Refactor `gfx` to surface `CommandBuffer` interface. (#1735)

* Refactor `gfx` to surface `CommandBuffer` interface.

* Fixes.

* Fix code review issues, and make vulkan runnable on devices without VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_states.

* Update solution files

* Move out-of-date examples to examples/experimental

Co-authored-by: Yong He <yhe@nvidia.com>

1 files changed, 25 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/examples/experimental/model-viewer/README.md b/examples/experimental/model-viewer/README.md
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+Model Viewer Example
+====================
+
+This example expands on the simple Slang API integration from the "Hello, World" example by actually loading and rendering model data with extremely basic surface and light shading.
+
+This time, the shader code is making use of various Slang language features, so readers may want to read through `shaders.slang` to see an example of how the various mechanisms can be used to build out a more complicated shader library.
+While the shader code in this example is still simplistic, it shows examples of:
+
+* Using multiple Slang `ParameterBlock`s to manage the space of shader parameter bindings in a graphics-API-independent fashion, while still taking advantage of the performance opportunities afforded by D3D12 and Vulkan.
+
+* Using `interface`s and generics to express multiple variations of a feature with static specialization, in place of more traditional preprocessor techniques.
+
+The application code in `main.cpp` also shows a more advanced integration of the Slang API than that in the "Hello, World" example, including examples of:
+
+* Loading a library of Slang shader code to perform reflection on its types *without* specifying a particular entry point to generate code for
+
+* Using Slang's reflection information to allocate graphics-API objects to implement parameter blocks (e.g., D3D12/Vulkan descriptor tables/sets)
+
+* Performing on-demand specialization of Slang's generics using type information from parameter blocks to achieve simple shader specialization
+
+It is perhaps worth taking note of the two things this example intentionally does *not* do:
+
+* There is no use of the C-style preprocessor in the shader code presented, in order to demonstrate that shader specialization can be achieved without preprocessor techniques.
+
+* There is no use of explicit parameter binding decorations (e.g., HLSL `regsiter` or GLSL `layout` modifiers), in order to demonstrate that these are not needed in order to achieve high-performance shader parameter binding.