OpenGL Rendering and State Cheat-Sheet

Here's a terse cheat-sheet that you might find useful when writing small, self-contained sequences of OpenGL rendering commands (such as those in many of the glean tests). Be sure to keep a copy of the OpenGL spec handy for detailed questions.

Quick-access index:

Accumulation Buffer
Clear Buffers
Copy Pixels
Draw Geometry
Draw Pixels
Read Pixels

Operation Outline Details

Accumulation Buffer Accum({ACCUM,LOAD,RETURN,MULT}, scale)
Accum(ADD, offset) The per-fragment operations scissor test and dithering, as well as buffer masking are applied in the case of RETURN. The scissor test applies to all accumulation operations.

Clear Buffers ClearColor(r, g, b, a)
ClearIndex(index)
ClearDepth(depth)
ClearStencil(stencil)
ClearAccum(r, g, b, a)
Clear(COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT | STENCIL_BUFFER_BIT | ACCUM_BUFFER_BIT) The per-fragment operations scissor test and dithering, as well as buffer masking are applied.

Copy Pixels ReadBuffer({FRONT_LEFT, FRONT_RIGHT, BACK_LEFT, BACK_RIGHT, FRONT, BACK, LEFT, RIGHT, AUX{0-n})
Set Common Drawing State
RasterPos{234}{sifd}[v](coords)
Set Pixel Transfer Modes
PixelZoom(zoomX, zoomY)
CopyPixels(srcX, srcY, width, height, {COLOR, STENCIL, DEPTH}) Essentially ReadPixels followed by DrawPixels, but pixel packing/unpacking is skipped and pixel transfer functions are performed only once.

Draw Geometry Set Common Drawing State
Set Rasterization Options
ShadeModel({SMOOTH,FLAT})
Specify Geometry

Draw Pixels

Set Common Drawing State
RasterPos{234}{sifd}[v](coords)
Set Pixel Unpack Modes
Set Pixel Transfer Modes
PixelZoom(zoomX, zoomY)
DrawPixels(width, height, format, type, data)

Raster position is much like a vertex; is transformed, lit, used to look up a texture color, etc.

format: COLOR_INDEX, STENCIL_INDEX, DEPTH_COMPONENT, RED, GREEN, BLUE, ALPHA, RGB, RGBA, BGR, BGRA, LUMINANCE, LUMINANCE_ALPHA

type: UNSIGNED_BYTE, BITMAP, BYTE, UNSIGNED_SHORT, SHORT, UNSIGNED_INT, INT, FLOAT, UNSIGNED_BYTE_3_3_2, UNSIGNED_BYTE_2_3_3_REV, UNSIGNED_SHORT_5_6_5, UNSIGNED_SHORT_5_6_5_REV, UNSIGNED_SHORT_4_4_4_4, UNSIGNED_SHORT_4_4_4_4_REV, UNSIGNED_SHORT_5_5_5_1, UNSIGNED_SHORT_1_5_5_5_REV, UNSIGNED_INT_8_8_8_8, UNSIGNED_INT_8_8_8_8_REV, UNSIGNED_INT_10_10_10_2, UNSIGNED_INT_2_10_10_10_REV

Packed types place first component in most-significant bits of storage unit; REV packed types reverse the order.

Load Texture Image

Set Pixel Unpack Modes
Set Pixel Transfer Modes

TexImage2D(TEXTURE_2D, mipmapLevel, internalFormat, width,
        height, border, format, type, data)

Set Pixel Unpack Modes
Set Pixel Transfer Modes

TexSubImage2D(TEXTURE_2D, mipmapLevel, texXOffset, texYOffset,
        width, height, format, type, data)

Set Pixel Transfer Modes

CopyTexImage2D(TEXTURE_2D, mipmapLevel, internalFormat,
        fbX, fbY, width, height, border)

Set Pixel Transfer Modes

CopyTexSubImage2D(TEXTURE_2D, mipmapLevel, texXOffset,
        texYOffset, fbX, fbY, width, height)

internalFormat:
        ALPHA{,4,8,12,16},
	LUMINANCE{,4,8,12,16},
        LUMINANCE4_ALPHA4,
        LUMINANCE6_ALPHA2,
        LUMINANCE8_ALPHA8,
        LUMINANCE12_ALPHA4,
        LUMINANCE12_ALPHA12,
        LUMINANCE16_ALPHA16,
	INTENSITY{,4,8,12,16},
	RGB{,4,5,8,10,12,16},
	R3_G3_B2,
	RGBA{,2,4,8,12,16},
	RGB5_A1,
	RGB10_A2

format, type: See Draw Pixels.

level is 0 for the highest-resolution mipmap level.

border might as well always be 0.

