Sunday, March 9th 2008

DirectX March Update Released

Microsoft has released a new update for DirectX, which is recommended for all users of Windows 2000 and newer (including Vista and Server editions). You can download the web installer here (validation required), or the 69.5MB redistributable version here. There doesn't seem to be any information about the changes in this version, although they are most likely to be minor performance and security updates.
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25 Comments on DirectX March Update Released

#1
OnBoard
Last was November 2007, been waiting for new one for a while.

edit: Wondered for a while, why are there no DirectX10 updates, but seems they are included.

Mar2008_d3dx10_37_x64.cab
Mar2008_d3dx10_37_x86.cab
Posted on Reply
#2
Unregistered
anyone know how to install this? the genuine advantage thing is giving me errors and I dont know where to extract the redistributable
#3
Jimmy 2004
The web setup should be attached with this post - I don't it does any genuine advantage checks.

I think with the redistributable version you just extract it anywhere and it should have a setup file with the extracted files, but I'm not sure of that.
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#4
MilkyWay
make a new folder on the desktop and extract all the files into it there are 2 manyt files for the desktop then there should be a setup file like jimmy said and it will install it for you restart and delete the folder
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#5
trog100
i wonder what it does.. he he he

should i install it or should i not.. hmmm..

trog
Posted on Reply
#6
KBD
Is this only for DX 10? What about 9?
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#7
WarEagleAU
Bird of Prey
I was wondering thr same thing
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#8
jbizzler
The SDK isn't out yet. The major thing in the March SDK is support for Visual Studio 2008.

This is most likely tiny performance/bug fixes. No current games will recieve any benefit from this runtime. Only new games made with the latest DirectX actually use it for compatibility reasons.
Posted on Reply
#9
Jimmy 2004
KBDIs this only for DX 10? What about 9?
Well, as it's for Windows 2000 and newer and DX10 is a Vista-only feature :rolleyes:
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#10
Nicksterr
Yes if you had already been up to date, there is a 2.6mb file update for dx9.

i use the dxwebsetup prog.
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#11
OnBoard
KBDIs this only for DX 10? What about 9?
It's both.

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#12
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
grabbing the redist now (dont like websetup)

wont install until after Project Torque finishes downloading (Free Racing Game like Rappelz)

Will eventually become a retail game.
Posted on Reply
#14
EastCoasthandle
March 2008 DirectX SDK (DirectX Software Development Kit) can be downloaded here and should give you some clue as the March 2008 update
What's New in the March 2008 DirectX SDK

This version of the DirectX SDK contains the following new features, tools, and documentation.

Direct3D 10.1 RTM

Direct3D 10.1 is an incremental, side-by-side update to Direct3D 10 that provides a series of new rendering features that will be available in an upcoming generation of graphics hardware.

* TextureCube Arrays which are dynamically indexable in shader code.
* An updated shader model (shader model 4.1).
* The ability to select the MSAA sample pattern for a resource from a palette of patterns, and retrieve the corresponding sample positions.
* The ability to render to block-compressed textures.
* More flexibility with respect to copying of resources.
* Support for blending on all unorm and unorm formats.

The DirectX SDK now contains the proper headers, libraries, debug binaries, and an updated version of the Direct3D 10 reference rasterizer to support development of Direct3D 10.1 applications. Direct3D 10.1 requires Windows Vista SP1, which is available to MSDN subscribers currently and publicly available on Windows Update in mid-March.

XAudio2 and XACT3 RTM

The libraries for XAudio2 and XACT3 are now supported release versions.

xWMA Decoding in XAudio2 and XACT3

Both XAudio2 and XACT3 now support xWMA> decoding in software on both Xbox 360 and Windows. xWMA uses the WMA bitstream format in a light-weight wrapper and can provide 1.5X the compression compared with XMA at similar quality. xWMA is very useful for types of content, such as dialog or music, for which you can afford a small CPU hit to achieve much greater compression. A quality setting similar to XMA's allows you to increase or decrease compression to adjust sound performance.

