PIX Tutorials and Samples

This section contains tutorials and samples that demonstrate how to use PIX for gathering and analyzing data.

Tutorials

Collect Data with the Basic View: Collect data with an experiment using the basic view. Use the basic view to get started learning PIX.
Collect Customized Data with the Advanced View: Collect data using an experiment with the advanced view. This tutorial demonstrates how to choose custom triggers and actions to customize the data collected.
Compare Visual Quality with Screen Shots: Use screen captures to compare images between two device types and debug rendering problems.
View Buffer Data: View vertex buffer and index buffer data using HLSL to cast the data so that it is easily recognizable.
View Depth-Buffer Data: View depth-buffer data. Vary the range and internsity of the data displayed to make the data more visible.
View Mesh Data: View mesh data. See mesh data before and after a vertex shader runs. Launch the shader debugger to step through vertex shader code.
View Pixel Data with Pixel History: View every event that causes a change in per-pixel data. This includes depth, stencil and color data.
View Texture Data: View texture data using the texture viewer. Isolate RGB data, alpha data, or individual mip levels.
Debug a Crashing Application: Use PIX to help identify problems with Direct3D usage in a Crashing Application.
Debug a Pixel Shader: Set breakpoints and step through a pixel shader using the shader debugger.
Debug a Vertex Shader: Set breakpoints and step through a vertex shader using the shader debugger.

Samples

PIX Game Debugging Sample: Demonstrates how to use PIX to analyze and resolve a variety of performance scenarios.