GenShade Reference: Database Management

LOADING A SELECTED SHADER

select a parent, child, or storage cell.

Hit File->Load selected shader ... submenu, select either the name of the shader data or image files, and click OK. (1)

LOADING A DATABASE

Loading a Database into the Current Population Pool:

Hit File->Load Children Database ... submenu, select the name of your shader database, and click OK.
You will see the first 27 images of shaders loaded into the Current Population Pool. You can browse through the whole database using image display tools.

Loading a Database into the Storage Pool:

Hit File->Load Storage Database ... submenu, select the name of your shader database, and click OK.
You will see the first 9 images of shaders loaded into the Current Population Pool. You can browse through the database using storage pool repeat buttons. (the two buttons to the left of the pool).

SAVING A SELECTED SHADER

select a cell containing an image (except for a target image cell) by clicking on its radio button

Hit File->Save Selected Cell ... submenu, then hit one of the followings:

all: This will save the data, image, rib file, and shader source code.
both data and image: This will save the data and image.
data: This will only save on the data.
image: This will only save the image.
rib: This will only save the rib file.
shader source code: This will only save the shader source code.
give your shader a name with no extension, and click OK. This will save appropriate files.

SAVING A DATABASE

Saving the Current Population Pool images and data pathnames:

Hit File->Save Children Database Pathnames... submenu, select the name of your new shader database, and click OK.
This will create a database file that contains path names of all shader images and data in the Current population pool.
These files are usually in the directory process#.

Saving the Storage Pool images and data:
Hit File->Save Storage Database Pathnames... submenu, select the name of your new shader database, and click OK.
This will create a database file that contains path names of all shader images and data in the Storage pool.
These files are usually in the directory process#.

COPYING AND SAVING A DATABASE

Hit Setup->Database submenu, and adjust save path, the path name of the directory that you would like to save the data and images of your shader.
Copying and saving the Current Population Pool images and data:
Hit File->Copy Children Database ... submenu, select the name of your new shader database, and click OK.
This will create a database file that contains path names of all shader images and data in the Current population pool. In addition, it will copy all the data and image files to the desired directory. (2)

Copying and saving the Storage Pool images and data:
Hit File->Copy Storage Database ... submenu, select the name of your new shader database, and click OK.
This will create a database file that contains path names of all shader images and data in the Current population pool. In addition, it will copy all the data and image files to the desired directory.

Notes

(1) make sure that both the data and image have the same name
(2) By copying all needed files to another directory, you can delete current working directory to preserve disk space. After you finish collecting shaders from different sources into one directory, you may want to use the standalone tool makedb to make a database of all shaders in that directory.

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