OpenGL.GL.ARB.arrays_of_arrays
OpenGL extension ARB.arrays_of_arrays
This module customises the behaviour of the
OpenGL.raw.GL.ARB.arrays_of_arrays to provide a more
Python-friendly API
Overview (from the spec)
Multi-dimensional arrays are a frequently requested feature. This extension
removes the restriciton that arrays cannot be formed into arrays, allowing
arrays of arrays to be declared. Technically, removing this restriction is
all that is necessary to enable this feature, but it is worthwhile showing
what the result of doing that looks like.
The following will be true of arrays of arrays
- They will first class objects. (They know their size, can be passed by copy-in semantics to functions, etc.)
- They will only be one-dimensional arrays of other first class objects. (arrays are already first class objects).
- The syntax
vec4 a[3][2];
Declares a one-dimensional array of size 3 of one-dimensional arrays of
size 2 of vec4s. Also, these syntaxes do the same thing:
vec4
a[3
;
vec4[3][2] a;
or, looking at more dimensions, these are all the same
int a[1][2][3][4][5][6];
int[1][2][3][4][5][6] a;
int
a[1
[2][3];
note this latter is equivalent to C, in meaning the same thing, if done as
typedef int int456[4][5][6];
int456 a[1][2][3];
that is, this GLSL proposal matches C behavior in this way. The type needed for
both constructors and nameless parameters is:
int[1][2][3][4][5][6]
- This type could be declared as a formal parameter in a function prototype as
void foo(vec4[3][2]);
- Accessing is done as
a[x][y] // x selects which array of size 2 is desired
// y selects which vec4 is desired
a[x] // this results in a one-dimensional array, with all rights and
// priviledges implied
- The .length() operator works as normal:
a.length() // this is 3
a[x].length() // this is 2
- The constructor for the above is
vec4
vec4(1.0)),
vec4[2
(vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0)),
vec4[2](vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0)))
- Initializers for the above are
vec4 a
= vec4[3
vec4(1.0)),
vec4[2
(vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0)),
vec4[2](vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0)));
// or
vec4 a
= {vec4[2
(vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0)),
vec4
vec4(1.0)),
vec4[2
(vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0))) };
// or
vec4 a[3][2] = {{ vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0) },
{ vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0) },
{ vec4(0.0), vec4(1.0) } }; // requires matching nesting of
// {} with objects hierarchy
Note that all the above is naturally already specified in the core
specification.
The official definition of this extension is available here:
http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/arrays_of_arrays.txt