Again about filters and shaders

RetroArch
#1

This is a question about the user interface.

I learnt the difference between shaders and filters.

Despite being different in how they are compiled and applied, they serve the same purpose though: alter the aspect of the emulated system.

So, why are ones located under Quick menu > shaders (plus, they have their own “persistency system”), while the others are under

Settings > video > video filter (and, they are saved with the main config or with standard overrides, as far as I have understood)?

They are treated very differently both in how they’re accessed in the gui, and saved. I find this confusing, no offence intended, and wanted to know if there’s a rationale behind it which I can’t understand, or maybe it’s just how they’ve been put together over time.

Many thanks,

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#2

Even though they have a similar end-result, they function very differently and, while it’s confusing to have similar outcomes in different places, I think it would be more confusing if they were in the same place.

Shaders used to be handled with the override system, but they were broken out to provide more flexibility by request.

Ultimately, filters are inferior for most usecases, but they still have their uses (e.g., places that can’t run shaders for whatever reason, or combining NTSC filtering with shaders), so we keep them around.

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#3

Understood. Thanks for clarifying!

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