Cleaning shaders - should I be doing it?

[Overload 91]

Something I've never done in FSX or P3D, just in case I mess up - But is it important every now and again?

Eugene

[TurboTomato 90]

I usually remove the shaders folder when I've installed a new version of my display driver, but that's it.

[Gordon Hutchison 76]

^^^^ This

[Cargostorm 151]

I do it when I change sceneries, display drivers or driver settings. Only one mouse click with "Simstarter".

[RamonB 449]

I use the Prepar3D recommended method:
 
 
Tuning Guide
 

[GRAPHICS]
 

SHADER_CACHE_VERSION=1

 

Non-Default entry. This entry will not exist in your Prepar3D.cfg file by default and must be added to the file.
Performance Tuning Tip:
Using this rebuilds your shader cache by incrementing the number each time you make a change to the Prepar3D.cfg.

 


 
Cheers

[vgbaron 3,486]

The shader cache version work fine only if you make a change to the cfg file. It does not do anything if you do not change the file.

 

Other than the time it takes to rebuild the shaders, there is no harm in deleting them. Anytime I make any sort of change in P3D, I delete the shaders. Add aircraft, scenery, any graphics driver settings,. NVI changes, etc.

 

Vic

[SteveW 1,792]

The shaders only need rebuilding after any shader code has changed. So we make a change in the shader code and we delete the shaders and they are remade from the new code when the sim next runs and finds they are missing. The cfg setting saves shader coders the hassle of deleting the shader folder each visit.

[Overload 91]

Interesting, Thanks.

It's a new P3D 3.1 install, so far I've added FTX Global, SoCal and England, and a couple of Capt Sim retro jets - sounds like I should be re spawning the shaders?

The cfg mod looks like the easiest/safest way for a non techy,

 

  "[GRAPHICS]

SHADER_CACHE_VERSION=1

 

It needs another cfg mod to get it to kick in, but if I did something innocuous like changing VSYNC=1 to VSYNC=0, or vice versa, would that do the trick?

Just to complete my understanding - is this to make it look better, or increase FPS or both?

Thanks

Eugene 

[SteveW 1,792]

None of. It's for when code in the folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\ShadersHLSL" is changed.

 

The shaders only need rebuilding after any shader code has changed. So we make a change in the shader code and we delete the shaders and they are remade from the new code when the sim next runs and finds they are missing. The cfg setting saves shader coders the hassle of deleting the shader folder each visit.

[RockOla 233]

Not discussing the "when" but the "how"

 

You can create a bat file this way (replace YOURNAMEHERE with your username)

 

Placed anywhere, it will delete the content of your shader folder in one click.

 

 

del /f /q "C:\Users\YOURNAMEHERE\AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\Shaders\*.*"

[Overload 91]

None of. It's for when code in the folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\ShadersHLSL" is changed.

 

 

OK,Thanks - How would I know this has happened?

Eugene

[tremor595 20]

I also have set up a batch file which deletes the shaders folder and also starts ASN and P3D, all in a row. The batch file itself is started by the simstarter tool, just had to point to it in simstarter's "start definition". So one cklick does it all. And so my shaders folder gets deleted everytime i start the sim.

 

Simon

[Guest]

Everytime...? Seriously? Isn't that a bit too much? Those shaders are saved for a reason, why would you delete them everytime?! I only delete them whenever I installed new scenery or (totally) change my settings. Doing this everytime is a bit counterproductive. I personally don't want to wait every single time for that black screen to disappear. It also hurts performance in the beginning. Certainly not something I would advice everyone to do.

[SteveW 1,792]

OK,Thanks - How would I know this has happened?

Eugene

When you get an update from 3.1 to 3.2 look in the files in the .zip, if there are any for \ShadersHLSL, then they changed and you need to delete the old shaders.

[vgbaron 3,486]

Those aren't the same shaders Steve. The ones the OP asked about are in:

C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\Shaders

 

The shadersHLSL are not rebuilt using the shader_cache_version.

 

The shadersHLSL should NOT be touched unless one really knows what they are doing.

 

Vic