OpenGL Performer^™  Programmer's Guide

Table of Contents

New Features in This Guide

About This Guide

Why Use OpenGL Performer?

What You Should Know Before Reading This Guide

How to Use This Guide

Internet and Hardcopy Reading for the OpenGL Performer Series

Reader Comments

1. OpenGL Performer Programming Interface

General Naming Conventions

Class API

Base Classes

2. Setting Up the Display Environment

Using Pipes

Using Channels

Controlling the Video Output

Using Multiple Channels

Using Channel Groups

Importing OpenGL Multipipe SDK (MPK) Configuration Files

3. Nodes and Node Types

Nodes

Working with Nodes

Node Types

Sample Program

4. Database Traversal

Scene Graph Hierarchy

Application Traversal

Cull Traversal

Draw Traversal

Controlling and Customizing Traversals

Process Callbacks

Intersection Traversal

5. Frame and Load Control

Frame Rate Management

Level-of-Detail Management

Maintaining Frame Rate Using D ynamic Vid eo Res olution

Dynamic Load Management

Successful Multiprocessing with OpenGL Performer

CULL Process Optimizations

6. Creating Visual Effects

Using pfEarthSky

Atmospheric Effects

Patchy Fog and Layered Fog

Real-Time Shadows

Image-Based Rendering

7. Importing Databases

Overview of OpenGL Performer Database Creation and Conversion

libpfdu - Utilities for Creating Efficient OpenGL Performer Run-Time Structures

Developing Custom Importers

Maximizing Database Loading and Paging Performance with PFB and PFI Formats

Supported Database Formats

Description of Supported Formats

Database Operators with Pseudo Loaders

The Maya Database Exporter

8. Geometry

pfGeoSet (Geometry Set)

pfGeoArray (Geometry Array)

Optimizing Geometry for Rendering

Rendering 3D Text

9. Higher-Order Geometric Primitives

Features and Uses of Higher-Order Geometric Primitives

Objects Required by Reps

Geometric Primitives: The Base Class pfRep and the Application repTest

Planar Curves

Spatial Curves

Parametric Surfaces

Meshes

Subdivision Surfaces

10. Creating and Maintaining Surface Topology

Overview of Topology Tasks

Summary of Scene Graph Topology: pfTopo

Collecting Connected Surfaces: pfSolid

11. Rendering Higher-Order Primitives: Tessellators

Features of Tessellators

Base Class pfTessellateAction

Tessellating Parametric Surfaces

12. Graphics State

Immediate Mode

13. Shaders

The pfShaderProgram Class

The pfShaderObject Class

Example Code

14. Using Scalable Graphics Hardware

Using OpenGL Performer with a DPLEX

Using OpenGL Performer with an SGI Scalable Graphics Compositor

Using OpenGL Performer with GPUs

15. ClipTextures

Overview

Cliptexture API

Preprocessing ClipTextures

Cliptexture Configuration

Configuration API

Post-Scene Graph Load Configuration

Manipulating Cliptextures

Using Cliptextures

16. Windows

pfWindows

Creating a pfWindow

Configuring the Framebuffer of a pfWindow

pfWindows and GL Windows

Manipulating a pfWindow

Communicating with the Window System

More pfWindow Examples

17. pfPipeWindows and pfPipeVideoChannels

Using pfPipeWindows

Controlling Video Displays

18. Managing Nongraphic System Tasks

Handling Queues

High-Resolution Clocks

Memory Allocation

Asynchronous I/O (IRIX only)

Error Handling and Notification

File Search Paths

19. Dynamic Data

pfFlux

pfEngine

Animating a Geometry

20. Active Surface Definition

Overview

Using ASD

ASD Solution Flow Chart

A Very Simple ASD

ASD Elements

Data Structures

pfASD Queries

Using ASD for Multiple Channels

Combining pfClipTex ture and pfASD

ASD Evaluation Function Timing

Paging

21. Light Points

Uses of Light Points

Creating a Light Point

Setting the Behavior of Light Points

Callbacks

Reducing CPU Processing Using Textures

Preprocessing Light Points

Calligraphic Light Points

Using pfCalligraphic Without pfChannel

Debugging Calligrap hic Lights on Non-Calligraphic Systems

Calligraphic Light Example

22. Math Routines

Vector Operations

Matrix Operations

Quaternion Operations

Matrix Stack Operations

Creating and Transforming Volumes

Intersecting Volumes

Creating and Working with Line Segments

General Math Routine Example Program

23. Statistics

Interpreting Statistics Displays

Collecting and Accessing Statistics in Your Application

24. Performance Tuning and Debugging

Performance Tuning Overview

How OpenGL Performer Helps Performance

Specific Guidelines for Optimizing Performance

Performance Measurement Tools

Guidelines for Debugging

Memory Corruption and Leaks

Notes on Tuning for RealityEngine Graphics

EventView—A Performance Analyzer

25. Building a Visual Simulation Application Using libpfv

Overview

The Simplest pfvViewer Program

Adding Interaction to a pfvViewer Program

Reading XML Configuration Files

Module Scoping, Multiple Worlds and Multiple Views

Extending a pfvViewer—Writing Custom Modules

Extending a pfvViewer—Module Entry Points

Picking, Selection, and Interaction

More Sample Programs, Configuration Files, and Source Code

26. Programming with C++

Overview

Class Taxonomy

Programming Basics

Porting from C API to C++ API

Subclassing pfObjects

Multiprocessing and Shared Memory

Performance Hints

Glossary

Index