ShaderSearch

Introduction

With the introduction of ShaderMaker Pro, users now have the ability to create new and exciting shaders. At the same time, users may notice that it can become increasingly difficult to maintain shaders since there are now two types of ShaderMaker file formats: the older format, and the new ShaderMaker Pro format. ShaderSearch is an application that lets users search for shaders similar to a "source" shader. The nice thing about ShaderSearch is that you can automatically open ShaderMaker Pro files from within ShaderSearch. What ShaderSearch actually does is query the ShaderMakerPro application, asking it to open a shader. ShaderSearch uses Apple's "Find by Content" engine to search for similar shaders. In order to use ShaderSearch your drives must be indexed!

How to Index your Drives

In Sherlock Preferences, you can find the options for drive indexing.

Then, from the Find Menu, choose 'Index Volumes'. This can take a long time depending on the number of files on your hard drive, so it is recommended to index while you are away from the computer.

Using ShaderSearch

To search for similar shaders, do command-m or select "Choose Shader" from the file menu. After this, ShaderSearch will conduct a search using the "Find by Content" engine. The items that are found will be added to the list.

The interface is quite intuitive. You have a list of similar shaders. The shader's icon is to the bottom left, along with the path.
You are also presented with a relevancy value telling you how this shader matches up with the source shader. If you decide you want to view the shader click on the button labeled "Launch SMP."

Downloads

ShaderSearch 1.0b1 (24k)