Initial check-in of a static library to collate shaders on first use.

Author: SimonDarksideJ

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UIAdditiveEffect.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UIAdditive"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UIAdditive"));
                 }
             }
             else

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UIImageCrop.cs

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UI Image Crop"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UI Image Crop"));
                 }
                 mat = mGraphic.material;
             }

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UILinearDodgeEffect.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UILinearDodge"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UILinearDodge"));
                 }
             }
             else

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UIMultiplyEffect.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UIMultiply"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UIMultiply"));
                 }
             }
             else

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UIScreenEffect.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UIScreen"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UIScreen"));
                 }
             }
             else

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/ShaderEffects/UISoftAdditiveEffect.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public void SetMaterial()
                 if (mGraphic.material == null || mGraphic.material.name == "Default UI Material")
                 {
                     //Applying default material with UI Image Crop shader
-                    mGraphic.material = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/UISoftAdditive"));
+                    mGraphic.material = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/UISoftAdditive"));
                 }
             }
             else

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/SoftMaskScript.cs

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void Start()
             var text = GetComponent<Text>();
             if (text != null)
             {
-                mat = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/SoftMaskShader"));
+                mat = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/SoftMaskShader"));
                 text.material = mat;
                 cachedCanvas = text.canvas;
                 cachedCanvasTransform = cachedCanvas.transform;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void Start()
             var graphic = GetComponent<Graphic>();
             if (graphic != null)
             {
-                mat = new Material(Shader.Find("UI Extensions/SoftMaskShader"));
+                mat = new Material(ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/SoftMaskShader"));
                 graphic.material = mat;
                 cachedCanvas = graphic.canvas;
                 cachedCanvasTransform = cachedCanvas.transform;

Runtime/Scripts/Effects/UIParticleSystem.cs

@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ protected bool Initialize()
 
                 if (material == null)
                 {
-                    var foundShader = Shader.Find("UI Extensions/Particles/Additive");
+                    var foundShader = ShaderLibrary.GetShaderInstance("UI Extensions/Particles/Additive");
                     if (foundShader)
                     {
                         material = new Material(foundShader);

Runtime/Scripts/Utilities/ShaderLibrary.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/// Credit SimonDarksideJ
+
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using UnityEditor;
+
+namespace UnityEngine.UI.Extensions
+{
+    [InitializeOnLoadAttribute]
+    public static class ShaderLibrary
+    {
+        public static Dictionary<string, Shader> shaderInstances = new Dictionary<string, Shader>();
+        public static Shader[] preLoadedShaders;
+
+        public static Shader GetShaderInstance(string shaderName)
+        {
+            if (shaderInstances.ContainsKey(shaderName))
+            {
+                return shaderInstances[shaderName];
+            }
+
+            var newInstance = Shader.Find(shaderName);
+            if (newInstance != null)
+            {
+                shaderInstances.Add(shaderName, newInstance);
+            }
+            return newInstance;
+        }
+    }
+}