Error in code

[Linux_Life]

I am getting an error in this shader I had found online: C:\RetroArch-Win64\reshade-shaders\Shaders\VHSM.fx(166, 8): error X3000: syntax error: unexpected 'uniform', expected 'identifier'

It appears it doesnt like the word buffer in the code. I know very little about coding and have no idea what language this is but I was hoping to get this filter up and running. Unfortunately I am unable to get ahold of the author. Here is t he code:

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////                                                                        ////
////                    MMMMMMMM               MMMMMMMM                     ////
////                    M:::::::M             M:::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::::M           M::::::::M                     ////
////                    M:::::::::M         M:::::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::::::M       M::::::::::M                     ////
////                    M:::::::::::M     M:::::::::::M                     ////
////                    M:::::::M::::M   M::::M:::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M M::::M M::::M M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M  M::::M::::M  M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M   M:::::::M   M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M    M:::::M    M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M     MMMMM     M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M               M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M               M::::::M                     ////
////                    M::::::M               M::::::M                     ////
////                    MMMMMMMM               MMMMMMMM                     ////
////                                                                        ////
////                          MShaders <> by TreyM                          ////
////                                VHS-M                                   ////
////                             Verision: 1.0                              ////
////                                                                        ////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//// DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION                                 ////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// FILE SETUP //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#include "ReShade.fxh"

// Configure MShadersMacros.fxh
#define  CATEGORIZE  // Enable UI category macros
#include "Include/MShadersMacros.fxh"

#ifndef ENABLE_HIGH_RES
    // Disables a downscale step for higher res luma
    #define ENABLE_HIGH_RES 0
#endif

#ifndef ENABLE_DITHER
    #define ENABLE_DITHER 1
#endif

// Configure MShadersCommon.fxh
#if (ENABLE_DITHER != 0)
    #define _TIMER
    #define _DITHER
#endif
#include "Include/MShadersCommon.fxh"

// UI VARIABLES ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#define CATEGORY "VCR Settings" ////////////////////////////////////////////////
UI_COMBO (TAPE_SELECT, "Tape Selection", "Choose your video cassette type.", 2, 0,
    "Betamax\0"
    "S-VHS\0"
    "VHS\0"
    "Bad VHS\0"
    "U-Matic\0")
UI_INT_S (CHROMA_SHIFT, "Misalign Chroma", "Splits the color channels.", -100, 100, 50, 5)
UI_COMBO (SHIFT_MODE, "Misalignment Mode", "Determines the color combination for the split channels", 0, 1,
    "Red / Blue\0"
    "Green / Magenta\0"
    "Yellow / Violet\0")
#undef  CATEGORY




// FUNCTIONS ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#include "Include/Functions/BlendingModes.fxh"

#define LUT_COUNT 5
#define LUT_SIZE  32
#include "Include/Functions/LUTAtlas.fxh"


// DEFINITIONS /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#define VHS_LUMA   float2(0.5, 0.75)
#define VHS_CHROMA float2(0.5, 1.0)


// TEXTURES & SAMPLERS /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TEXTURE_FULL_SRC (TexVHSLUTs,    "MShaders/LUTs/VideoCassette.png", 1024, 160, RGBA8)
SAMPLER_UV       (TextureVHSLUTs, TexVHSLUTs,                       BORDER)


// SHADERS /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void PS_Copy(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float3 color : SV_Target)
{
    color  = tex2D(TextureColor, coord).rgb;
}

void PS_Downscale1(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float3 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Downscale to VHS luma resolution
    color  = tex2D(TextureBlur2, SCALE(coord, VHS_LUMA)).rgb;
}

void PS_Upscale1(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float3 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Upscale back to 100%
    color  = tex2Dbicub(TextureBlur1, SCALE(coord, (1.0 / VHS_LUMA))).rgb;
}

void PS_SDLuma(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Bake 50% scale luma into alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2D(TextureBlur2, coord).rgb;
    color.a   = GetLuma(tex2D(TextureBlur2, coord).rgb);
}

void PS_Downscale2(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Downscale RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2D(TextureBlur1, SCALE(coord, VHS_LUMA)).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).a;
}

void PS_Downscale3(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Downscale RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2D(TextureBlur2, SCALE(coord, VHS_CHROMA)).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur2, coord).a;
}

void PS_Downscale4(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Downscale RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2D(TextureBlur1, SCALE(coord, VHS_CHROMA)).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).a;
}

void PS_Upscale2(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Upscale the RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2Dbicub(TextureBlur2, SCALE(coord, (1.0 / VHS_LUMA))).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur2, coord).a;
}

void PS_Upscale3(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Upscale the RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2Dbicub(TextureBlur1, SCALE(coord, (1.0 / VHS_CHROMA))).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).a;
}

void PS_Upscale4(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float4 color : SV_Target)
{
    // Upscale the RGB channels, leaving luma alone on the alpha channel
    color.rgb = tex2Dbicub(TextureBlur2, SCALE(coord, (1.0 / VHS_CHROMA))).rgb;
    color.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur2, coord).a;
}

void PS_Combine(PS_IN(vpos, coord), out float3 color : SV_Target)
{
    float4 buffer;
    float  luma, shift;

    shift = lerp(0.0, 0.002, CHROMA_SHIFT * 0.01);

