OpenGL Programming Guide

Chapter 4
Display Lists

Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you'll be able to do the following:

• Understand how clients and servers work together in a networked OpenGL system
  
  

• Understand how display lists can be used along with commands in immediate mode to improve performance
  
  

• Maximize performance by knowing how and when to use display lists

A display list is a group of OpenGL commands that have been stored for later execution. When a display list is invoked, the commands in it are executed in the order in which they were issued. Most OpenGL commands can be either stored in a display list or issued in immediate mode, which causes them to be executed immediately. You can freely mix immediate-mode programming and display lists within a single program. The programming examples you've seen so far have used immediate mode. This chapter discusses what display lists are and how best to use them. It has the following major sections:

• "An Example of Using a Display List" gives a brief example, showing the basic commands for using display lists.
  
  

• "Display-List Design Philosophy" explains when to use display lists.
  
  

• "Creating and Executing a Display List" discusses in detail the commands for creating and executing display lists.
  
  

• "Managing Display Lists and Their Indices" explains how to let OpenGL generate display-list indices for you automatically.
  
  

• "Executing Multiple Display Lists" shows how to execute several display lists in succession, using a small character set as an example.
  
  

• "Encapsulating Mode Changes" tells you how to use display lists to switch efficiently among different modes.

An Example of Using a Display List
Display-List Design Philosophy
Creating and Executing a Display List
Managing Display Lists and Their Indices
Executing Multiple Display Lists
Encapsulating Mode Changes

OpenGL Programming Guide