Re: OpenGL Overlay visuals in X11
Re: OpenGL Overlay visuals in X11
- Subject: Re: OpenGL Overlay visuals in X11
- From: Sean Ahern <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2003 09:59:37 -0700
- Resent-date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 10:13:35 -0700
- Resent-from: email@hidden
- Resent-message-id: <email@hidden>
- Resent-to: email@hidden
Stanko Juzbasic wrote:
> I would not agree with you in saying they are nota requirement. Most
> interesting programs at launch time search for available visuals, require
> overlays, and won't even launch without overlay visuals found. I would say
> overlay support is a central feature of any graphic visualization subsystem
> and is what makes a difference between a children's toy and a workstation.
Hm. I disagree. I'm a researcher at a National Laboratory here in the
States. We do terascale visualization on clusters and other systems every
day. We have many visualization applications that do not require overlay
planes to be supported in a graphics subsystem. For instance, let's say that
you have allocated those planes to additional precision in the color or depth
buffer. If you aren't planning on rendering GUI elements over the OpenGL
area, you really don't need to rely on overlay planes, and it makes more sense
to use the frame buffer resources for other uses.
The reason I say that they are not a requirement is that, at worst, you incur
an additional frame of rendering. In general, that doesn't make your app
impossible to use. It merely adds a delay, albiet undesirable. Overlay
planes are very useful, but certainly not a requirement to make a usable
visualization application.
> > [Re:] I was merely trying to find a more detailed description of what,
> > specifically, you found lacking in Apple's GLX.
>
> How are you connected with the Apple's GLX? Are you the author?
No. I am not affiliated with Apple in any way. I am only connected in that I
am a user of Apple's X11 and try to follow its development closely. Systemic
problems like lack of overlay planes or problems with X11 event delivery
concern me as a software developer of visualization systems.
(I'm a bit surprised that you redirected this conversation to private email
rather than the x11-users list, as there are others on the list who might be
interested in commenting.)
-Sean
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