Matrix Operations

LoadIdentity()
LoadMatrix(m)
MultMatrix(m)
Rotate{fd}(degrees, x, y, z)
Translate{fd}(x, y, z)
Scale{fd}(x, y, z)
Frustum(l, r, b, t, n, f) (n, f > 0)
Ortho(l, r, b, t, n, f)

Matrix element order is (Sxx, Sxy, Sxz, Sxw, Syx, Syy, Syz, Syw, Szx, Szy, Szz, Szw, Tx, Ty, Tz, 1). Spq means the scale factor applied to input coordinate p that contributes to output coordinate q. Tp means translation along coordinate p.

Use right-hand rule to find sense of rotation.

Near/far values are distances from the eye.

Read Pixels Set Pixel Pack Modes
Set Pixel Transfer Modes ReadBuffer({FRONT_LEFT, FRONT_RIGHT, BACK_LEFT, BACK_RIGHT, FRONT, BACK, LEFT, RIGHT, AUX{0-n}) ReadPixels(x, y, width, height, format, type, data) For format and type, see Draw Pixels.

Select/Mask Buffers

DrawBuffer({NONE, FRONT_LEFT, FRONT_RIGHT, BACK_LEFT, BACK_RIGHT,
        FRONT, BACK, LEFT, RIGHT, FRONT_AND_BACK, AUX{0-?})

IndexMask(uint mask)
ColorMask(boolean r, g, b, a)
DepthMask(boolean)
StencilMask(uint mask)

Set Common Drawing State

Set Viewport and Projection
Set Lighting Parameters
Set Material Parameters
Set ModelView
Set Texturing
Set Extra Clip Planes
Set Fog Parameters
Set Per-Fragment Operations
Select/Mask Buffers

Set Extra Clip Planes ClipPlane(CLIP_PLANE{0-5}, eqn)
Enable/Disable(CLIP_PLANE{0-5}) eqn has plane eqn coefs, in object coords.

Set Fog Parameters

Fog{if}[v](name, param)
Enable/Disable(FOG)

Name	Param
`FOG_MODE`	`EXP, EXP2, LINEAR`
`FOG_DENSITY`	float (density for `EXP, EXP2`)
`FOG_START`	float (eye coord distance to fog start, for `LINEAR`)
`FOG_END`	float (eye coord distance to fog end, for `LINEAR`)
`FOG_COLOR`	4 floats (fog fade color, for `LINEAR`)

Set Light Model Parameters

LightModel{if}[v](name, param)

Name	Values
`LIGHT_MODEL_AMBIENT`	4
`LIGHT_MODEL_LOCAL_VIEWER`	1 (bool)
`LIGHT_MODEL_TWO_SIDE`	1 (bool)
`LIGHT_MODEL_COLOR_CONTROL`	1

LIGHT_MODEL_COLOR_CONTROL: SINGLE_COLOR,
        SEPARATE_SPECULAR_COLOR

Set Light Source Parameters

Set Modelview
Light{if}[v](LIGHT{0-7}, name, param)
Enable/Disable(LIGHT{0-7})

Name	Values
`AMBIENT`	4
`DIFFUSE`	4
`SPECULAR`	4
`POSITION`	4 (homogeneous)
`SPOT_DIRECTION`	3
`SPOT_EXPONENT`	1
`SPOT_CUTOFF`	1
`CONSTANT_ATTENUATION`	1
`LINEAR_ATTENUATION`	1
`QUADRATIC_ATTENUATION`	1

Set Lighting Parameters Set Light Source Parameters
Set Light Model Parameters
Enable/Disable(LIGHTING)

