glVertexPointer Subroutine

OpenGL 1.1 for AIX: Reference Manual

glVertexPointer Subroutine

Purpose

Defines an array of vertex data.

Library

OpenGL C bindings library: libGL.a

C Syntax

void glVertexPointer(GLint size,
             GLenum type,
             GLsizei stride,
             const GLvoid *pointer)

Parameters

size	Specifies the number of coordinates per vertex; must be 2, 3, or 4. The initial value is 4.
type	Specifies the data type of each coordinate in the array. Symbolic constants GL_SHORT, GL_INT, GL_FLOAT, or GL_DOUBLE are accepted. The initial value is GL_FLOAT.
stride	Specifies the byte offset between consecutive vertexes. If stride is 0, the vertexes are understood to be tightly packed in the array. The initial value is 0.
pointer	Specifies a pointer to the first coordinate of the first vertex in the array.

Description

The glVertexPointer subroutine specifies the location and data format of an array of vertex coordinates to use when rendering. The size parameter specifies the number of coordinates per vertex and type the data type of the coordinates. The stride parameter specifies the byte stride from one vertex to the next allowing vertexes and attributes to be packed into a single array or stored in separate arrays. (Single array storage may be more efficient on some implementations; see glInterleavedArrays). When a vertex array is specified, size, type, stride, and pointer are saved as client side state.

To enable and disable the vertex array, call glEnableClientState and glDisableClientState with the argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY. If enabled, the vertex array is used when glDrawArrays, glDrawElements, or glArrayElement is called.

Use glDrawArrays to construct a sequence of primitives (all of the same type) from prespecified vertex and vertex attribute arrays. Use glArrayElement to specify primitives by indexing vertexes and vertex attributes and glDrawElements to construct a sequence of primitives by indexing vertexes and vertex attributes.

Notes

The glVertexPointer subroutine is available only if the GL version is 1.1 or greater.

The vertex array is initially disabled and it won't be accessed when glArrayElement, glDrawElements or glDrawArrays is called.

Execution of glVertexPointer is not allowed between glBegin and the corresponding glEnd, but an error may or may not be generated. If an error is not generated, the operation is undefined.

The glVertexPointer subroutine is typically implemented on the client side with no protocol.

Since the vertex array parameters are client side state, they are not saved or restored by glPushAttrib and glPopAttrib. Use glPushClientAttrib and glPopClientAttrib instead.

The glVertexPointer subroutine is not included in display lists.

Errors

GL_INVALID_VALUE is generated if size is not 2, 3, or 4.

GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if type is is not an accepted value.

GL_INVALID_VALUE is generated if stride is negative.

Associated Gets

glIsEnabled with argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY

glGet with argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_SIZE

glGet with argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_TYPE

glGet with argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_STRIDE

glGetPointerv with argument GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_POINTER

Related Information

The glArrayElement subroutine, glColorPointer subroutine, glDrawArrays subroutine, glDrawElements subroutine, glEdgeFlagPointer subroutine, glEnable subroutine, glGetPointerv subroutine, glIndexPointer subroutine, glNormalPointer subroutine, glPopClientAttrib subroutine, glPushClientAttrib subroutine, glTexCoordPointer subroutine.