Is SDL Renderer useless if I use opengl for drawing?
Solution 1
Can I not use any SDL2 drawing functions now? Do I only use raw opengl calls, and only use SDL for keyboard bindings?
Correct.
In order to use OpenGL API directly, the SDL window must be created with the flag SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL
, as well as a new OpenGL context for it:
auto window = SDL_CreateWindow("Window name",
SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED,
SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED,
width, height, SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL | SDL_WINDOW_FULLSCREEN);
auto context = SDL_GL_CreateContext(window);
If successful, one would simply perform calls to OpenGL like in any other context handler. That same website linked in the question provides tutorials for using OpenGL with SDL 2, both legacy and modern. Note that none of the two involve creating an SDL renderer. In fact, using it would be inappropriate since the two APIs are meant to be mutually exclusive: you should either use one or the other. This answer makes a quick explanation for why you should not mix them.
Nevertheless, there are ways to achieve the same output from certain SDLRenderer calls using OpenGL (since the same renderer has an OpenGL implementation!), but this will naturally be case specific. Want to draw a simple rectangle? The legacy glBegin
and glEnd
approach might suffice. Want to draw a sprite? You'll have to send it to the OpenGL device's memory first. Once you know the ropes around OpenGL, making a suitable wrapper layer is often appropriate.
If you want to use existing libraries that rely on OpenGL, replacing other drawing procedures to use this API (or utility libraries such as GLU) is the right way to go.
Also note that the SDL renderer does not have to rely on OpenGL (it may use Direct3D on Windows).
Solution 2
If i have understood you want to know how to render to the SDL screen without using the SDL functions, you want to use the opengl functions. SDL have support for opengl, to render things with opengl using SDL you must follow these minimum steps: before create the window make some calls to SDL_GL_SetAttribute
to set OpenGL attributes and then create the window with the SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL
flag, after that you must create the opengl context(each gl applciation have one) calling SDL_GL_CreateContext
, See the SDL Wiki for the functions i mentioned: CategoryVideo - SDL Wiki
Here is some piece of code as example:
void start(SDL_Window** window, SDL_GLContext* gl){
if(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) < 0){
throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
}
//set the gl version to be loaded
SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION, 2);
SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_MINOR_VERSION, 1);
*window = SDL_CreateWindow("Widget Tests", SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, WINDOW_WIDTH, WINDOW_HEIGHT, SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL);
if(*window == nullptr){
throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
}
//create the opengl context
*gl = SDL_GL_CreateContext(*window);
if(*gl == nullptr){
throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
}
}
int main(){
SDL_Window* window;
SDL_GLContext gl;
...
//init sdl and opengl
start(&window, &gl);
glClearColor(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION_MATRIX);
glLoadIdentity();
glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW_MATRIX);
glLoadIdentity();
glViewport(0, 0, WINDOW_WIDTH, WINDOW_HEIGHT);
while(running){
while(SDL_PollEvent(&event)){
switch(event.type){
...
}
}
glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
//... draw calls with opengl
SDL_GL_SwapWindow(window);//update the window
}
}
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doodlydoot
Updated on June 04, 2022Comments
-
doodlydoot almost 2 years
I'm am learning SDL2, but I am also using the imgui library that is using OpenGL calls. From what I read on various blogs online, I can't easily mix SDL2 renderer and opengl calls; I either use one or the other.
Most of the tutorials I've read use the renderer, so I do not quite understand how to use SDL2 without the renderer for drawing primitives, or drawing sprites.
Take this for example: http://lazyfoo.net/tutorials/SDL/11_clip_rendering_and_sprite_sheets/index.php
He creates the sdl renderer:
gRenderer = SDL_CreateRenderer( gWindow, -1, SDL_RENDERER_ACCELERATED );
Which he then uses to render images:
void LTexture::render( int x, int y, SDL_Rect* clip ) { //Set rendering space and render to screen SDL_Rect renderQuad = { x, y, mWidth, mHeight }; //Set clip rendering dimensions if( clip != NULL ) { renderQuad.w = clip->w; renderQuad.h = clip->h; } //Render to screen SDL_RenderCopy( gRenderer, mTexture, clip, &renderQuad ); }
He then calls his
render()
to draw images from a spritesheet://Clear screen SDL_SetRenderDrawColor( gRenderer, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF ); SDL_RenderClear( gRenderer ); //Render top left sprite gSpriteSheetTexture.render( 0, 0, &gSpriteClips[ 0 ] ); //Render top right sprite gSpriteSheetTexture.render( SCREEN_WIDTH - gSpriteClips[ 1 ].w, 0, &gSpriteClips[ 1 ] ); //Render bottom left sprite gSpriteSheetTexture.render( 0, SCREEN_HEIGHT - gSpriteClips[ 2 ].h, &gSpriteClips[ 2 ] ); //Render bottom right sprite gSpriteSheetTexture.render( SCREEN_WIDTH - gSpriteClips[ 3 ].w, SCREEN_HEIGHT - gSpriteClips[ 3 ].h, &gSpriteClips[ 3 ] ); //Update screen SDL_RenderPresent( gRenderer );
I understand what is happening, but now that I can't use the sdl renderer, how do I accomplish the same? Can I not use any SDL2 drawing functions now? Do I only use raw opengl calls, and only use SDL for keyboard bindings?
Basically, I do not understand how to use SDL2 for drawing things (like in the sprite example) if I cannot use the
SDL Renderer
since it seems incompatible with the gui library I'm using, which uses opengl calls for rendering. -
keltar over 7 years
SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL
is not enough,SDL_GL_CreateContext
have to be used too. -
E_net4 the comment flagger over 7 yearsAll right, I must have assumed too much. It's fixed now, but that matter is only secondary to the actual answer.
-
keltar over 7 yearsYeah, sure, I agree. In theory GL can be used with SDL_Renderer, but only if you're sure rendering backend is GL. I don't think it is a good idea though, as way too many things can break (e.g. not restoring correct state or shaders).