Set Material Parameters

FrontFace({CCW, CW})
Enable/Disable(NORMALIZE)
Material{if}[v](face, name, param)
ColorMaterial(face, mode)
Enable/Disable(COLOR_MATERIAL)

face: FRONT, BACK, FRONT_AND_BACK

Name Values

AMBIENT 4

DIFFUSE 4

AMBIENT_AND_DIFFUSE 4

SPECULAR 4

EMISSION 4

SHININESS 1

COLOR_INDEXES 3 (a, d, s)

mode: EMISSION, AMBIENT, DIFFUSE, SPECULAR, AMBIENT_AND_DIFFUSE

Set ModelView MatrixMode(MODELVIEW)
Matrix Operations

Set Per-Fragment Operations

Scissor(left, bottom, width, height)
Enable/Disable(SCISSOR_TEST)

AlphaFunc(aFunc, float refValue)
Enable/Disable(ALPHA_TEST)

StencilFunc(sFunc, int refValue, uint mask)
StencilOp(sFail, dFail, dPass)
Enable/Disable(STENCIL_TEST)

DepthFunc(dFunc)
Enable/Disable(DEPTH_TEST)

BlendColor(r, g, b, a) (imaging subset)
BlendEquation(bEqn) (imaging subset)
BlendFunc(src, dst)
Enable/Disable(BLEND)

Enable/Disable(DITHER)

LogicOp(op)
Enable/Disable(INDEX_LOGIC_OP)
Enable/Disable(COLOR_LOGIC_OP)

aFunc, sFunc, dFunc:  NEVER, ALWAYS, LESS, LEQUAL, EQUAL, GEQUAL,
        GREATER, NOTEQUAL

sFail, dFail, dPass: KEEP, ZERO, REPLACE, INCR, DECR, INVERT

bEqn: FUNC_ADD, FUNC_SUBTRACT, FUNC_REVERSE_SUBTRACT, MIN, MAX

src: ZERO, ONE, DST_COLOR, ONE_MINUS_DST_COLOR, SRC_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA, DST_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_DST_ALPHA, CONSTANT_COLOR, ONE_MINUS_CONSTANT_COLOR, CONSTANT_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_CONSTANT_ALPHA, SRC_ALPHA_SATURATE

dst: ZERO, ONE, SRC_COLOR, ONE_MINUS_SRC_COLOR, SRC_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA, DST_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_DST_ALPHA, CONSTANT_COLOR, ONE_MINUS_CONSTANT_COLOR, CONSTANT_ALPHA, ONE_MINUS_CONSTANT_ALPHA

op: CLEAR, AND, AND_REVERSE, COPY, AND_INVERTED, NOOP, XOR, OR, NOR, EQUIV, INVERT, OR_REVERSE, COPY_INVERTED, OR_INVERTED, NAND, SET

Set Pixel Pack Modes

PixelStore{if}(name, param)

Name	Valid Range
`PACK_SWAP_BYTES`	`TRUE/FALSE`
`PACK_LSB_FIRST`	`TRUE/FALSE`
`PACK_ROW_LENGTH`	`>=0`
`PACK_SKIP_ROWS`	`>=0`
`PACK_SKIP_PIXELS`	`>=0`
`PACK_ALIGNMENT`	`1,2,4,8`
`PACK_IMAGE_HEIGHT`	`>=0`
`PACK_SKIP_IMAGES`	`>=0`

Set Pixel Transfer Modes

PixelTransfer{if}(name, param)
PixelMap{ui,us,f}v(mapName, mapSize, mapValues)

Imaging subset commands omitted for brevity

rgba indicates a choice of RED, GREEN, BLUE, or ALPHA.

Name	Type
`MAP_COLOR`	Boolean
`MAP_STENCIL`	Boolean
`INDEX_SHIFT`	int
`INDEX_OFFSET`	int
rgba`_SCALE`	float
`DEPTH_SCALE`	float
rgba`_BIAS`	float
`DEPTH_BIAS`	float

mapName: PIXEL_MAP_{I_TO_I, S_TO_S, I_TO_R, I_TO_G, I_TO_B, I_TO_A, R_TO_R, G_TO_G, B_TO_B, A_TO_A

Set Pixel Unpack Modes

PixelStore{if}(name, param)

Name	Valid Range
`UNPACK_SWAP_BYTES`	`TRUE/FALSE`
`UNPACK_LSB_FIRST`	`TRUE/FALSE`
`UNPACK_ROW_LENGTH`	`>=0`
`UNPACK_SKIP_ROWS`	`>=0`
`UNPACK_SKIP_PIXELS`	`>=0`
`UNPACK_ALIGNMENT`	`1,2,4,8`
`UNPACK_IMAGE_HEIGHT`	`>=0`
`UNPACK_SKIP_IMAGES`	`>=0`

