Okay I've looked though the whole forum yes the whole stinkin forum you "experts" haven't answered I single question on how to get started with shaders do you value your time so much you don't care if you appear to be stuck up and not care that someone needs help? Or must the new people be in your elite group to receive any help? Here's what I want help on but I doubt anyone here will care.

Help me get a single fix function shader running just one that's all I ask explain to me why it works and what it does. Please I'm despate and fed up what the people new to shaders not receiving any help whatsoever (many don't even get a reply).

There are not many, but there are some .

If you're talking about fixed function effects, they are no shaders, so you luckily will not need the assembler. Download the DX8.1 SDK and check the "effect" chapter, there are all commands explained.

Yes I'm aware that

It's written in Assembly (I'm used it, not my favorite language though nor do I claim to be an expert)
It uses directx (which I'm very good at)
Problem with the wiki is it really needs to explain what it's doing

Well considering that I'm certainly not the only one who hasn't got and answer or if they did there are like yours there is a problem here.

I'll look into to shaderx book. But I think it would be more useful to me and others if you would just go though a simple fix function shader. I don't care about vertex shaders or pixel shaders my computer doesn't support them any way. Also telling me to look at my directx sdk manual doesn't help much considering it just gives you the same thing (actually less helpfull really) as the 3dgs manual but in more techinal terms.

i dont really understand what you want...
do you want info about shaders or about fixed function pipeline?..but since you said that you dont care about shaders and your card does not support them, i think you want to know things about ffp (?)

I'm just surprised you even got a semi-helpful response after that initial post. Sheesh.

Wizrealm....

Grab a bit of FFP code, from one of these forum effects, that you would be interested in learning what is doing what. Send it to me, I'll comment it for you.

I am in the huge process of making a complete terrain tutorial that will have chapters devoteted to using texturing effects. This will cover the nuts and bolts, and the hows and whys of alot of FFP and vs1.1/ps1.3 crap we use.

Email me an example that you want commented and I will. Email should be in my profile.

Cool?? Cool!

Thanks steempipe, finally someone who takes some time to help.

Yeah - I've been thinking the same thing - but I've made questioning posts to existing shader threads - and seem to be getting somewhere. Just read whatever you can in these forums on shaders - trust me, it slowly begins to make sense - kinda - I know how to use existing ones now - but have no idea how to make my own. One step at a time aye guys?

WizRealm,
...we should be grateful for any shader help or code thats released, people dont have to share...and are not really obligated to help, ya know?

The best way is to start basic. I am definitly not a programmer.When I first touched shaders a few months ago, it looked like alien heiroglyphs..still does. You can use any of the shaders on the forum to learn, just try to find a smaller one... to just see the shaders:
1. copy the shader to a text file
2. create an action that calls the shader
3. apply that action to the model.

there are shaders that are posted that are setup like this already. STUDY THEM
Game development is a frustrating business/art, you have to always expect to be stuck, lost, and frustrated. Just try to turn the frustration into inspiration...