OpenGL.GL.ARB.get_program_binary

OpenGL extension ARB.get_program_binary

This module customises the behaviour of the OpenGL.raw.GL.ARB.get_program_binary to provide a more Python-friendly API

Overview (from the spec)

This extension introduces new commands to retrieve and set the binary representation of a program object. GetProgramBinary allows an application to cache compiled and linked programs to avoid compiling and linking when used again. This may even allow the GL itself to act as an offline compiler. The resulting program binary can be reloaded into the GL via ProgramBinary. This is a very useful path for applications that wish to remain portable by shipping pure GLSL source shaders, yet would like to avoid the cost of compiling their shaders at runtime. Instead an application can supply its GLSL source shaders during first application run, or even during installation. The application then compiles and links its shaders and reads back the program binaries. On subsequent runs, only the program binaries need be supplied.

ProgramBinary may also accept binaries in vendor-specific formats produced by specialized offline compilation tools. This extension does not add any such formats, but allows for them in further extensions. Though the level of optimization may not be identical -- the offline shader compiler may have the luxury of more aggressive optimization at its disposal -- program binaries generated online by the GL are interchangeable with those generated offline by an SDK tool.

The official definition of this extension is available here: http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/get_program_binary.txt