Metal: Validation fails if a shader program samples from the same texture in both fragment and vertex shaders

[rogual]

Describe the bug

Certain shaders cause Metal API Validation to fail. The condition seems to be:

• The vertex shader samples from a texture, AND
• The fragment shader samples from the same texture.

To Reproduce

I couldn't find any shader program in the BGFX examples that samples from a texture in both the vertex and fragment shaders, so I've modified 27-terrain to do so.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Apply the patch to 27-terrain
2. Compile the example.
3. Compile the shader for Metal.
4. Run the example with Metal API Validation enabled (steps to enable are below)

Expected behavior The example should continue run as normal, but with the terrain textured with its own heightmap.

Observed behaviour The program aborts with a Metal API Validation error:

failed assertion `Vertex Function(xlatMtlMain): missing sampler binding at index 0 for s_heightTextureSampler[0].'

Additional context

Why this is important

• If Metal API Validation fails, you can't capture a frame in the Metal graphics debugger.
• I've heard it also causes Apple to reject apps for the App Store.

To run the examples with Metal API Validation enabled

These instructions are for XCode 11.3.

• Start a new empty XCode project
• Product -> Scheme -> Edit Scheme...
• Choose "Run" on the left
• Choose "Info" tab on the right
  • Under "Executable", choose "Other" and then choose the bgfx examples.app
• Choose "Options" tab on the right
  • Set "Metal API Validation" to "Enabled"
  • Set "Working Directory" to bgfx/examples/runtime
• Close the scheme editor
• Product -> Run
• The examples app should run

Test Case

You can find the test case on my branch here: https://github.com/rogual/bgfx/tree/shader-validation-fail-test-case

The diff is here:

diff --git a/examples/27-terrain/fs_terrain.sc b/examples/27-terrain/fs_terrain.sc
index aff04bea0..586fae170 100644
--- a/examples/27-terrain/fs_terrain.sc
+++ b/examples/27-terrain/fs_terrain.sc
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ $input v_position, v_texcoord0

 #include "../common/common.sh"

+SAMPLER2D(s_heightTexture, 0);
+
 void main()
 {
-   gl_FragColor = vec4(v_texcoord0.x, v_texcoord0.y, v_position.y / 50.0, 1.0);
-}
+   gl_FragColor = texture2D(s_heightTexture, v_texcoord0.xy);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/27-terrain/terrain.cpp b/examples/27-terrain/terrain.cpp
index 3b493304a..5afc36808 100644
--- a/examples/27-terrain/terrain.cpp
+++ b/examples/27-terrain/terrain.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ ExampleTerrain(const char* _name, const char* _description, const char* _url)

        uint32_t num = s_terrainSize * s_terrainSize;

-       m_terrain.m_mode      = 0;
+       m_terrain.m_mode      = 2;
        m_terrain.m_dirty     = true;
        m_terrain.m_vertices  = (PosTexCoord0Vertex*)BX_ALLOC(entry::getAllocator(), num * sizeof(PosTexCoord0Vertex) );
        m_terrain.m_indices   = (uint16_t*)BX_ALLOC(entry::getAllocator(), num * sizeof(uint16_t) * 6);
@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ ExampleTerrain(const char* _name, const char* _description, const char* _url)
            bgfx::setViewTransform(0, m_viewMtx, m_projMtx);
            bgfx::setTransform(m_terrain.m_transform);

+           bgfx::setTexture(0, s_heightTexture, m_heightTexture);
            switch (m_terrain.m_mode)
            {
            default:
@@ -477,7 +478,6 @@ ExampleTerrain(const char* _name, const char* _description, const char* _url)
            case 2:
                bgfx::setVertexBuffer(0, m_vbh);
                bgfx::setIndexBuffer(m_ibh);
-               bgfx::setTexture(0, s_heightTexture, m_heightTexture);
                bgfx::submit(0, m_terrainHeightTextureProgram);
                break;
            }
diff --git a/examples/runtime/shaders/metal/fs_terrain.bin b/examples/runtime/shaders/metal/fs_terrain.bin
index 7092e84b1..0edbc2363 100644
Binary files a/examples/runtime/shaders/metal/fs_terrain.bin and b/examples/runtime/shaders/metal/fs_terrain.bin differ

[rogual]

@attilaz seems to get CC'd on every Metal issue, so, cc: @attilaz :)

[rogual]

Sorry, I keep making stupid mistakes and editing this. Now it's working. There is an issue here somewhere, but I'll reopen it when I can make a proper issue report.

[bkaradzic]

You should not open issues if you're not sure you have actual issue... Use Discussions or Discord instead.

[rogual]

I was sure! I was just wrong 🙁

[rogual]

Alright, I've fixed my test case. It's when vertex and fragment shaders sample from specifically the same texture.

I won't reopen until I've confirmed on Discord that this is a proper bug.

[pezcode]

Might be a similar issue to https://github.com/bkaradzic/bgfx/issues/2410 (which is fixed btw, that issue should be closed)

[rogual]

OK, it sounds like this is a bug then. Reopening.

[nathan-stouffer-onx]

I am encountering the same issue. Has there been any more discussion on this issue?