"The Sapphire package is not just a collection of plug-ins. It is an essential toolset for VFX post production."
Showreel Magazine





Download Sapphire Plug-ins for Shake on Linux

Version 2.02 is now available for Shake 4.1.

FREE TRIAL - You can download and use a fully functional copy of Sapphire Plug-ins version 2. After a 3-week trial period, the plug-ins will output a watermark unless you purchase and enter a license.

Last updated: April 2, 2007

To download and install:

  1. Become root, and use the rpm shell command to download and run the appropriate installer for the Shake version you have:
        For Shake 4.1 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-2.021s41-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.
        For Shake 4.0 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-2.0s40-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.

        Use Sapphire version 1 for older versions of Shake:
        For Shake 3.5 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-1.04s35-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.
        For Shake 3.01 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-1.01s301-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.
        For Shake 3.0 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-1.01s30-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.
        For Shake 2.5 type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-1.01s25-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.
        For Shake 2.4x type:
          rpm -Uvh http://genarts.com/SapphireNReal-1.0s24-1.i386.rpm
          or download the rpm file and install it locally.

    Follow the instructions given by the installer.

  2. If this is the first time you are installing Sapphire Plug-ins, add the appropriate genarts directories to the NR_INCLUDE_PATH and NR_ICON_PATH environment variables:

    For csh-style shells (tcsh or csh), become root, edit /etc/csh.cshrc, and either add the line
    setenv NR_INCLUDE_PATH /usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal/include
    or append ;/usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal/include to the existing NR_INCLUDE_PATH.

    For bourne-style shells (bash or zsh), become root, edit /etc/profile, and either add the line
    NR_INCLUDE_PATH=/usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal/include; export NR_INCLUDE_PATH
    or append ;/usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal/include to the existing NR_INCLUDE_PATH.

    Then do the same for NR_ICON_PATH, setting it to /usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal/icons
    Finally logout and login again to read the new variable settings.

  3. Restart your Shake, and you should be ready to use Sapphire Plug-ins.
To load a plug-in, click on the GenArts tool tab in the tool menu, and a menu of all Sapphire Plug-ins should appear. You can use a plug-in just like any other effect. The Sapphire wipe and dissolve transition effects also appear in the mix menu of the standard Shake transition node.

To access the on-line documentation in HTML format while using any plug-in, just click on the Help button located at the end of its parameters page. You can also download the Sapphire Plug-ins User's Guide in PDF format (2.6 Mb, 300+ pages).

Systems notes:
Sapphire Plug-ins are compiled and tested with the OS versions that Shake is qualified to run on: Shake 4.0 is for Mac OS 10.3.9 or RedHat 9, and Shake 4.1 is for Mac OS 10.4 (universal) or Fedora Core 4. Shake and Sapphire Plug-ins may also work on other OS versions, even though we have not necessarily tested with them.

Sapphire Plug-ins are installed in /usr/genarts/sapphire-nreal. If you move this directory, you'll need to set the environment variable SAPPHIRE_NREAL_DIR to its new location, and also modify NREAL_INCLUDE_PATH and NREAL_ICON_PATH accordingly.

What's new in version 2.02:

  1. A problem with remote renders using FLEXlm licenses is corrected.
New in version 2.01:
  1. A problem with Rays color and alpha masks is fixed.
  2. An issue with remote renders during a free trial is fixed.
  3. A problem with Warps downstream from a transform node is fixed.
  4. Misc other improvements.


GENARTS, INC. info@>genarts.com 955 MASS. AVE CAMBRIDGE, MA 02139 USA TEL 617.492.2888 FAX 617.492.2852
GenArts and Sapphire Plug-ins are trademarks of GenArts, Inc. Shake is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
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