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# Editing Shader Code in Softimage

The Shader Code Editor is a specialized text editor that allows you to edit a text-based file used to support a shader in Softimage. This could be a shader definition file, a SPDL file, a CGFX file, a shader compound file, etc.

The shader code editor allows you to edit, validate and apply file-based realtime shaders. In addition, you can create your own FX orCGFX file by clicking the New Shader button, which launches the Realtime Shader wizard.

Many Scintilla text editor features are supported by the Shader Code Editor, such as such as syntax styling, folding, auto-complete and highlighting for keywords. For more information about Scintilla features, see Setting Script Editor Preferences.

Like other text-based editors in Softimage, you can use this editor as part of a Relational View, or access it using the View or View object. It also supports a number of view attributes that allow you to load a particular file, set the shader parser, or specify an entry point to scroll to when the editor opens.