's just setting those shaders to the material.

MATERIAL* road_shader = {}


function shader_static()
{
my.material = static_shader;

if(lightmap_level == 1){static_shader.effect = "multitex4_ps1_0sha.fx";}
if(lightmap_level != 1){static_shader.effect = "detail_staticmesh.fx";}

static_shader.ambient_red = static_ambient.x;
static_shader.ambient_blue = static_ambient.y;
static_shader.ambient_green = static_ambient.z;

static_shader.diffuse_red = static_diffuse.x;
static_shader.diffuse_blue =static_diffuse.y;
static_shader.diffuse_green = static_diffuse.z;
}

This works the same as effect_load(), with the difference of it being more flexible. Although, I don't see what this has to do with the decal material not working properly, and this code is just for the ground anyways.

Here is the decal code:


vec_set(trace_height.x,vector(0,0,0)); vec_add(trace_height.x,my.x); //initial trace detects for walls/terrain
//target = 0; vec_set(temp_vec, you.x); temp_vec.z -= 4000;
trace_height.z += 20;// effect_local(exhuast2, 12*time_step+1, trace_height.x, nullvector);

vec_set(temp_vec.x,vector(0,0,-35000)); vec_add(temp_vec.x,my.x); //initial trace detects for walls/terrain

result = c_trace(trace_height.x, temp_vec.x, IGNORE_ME+IGNORE_SPRITES+IGNORE_PASSABLE+USE_POLYGON+IGNORE_PASSENTS+ SCAN_TEXTURE);
//result -= 20;

if(you != NULL)
{
PARTICLE *par;
par = ent_decal(you, d_shadow, 0, my.pan - you.pan);

par.material = mat_model;
set(par, TRANSLUCENT);
par.alpha = 70;
par.lifespan = 0.001;
}

Ok, now please let's not get a mess in this thread. The original poster posted a bug report and your problem seems to be how to set an effect.

For applying an effect to a material please read the manual under the link that I gave above. Your function above won't work as a replacement for effect_load(). An effect is a .fx file on your hard disk that must be really loaded. What you're doing was just setting the file name as a text string. Please use effect_load() and if you then have a problem with the decal effect, please post again. We might then need your project for reproducing the problem.