Buffer speed.

[Thareh]

Hi!

I'm creating a user interface and I'm using a render to texture routine on all "gadgets" so it'll be faster to draw.

When I'm creating a new window there's a 200-300 ms delay, and I've traced this down to the buffer creation or buffer => texture conversion. (I'm using GetColorBuffer to convert)

So I'm asking: Are buffers slow or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks!

[Thareh]

Here's an example: CLICK ME!.

When you create a new window 5 'render to texture' routines happens (Window, Window Panel, Min/max and close button, the label) and this causes a delay.

On my laptop the delay is about 400 ms which isn't good enough for me >.<

 

The 'render to texture' routine is just this:

Create & Set a new buffer.

Draw some stuff using 2d commands.

Use GetColorBuffer to get the TTexture.

Free the buffer.

 

Is there any faster way of doing 'render to texture' than this?

[ArBuZ]

Hi! I have almost the same routine, except I create all buffers befor main loop. And then in main loop I only set them and render. Maybe that is your problem.

[Thareh]

Well, I can't create the buffers before since I don't know how many windows etc there's gonna be

Does GetBufferColor save the buffers current state as a texture or does the texture change if I change the buffer afterward?

If it saves the current state then perhaps I can just use 1 buffer and resize it, if that's possible.

[Thareh]

Local Buffer:TBuffer = CreateBuffer( W, H, BUFFER_COLOR )
SetBuffer( Buffer )
SetColor( Vec4( 1, 1, 1, 0 ) )
ClearBuffer()
SetColor( Vec4( 1 ) )

'DRAW STUFF HERE!

Texture = GetColorBuffer( Buffer )
SetBuffer( BackBuffer() )
Buffer = Null

 

Here's the 'Render to Texture' routine I'm using.

[Thareh]

There must be some way of speeding this up! >.<

[ArBuZ]

Do you really need buffer for each window. What are you doing with all this textures? Maybe create one buffer and draw there all windows?

[Thareh]

I free the buffer as soon as I've used GetColorBuffer to get the texture, well atleast I nullify it.

I'm just using the buffer for the render to texture, and then I draw the Texture so I'm not using alot of buffers

[ArBuZ]

I mean you can use one buffer for all windows. And try not to create and free buffer for each window. Just create it once and draw windows there. And clear it between window drawing (not free).

[Thareh]

The problem is that the windows are of different sizes etc, if there's a way to resize a buffer it'd be possible! ^^