shaderfx code container (3ds max 2016)

Viking

I´ve inspected several .sfx files and some of them came with a code container node. Since the weren´t connected to anything I´m wondering what the are supposed to do.
Can anybody please explain to me what these code containers are good for?

Chev

Other nodes cover a wide range of functions but it may just be that you can't quite do what you want with what's available. Maybe it's an unusual shading model or something. So the code node allows you to directly write code to get new functions and expand your shader toolbox.

shaderfx

What Chev is taling about is the "custom code" node.
For which his description is correct.

I think Viking is asking about the other node called "code container".
It adds OSL code into the graph (Open shading language).

So if you export the shaderfx graph to OSL, then these nodes are generating the code for it.

It is a bit of an unusual concept within shaderfx and it was mainly added to support our internal lightmap renderer Beast. The OSL code was never tested in other renderers such as Vray.

radiancef0rge

If they werent connected to anything they might be used as comment containers for the shaders. To keep notes and stuff

Viking

Yes, I´ve meant the code container. So if I´m going to customise some of those shaders and stay within 3ds Max, I can happily delete these nodes?

shaderfx

Yes you can delete them