[Bf-committers] Python on OS X Thought

Daniel Dunbar bf-committers@blender.org
Mon, 14 Apr 2003 10:59:22 -0700 (PDT)


> Besides the implementation issues, I doubt that switching to Cocoa will  
> solve Blender's OpenGL problem on osx. I am aware of one problem with a  
> flickering display that is due to the way Blender uses the back and  
> front buffers. This problem went through the official Apple bug  
> handling process (back in the NaN days). Apple found that Blender's use  
> of these buffers is against "official OpenGL guidelines". It interferes  
> with their window manager I believe that does buffer tricks for such  
> eye candy like drop shadows on windows.

Just for reference, Blender's use is not against official OpenGL guidelines,
the bug is clearly a failure in their OpenGL implementation, and I submitted
a test program that demonstrated this, I believe they did not take the time 
to understand my program and the failure. (The reply they gave as to why it 
wasn't working was incorrect, so I assumed they didn't bother to understand 
the problem.)

> According to Daniel (who worked on this) the problem can't be resolved  
> unless we remove all that back and front buffer switching code from  
> blender. This solution gets my vote.

Even though I am still of the opinion it is an Apple OpenGL failure, the
current system is way too complex and extraordinary to be expected to function
properly on the wide range of graphics cards Blender would like to support.
Rewriting the system could potentially yield much higher performance and
flexility - but it takes work, like most real improvements to Blender.


=====
daniel dunbar
daniel@zuster.org