alpha in textured GUIText?

Unity Engine
1

I’ve spent way too much time now trying to hack the textured font shader into supporting color tint and alpha. I can’t seem to do it with my limited knowledge of shader programming. Anyone know how to do it - it seems like it shouldn’t be very hard…if you know what you’re doing (unlike yours truly).

Anyone know how to do it…?

2

…and for quick reference:
The original code from Unify:

 Shader "GUI/Textured Text Shader"
 {
 	Properties {
 		_MainTex ("Font Texture", 2D) = "white" {}
 	}
 	
 	SubShader {
 		Lighting Off
 		cull off
 		ztest always
 		Zwrite off
 		Fog { Mode Off }
 		Tags {"Queue" = "Transparent" }
 		Pass {
 			Blend SrcAlpha OneMinusSrcAlpha
 			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
 				Combine texture, texture
 			}
 		}
 	}
 }

…and my modified code, a few lines lifted from other shaders and messed with:

 Shader "GUI/Textured Text Alpha Shader" {
 
 Properties {
 	_Color ("Main Color", Color) = (1,1,1,1)
	_MainTex ("Base (RGB) Trans (A)", 2D) = "white" {}
}
 		
 Category {
	Lighting Off
 	Blend SrcAlpha OneMinusSrcAlpha
	AlphaTest Greater .01
	ColorMask RGBA
 	cull off
 	ztest always
 	Zwrite off
 	Fog { Mode Off }
	
 	Tags {"Queue" = "Transparent" }
	
	//BindChannels {
	//	Bind "Color", color
	//}
	
	// ---- Dual texture cards
	SubShader {
		Pass {
			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
				constantColor [_Color]
				combine constant * primary DOUBLE
			}
			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
				combine texture * previous
			}
		}
	}
	
	// ---- Single texture cards (does not do color tint)
	SubShader {
		Pass {
			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
				combine texture * primary
			}
		}
	 	
 	
 	}
 }
 }

The result is that setting alpha works now, but the color isn’t blended properly. It is simply black.

Any ideas?

3

I’m amazed. Trial and error saves the day. :slight_smile:
I switched around the lines in the first pass - didn’t work. Commented out the first part - voila. It now works as I hoped.

// ---- Dual texture cards
	SubShader {
		Pass {
			
			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
				//combine texture * primary DOUBLE // previous
			}
			
			SetTexture [_MainTex] {
				constantColor [_Color]
				combine constant * previous
			}
		}
	}

However, I still haven’t determined:

  • exactly what I did
  • whether it’s a safe method.

I’ll read up on shaders and try to sort things out, but a comment or two from the experienced among you would be very valuable. TIA!

Dan

4

Hey there. I’m interested in doing the same thing as you. I’ve copied your shader script over and I get the black text but not the ability to change alpha. Can you tell me exactly how to implement this?

5

I too only see a black shader…

6

Hey Foxis - is that the final shader code you ended with? Because I cannot get even that to work. I need to change the alpha on the fly and set the color, so this shader is very interesting to me (I need it) and was wondering what progress you made?