Is there any news about the implementation of the autosmooth shading for the Cycles render engine? And for the viewport? Maybe it could be done by a specific node in the shaders in case of Cycles. And it could be nice to have it visible also in the vieport, in the solid visualization, to have a preview of the shading. Anyway, it would be useful if implemented.
You mean like edge split modifier?
I think what he means is the display function, not the modifier. Professional 3d software (except Houdini) has usually some kind of angle-based smoothing for the view port and (also in most cases) for rendering that does not change the topology of the mesh, which is important, because disconnected edges, like the split edges modifier produces will most likely lead to problems if it is applied before modelling is finished. It is important to have this, from the beginning of the modeling process, because you can count on the fact, that very early a client/supervisor/director will look over your shoulder and say: “Hey why has this building/power tool/perfume-bottle all this jaggy edges?” and you really don´t want to say " because I can´t apply the edge splitting modifier yet".
It’s not a bad thing to adapt the little things that have been proven useful over decades.
I mean like the Blender Engine autosmooth feature, based on edges angle. Without need of modifier. I know I could use edge split modifier instead. But autosmooth seems faster.
It couldn’t be done in the shader nodes. If there are plans to implement this feature, it better be at the very bottom of priorities. The modifier is superior in pretty much all respects. I don’t see how Autosmooth is faster.
Probably you are rigth. With the modifier you could obtain the original blender autosmooth functionality, with both angle based parameter and sharpen edges tag, and it works in viewport. The only thing one must pay attention is to put it at the bottonm of all other modifiers (if you don’t want particoular effects).