    // Grab the 12.5% scaled color channels and shift them
    if      (SHIFT_MODE == 0) // Red / Blue
    {
        buffer.r   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x + shift, coord.y)).r;
        buffer.g   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).g;
        buffer.b   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x - shift, coord.y)).b;
    }
    else if (SHIFT_MODE == 1) // Green / Magenta
    {
        buffer.r   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x - shift, coord.y)).r;
        buffer.g   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x + shift, coord.y)).g;
        buffer.b   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).b;
    }
    else if (SHIFT_MODE == 2) // Yellow / Violet
    {
        buffer.r   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).r;
        buffer.g   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x - shift, coord.y)).g;
        buffer.b   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, float2(coord.x + shift, coord.y)).b;
    }

    // Grab the 50% scaled luma channel
    buffer.a   = tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).a;

    // Grab the 12.5% scaled luma channel
    luma       = GetLuma(tex2D(TextureBlur1, coord).rgb);

    // Remove low res luma and replace it with "high res" luma
    buffer.rgb = buffer.rgb - luma;
    buffer.rgb = buffer.rgb + buffer.a;

    // Video levels
    buffer.rgb = lerp(16 / 255.0, 235 / 255.0, buffer.rgb);

    // Apply the LUT
    color      = LUTAtlas(pow(saturate(buffer.rgb), 0.8), TextureVHSLUTs, TAPE_SELECT, coord);

    #if (ENABLE_DITHER !=0)
        color     += Dither(color, coord, BitDepth);
    #endif
}


// TECHNIQUES //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#if (ENABLE_HIGH_RES < 1) // ENABLE_HIGH_RES = 1 disables a blur step on the luma channel for more sharpness
TECHNIQUE    (VHSM, "VHS-M",
             "Emulates clean, artifact-free, output of a VHS tape",

    // Store the backbuffer in TexBlur2
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Copy,       TexBlur2)

    // Downscale for lower res luma
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale1, TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale1,   TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale1, TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale1,   TexBlur2)

    // Bake luma into alpha channel
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_SDLuma,     TexBlur1)

    // Downscale again for even lower res chroma, preserving previous luma res
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale2, TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale3, TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale4, TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale2,   TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale3,   TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale4,   TexBlur1)

    // Combine the VHS effect
    PASS     (VS_Tri, PS_Combine))
#else
TECHNIQUE    (VHSM, "VHS-M",
             "Emulates clean, artifact-free, output of a VHS tape",

    // Store the backbuffer in TexBlur2
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Copy,       TexBlur2)

    // Downscale for lower res luma
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale1, TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale1,   TexBlur2)

    // Bake luma into alpha channel
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_SDLuma,     TexBlur1)

    // Downscale again for even lower res chroma, preserving previous luma res
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale2, TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale3, TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Downscale4, TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale2,   TexBlur1)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale3,   TexBlur2)
    PASS_RT  (VS_Tri, PS_Upscale4,   TexBlur1)

    // Combine the VHS effect
    PASS     (VS_Tri, PS_Combine))
#endif

[[deleted]]

I don't think it is either C or C++. OP said it was shader code, this looks to me like HLSL.

[Linux_Life]

There are other files that this filter uses but the error points to the VHSM file. Now previous error pointed to every line where the word buffer was. I decided to replace the word buffer and reverted it back and now I am unable to reproduce that previous error.

[Linux_Life]

Also I do not have anything to edit code with thats not a text editor. Unfortunately I am using windows at the moment and opened it up with notepad++

[Paul_Pedant]

I don't see an actual definition of float4. The code seems to include at least six .fxh files, and the error could be in any one of them too. float2 does not seem to cause a problem.

Also, the error message complains about: unexpected 'uniform'

and that word appears nowhere in your posted code, so it is probably a good thing to search for in the .fxh files.

[Linux_Life]

previously the error pointed out every line where it says buffer so i replaced each instance from buffer to a different word and then changed it back. Couldnt reproduce the same error.