diff --git a/panda/src/display/graphicsStateGuardian.cxx b/panda/src/display/graphicsStateGuardian.cxx
index 05ec42aa18..1840438737 100644
--- a/panda/src/display/graphicsStateGuardian.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/display/graphicsStateGuardian.cxx
@@ -886,15 +886,13 @@ fetch_specified_part(ShaderExpansion::ShaderMatInput part, InternalName *name, L
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_mat_constant_x: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    if (input->get_nodepath().is_empty()) {
-      return &LMatrix4f::ident_mat();
-    }
-    return &(input->get_nodepath().node()->get_transform()->get_mat());
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    return &(np.node()->get_transform()->get_mat());
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_vec_constant_x: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    const float *data = input->get_vector().get_data();
+    const LVector4f &input = _target._shader->get_shader_input_vector(name);
+    const float *data = input.get_data();
     t = LMatrix4f(data[0],data[1],data[2],data[3],
                   data[0],data[1],data[2],data[3],
                   data[0],data[1],data[2],data[3],
@@ -949,67 +947,51 @@ fetch_specified_part(ShaderExpansion::ShaderMatInput part, InternalName *name, L
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_view_x_to_view: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-
-    if (input->get_nodepath().is_empty()) {
-      gsg_cat.error()
-        << "SHADER INPUT ASSERT: "
-        << name
-        << "\n";
-    }
-
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
-    t = input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    t = np.get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
       get_scene()->get_world_transform()->get_mat();
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_view_to_view_x: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-
-    if (input->get_nodepath().is_empty()) {
-      gsg_cat.error()
-        << "SHADER INPUT ASSERT: "
-        << name
-        << "\n";
-    }
-
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(),  &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
     t = get_scene()->get_camera_transform()->get_mat() *
-      invert(input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat());
+      invert(np.get_net_transform()->get_mat());
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_apiview_x_to_view: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
     t = LMatrix4f::convert_mat(_internal_coordinate_system, _coordinate_system) *
-      input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
+      np.get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
       get_scene()->get_world_transform()->get_mat();
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_view_to_apiview_x: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
     t = (get_scene()->get_camera_transform()->get_mat() *
-         invert(input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat()) *
+         invert(np.get_net_transform()->get_mat()) *
          LMatrix4f::convert_mat(_coordinate_system, _internal_coordinate_system));
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_clip_x_to_view: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
-    Lens *lens = DCAST(LensNode, input->get_nodepath().node())->get_lens();
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    Lens *lens = DCAST(LensNode, np.node())->get_lens();
     t = lens->get_projection_mat_inv(_current_stereo_channel) *
       LMatrix4f::convert_mat(lens->get_coordinate_system(), _coordinate_system) *
-      input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
+      np.get_net_transform()->get_mat() *
       get_scene()->get_world_transform()->get_mat();
     return &t;
   }
   case ShaderExpansion::SMO_view_to_clip_x: {
-    const ShaderInput *input = _target._shader->get_shader_input(name);
-    nassertr(!input->get_nodepath().is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
-    Lens *lens = DCAST(LensNode, input->get_nodepath().node())->get_lens();
+    const NodePath &np = _target._shader->get_shader_input_nodepath(name);
+    nassertr(!np.is_empty(), &LMatrix4f::ident_mat());
+    Lens *lens = DCAST(LensNode, np.node())->get_lens();
     t = get_scene()->get_camera_transform()->get_mat() *
-      invert(input->get_nodepath().get_net_transform()->get_mat()) *
+      invert(np.get_net_transform()->get_mat()) *
       LMatrix4f::convert_mat(_coordinate_system, lens->get_coordinate_system()) *
       lens->get_projection_mat(_current_stereo_channel);
     return &t;
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.cxx
index dd2ffb5260..2249fd4637 100755
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.cxx
@@ -257,6 +257,78 @@ get_shader_input(const string &id) const {
   return get_shader_input(InternalName::make(id));
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: ShaderAttrib::get_shader_input_nodepath
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the ShaderInput as a nodepath.  Assertion 
+//               fails if there is none, or if it is not a nodepath.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+const NodePath &ShaderAttrib::
+get_shader_input_nodepath(InternalName *id) const {
+  static NodePath resfail;
+  Inputs::const_iterator i = _inputs.find(id);
+  if (i == _inputs.end()) {
+    pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not present.\n";
+    nassertr(false, resfail);
+  } else {
+    const ShaderInput *p = (*i).second;
+    if (p->get_value_type() != ShaderInput::M_nodepath) {
+      pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not a nodepath.\n";
+      nassertr(false, resfail);
+    }
+    return p->get_nodepath();
+  }
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: ShaderAttrib::get_shader_input_vector
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the ShaderInput as a vector.  Assertion 
+//               fails if there is none, or if it is not a vector.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+const LVector4f &ShaderAttrib::
+get_shader_input_vector(InternalName *id) const {
+  static LVector4f resfail(0,0,0,0);
+  Inputs::const_iterator i = _inputs.find(id);
+  if (i == _inputs.end()) {
+    pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not present.\n";
+    nassertr(false, resfail);
+    return resfail;
+  } else {
+    const ShaderInput *p = (*i).second;
+    if (p->get_value_type() != ShaderInput::M_vector) {
+      pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not a vector.\n";
+      nassertr(false, resfail);
+      return resfail;
+    }
+    return p->get_vector();
+  }
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: ShaderAttrib::get_shader_input_texture
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the ShaderInput as a texture.  Assertion 
+//               fails if there is none, or if it is not a texture.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Texture *ShaderAttrib::
+get_shader_input_texture(InternalName *id) const {
+  Inputs::const_iterator i = _inputs.find(id);
+  if (i == _inputs.end()) {
+    pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not present.\n";
+    nassertr(false, NULL);
+    return NULL;
+  } else {
+    const ShaderInput *p = (*i).second;
+    if (p->get_value_type() != ShaderInput::M_texture) {
+      pgraph_cat.error() << "Shader input " << id->get_name() << " is not a texture.\n";
+      nassertr(false, NULL);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    return p->get_texture();
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: ShaderAttrib::get_shader
 //       Access: Published
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.h b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.h
index 7f0c089298..fc1748db24 100755
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderAttrib.h
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ PUBLISHED:
   const Shader      *get_shader() const;
   const ShaderInput *get_shader_input(InternalName *id) const;
   const ShaderInput *get_shader_input(const string &id) const;
+
+  const NodePath    &get_shader_input_nodepath(InternalName *id) const;
+  const LVector4f   &get_shader_input_vector(InternalName *id) const;
+  Texture*           get_shader_input_texture(InternalName *id) const;
   
   static void register_with_read_factory();
   
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderInput.h b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderInput.h
index dc256eb824..8ec4b746df 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/shaderInput.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/shaderInput.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE Texture          *get_texture() const;
   INLINE const NodePath   &get_nodepath() const;
   INLINE const LVector4f  &get_vector() const;
-  
+
 public:
   static void register_with_read_factory();