Set Rasterization Options

PointSize(size)
Enable/Disable(POINT_SMOOTH)

LineWidth(width)
Enable/Disable(LINE_SMOOTH)
LineStipple(int repeatCount, ushort bitPattern)
Enable/Disable(LINE_STIPPLE)

PolygonMode({FRONT,BACK,FRONT_AND_BACK},
      
  {POINT,LINE,FILL})

CullFace({FRONT,BACK,FRONT_AND_BACK})
Enable/Disable(CULL_FACE)
PolygonStipple(ubyte* pattern)
Enable/Disable(POLYGON_STIPPLE)
PolygonOffset(factor, offset)
Enable/Disable(POLYGON_OFFSET_{POINT,LINE,FILL})

See DrawPixels for stipple pattern (32x32 bitmap) unpacking rules.

Set TexGen

TexGen{ifd}[v]( {S,T,R,Q}, name, param)
Enable/Disable(TEXTURE_GEN_{S,T,R,Q})

Name	Param
`TEXTURE_GEN_MODE`	`OBJECT_LINEAR, EYE_LINEAR, SPHERE_MAP`
`OBJECT_PLANE`	Plane eqn coefs for `OBJECT_LINEAR`, obj coords
`EYE_PLANE`	Plane eqn coefs for `EYE_LINEAR`, eye coords

Set Texture Environment

TexEnv{if}[v](TEXTURE_ENV, name, param)

Name	Param
`TEXTURE_ENV_MODE`	`REPLACE, MODULATE, DECAL, BLEND`
`TEXTURE_ENV_COLOR`	r, g, b, a

Set Texture Parameters

TexParameter{if}[v](TEXTURE_{123}D, name, param)

Name	Param
`TEXTURE_WRAP_S`	`CLAMP, CLAMP_TO_EDGE, REPEAT`
`TEXTURE_WRAP_T`	`CLAMP, CLAMP_TO_EDGE, REPEAT`
`TEXTURE_WRAP_R`	`CLAMP, CLAMP_TO_EDGE, REPEAT`
`TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER`	`NEAREST, LINEAR, NEAREST_MIPMAP_NEAREST, NEAREST_MIPMAP_LINEAR, LINEAR_MIPMAP_NEAREST, LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR`
`TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER`	`NEAREST, LINEAR`
`TEXTURE_BORDER_COLOR`	4 floats in [0,1]
`TEXTURE_PRIORITY`	float in [0,1]
`TEXTURE_MIN_LOD`	float (LOD range clamp)
`TEXTURE_MAX_LOD`	float (LOD range clamp)
`TEXTURE_BASE_LEVEL`	int (level residence clamp)
`TEXTURE_MAX_LEVEL`	int (level residence clamp)

Set Texturing BindTexture(TEXTURE_2D, textureID)
Load Texture Image if needed
Set Texture Parameters
Set Texture Environment
MatrixMode(TEXTURE)
Matrix Operations
Set TexGen
Enable/Disable(TEXTURE_2D) 1D and 3D textures omitted for brevity

Set Viewport and Projection Viewport(x, y, w, h)
DepthRange(n, f) (n, f in [0,1])
MatrixMode(PROJECTION)
Matrix Operations Lower-left corner of projected view volume maps to window coords (x,y).

Specify Geometry Begin/End
Vertex Arrays
Display Lists Vertices in clockwise order

Vertex Arrays

TexCoordPointer(e, t, s, p)
Enable/DisableClientState(TEXTURE_COORD_ARRAY)
ColorPointer(e, t, s, p)
Enable/DisableClientState(COLOR_ARRAY)
NormalPointer(t, s, p)
Enable/DisableClientState(NORMAL_ARRAY)
VertexPointer(e, t, s, p)
Enable/DisableClientState(VERTEX_ARRAY)

Begin/ArrayElement(i)/End
or DrawArrays(prim, first, count)
or DrawElements(prim, count, uit, indices)

e = number of elements (1-4)
t = type (SHORT, INT, etc.)
s = stride in bytes
p = pointer to data
uit = any unsigned int type
indices = pointer to array of indices

InterleavedArrays can be used for easy setup of a few selected vertex formats.