Patterns

Examples for minimal materials, shared headers, function files, packages, Function, UE nodes, ShaderFunction, and VirtualFunction.

Use these patterns as starting points for common DreamShaderLang files.

Minimal UI Material

Shader(Name="DreamMaterials/M_Minimal")
{
    Properties = {
        vec3 Tint = vec3(1.0, 0.2, 0.2);
    }

    Settings = {
        Domain = "UI";
        ShadingModel = "Unlit";
    }

    Outputs = {
        vec3 Color;
        Base.EmissiveColor = Color;
    }

    Graph = {
        Color = Tint;
    }
}

Shared `.dsh`

Namespace ColorTools
{
    Function float Luma(vec3 color)
    {
        return dot(color, vec3(0.2126, 0.7152, 0.0722));
    }
}

Import `.dsh` from `.dsm`

import "Shared/ColorTools.dsh";

Shader(Name="DreamMaterials/M_Luma")
{
    Properties = {
        vec3 Tint = vec3(0.8, 0.9, 1.0);
    }

    Outputs = {
        float Mask;
        Base.Opacity = Mask;
    }

    Graph = {
        Mask = ColorTools::Luma(Tint);
    }
}

Package Texture Sampling

import "@typedreammoon/dream-noise/Library/Noise.dsh";

Expose a stable package entrypoint and call package helpers through a namespace.

`SelfContained` Function

SelfContained Function float Pulse(float x)
{
    return saturate(sin(x) * 0.5 + 0.5);
}

Use this for helpers that should carry their own Custom-node body.

`ShaderFunction`

ShaderFunction(Name="DreamFunctions/F_Tint")
{
    Inputs = {
        vec3 Color;
        float Strength = 1.0;
    }

    Outputs = {
        vec3 Result;
    }

    Graph = {
        Result = Color * Strength;
    }
}

`VirtualFunction`

VirtualFunction(Name="Game/Materials/Functions/MF_ProjectTint")
{
    Inputs = {
        vec3 Color;
    }

    Outputs = {
        vec3 Result;
    }
}

Use VirtualFunction to call existing Unreal functions without generating them.

Parameter Metadata and Static Switch

Properties = {
    VectorParameter Tint = float4(0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 1.0) [
        Group="Color";
        SortPriority=10;
    ];

    StaticSwitchParameter UseTint = true [
        Group="Switches";
    ];
}

Material Parameter Collection

Graph = {
    float Wind = UE.CollectionParam(
        Collection=Path("/Game/MPC_Global.MPC_Global"),
        ParameterName="Wind");
}

Use reflected metadata and diagnostics to confirm the exact node signature in your project.

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