Shader Model 4
Shader Model 4 is a superset of the capabilities in Shader Model 3, except that Shader Model 4 doesn't support the features in Shader Model 1. It has been designed using a common-shader core that gives a common set of features to all programmable shaders, which are only programmable using HLSL.
| Feature | Capability |
|---|---|
| Instruction Set | HLSL functions |
| Register Set | The register set is accessible through members in constant and texture buffers using HLSL semantics for things like component packing.
|
| Vertex Shader Max | No restriction |
| Pixel Shader Max | No restriction |
| New Shader Profiles Added | gs_4_0, ps_4_0, vs_4_0, gs_4_1*, ps_4_1*, gs_4_1* |
| New Effect-Framework Profile Added | fx_4_0, fx_4_1* |
* - gs_4_1, ps_4_1, vs_4_1 and fx_4_1 are supported on Direct3D 10.1 or higher.
Shader Model 4 supports a new pipeline stage—the geometry-shader stage—which can be used to create or modify existing geometry. It also includes two new object types: a stream-output object designed for streaming data out of the geometry stage, and a templated texture object that implements texture sampling functions.
Shader Model 4 supports packing rules that dictate how tightly data can be arranged when it is stored. These rules are described in Packing Rules for Constant Variables
The Shader Model 4 Assembly section describes the assembly instructions that the Shader Model 4 and Shader Model 4.1 support.
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