Shader Model 4

Shader Model 4 is a superset of the capabilites in shader model 3 with the exception that shader model 4 does not support the features in shader model 1. It has been designed using a common-shader core which provides 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.

• Common-Shader Core
• Constants
• Geometry-Shader Object
• Stream-Output Object
• Texture Object

Packing Rules for Constant Variables (DirectX HLSL)

Shader Model 4 Assembly (DirectX HLSL)

See Also

Shader Models vs Shader Profiles