This SDK also includes WMAEncode, a command-line tool that allows you to create xWMA content for use in both XAudio2 and XACT3.

XACT3 Exposes a Filter On Every Track

XACT3 now exposes a filter on every track, letting the sound designer set the filter type and parameters (filter width and the cutoff/center frequency). The filter can be set directly on a track or it can be attached to an RPC. Sound designers can set either specific filter parameters, or they can specify a range, and a random value in that range will then be selected for the parameter each time the track is played.

PIX Stability Improvements

This release of PIX has improved stability when doing single-frame captures of Direct3D 10 applications. It also features improved reliability of shader debugging and pixel history.

Changes in Visual Studio Support

The March 2008 DirectX SDK includes support for Visual Studio 2008. The DirectX SDK continues to maintain support for Visual Studio 2005, but Visual Studio 2003 is no longer supported.

Games for Windows Technical Requirements and Test Requirements Updated

The Technical Requirements documents have been updated with additional clarifications and improved test cases. No Technical Requirements were changed.

New and Updated Samples

This release has several new samples. In addition, all audio samples that were using XACT and DirectSound have been updated to use XACT3 and XAudio2. All DirectSound samples have been removed.

* The PIX Game Debugging sample demonstrates common techniques for debugging games by using PIX for Windows.
* The ProceduralMaterials sample shows various procedural materials that are created through shaders.
* The SubD10 sample demonstrates Charles Loop's and Scott Schaefer's Approximate Catmull-Clark subdivision surface technique running on D3D10 hardware.
* The VideoMemory sample shows how to use various methods to determine the amount of video memory available on a
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#15
ShadowFold
Ok what did it do? I didnt notice anything new in my games.
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#16
erocker
*
Hmmm.. I'm using XP SP3 and a bunch of beta drivers... Time to reinstall Windows I think...
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#17
EastCoasthandle
erockerHmmm.. I'm using XP SP3 and a bunch of beta drivers... Time to reinstall Windows I think...
Installing the March update in safe mode should do the trick. Unless there are other concerns.
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#18
erocker
*
OMG, brain fart, :o How do I start in safe mode?:o

*erocker needs his therapist.:shadedshu
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#19
Wile E
Power User
erockerOMG, brain fart, :o How do I start in safe mode?:o

*erocker needs his therapist.:shadedshu
Hahahahaha!! lol. F8 at bootup.
Posted on Reply
#21
erocker
*
Lol. Thanks:o I never have used safe mode in my life, well not since Windows 98 mabye. I just did the web installer as is and everything went fine. Of course, I'm going to try this "new fangled" "Safe-Mode" and see if I can get some killer FPS in DOOM 3!!!!!!

I am joking of course. My 6ghz duel-corr can PAWN! DOOM3:p



:roll:
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#22
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
i use it when im removing drivers.
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#23
jbizzler
EastCoasthandleMarch 2008 DirectX SDK (DirectX Software Development Kit) can be downloaded here and should give you some clue as the March 2008 update
Ah, I hate how no where on the Microsoft sites is this SDK listed. You need to search for it specifically. Been waiting on this for a few months now, only to see it came out two days ago.
Posted on Reply
#24
Nitro-Max
CrAsHnBuRnXpF8 and choose safe mode. :)
Or was that alt + f1 ?:laugh:
Posted on Reply
#25
OnBoard
eidairaman1grabbing the redist now (dont like websetup)

wont install until after Project Torque finishes downloading (Free Racing Game like Rappelz)

Will eventually become a retail game.
That seems like an interesting game, but why oh why has it got this in it?!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameGuard

I don't want no "rootkit" or to mess up my Vista :( And I DO want it to uninstall everything, if I don't like the game.

EDIT: Battlefield 2142 hasn't crashed in Vista yet after the DirectX update, so I'm happy about that. Still might, but isn't worse at least *crosses fingers*
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