Buffer

class moderngl.Buffer

Buffer objects are OpenGL objects that store an array of unformatted memory allocated by the OpenGL context, (data allocated on the GPU). These can be used to store vertex data, pixel data retrieved from images or the framebuffer, and a variety of other things.

A Buffer object cannot be instantiated directly, it requires a context. Use Context.buffer() to create one.

Copy buffer content using Context.copy_buffer().

Create

Context.buffer(data=None, reserve=0, dynamic=False) → Buffer

Create a Buffer object.

Parameters:

data (bytes) – Content of the new buffer.

Keyword Arguments:
 
  • reserve (int) – The number of bytes to reserve.
  • dynamic (bool) – Treat buffer as dynamic.
Returns:

Buffer object

Methods

Buffer.assign(index)

Helper method for assigning a buffer.

Returns:(self, index) tuple
Buffer.bind(*attribs, layout=None)

Helper method for binding a buffer.

Returns:(self, layout, *attribs) tuple
Buffer.write(data, offset=0)

Write the content.

Parameters:data (bytes) – The data.
Keyword Arguments:
 offset (int) – The offset.
Buffer.write_chunks(data, start, step, count)

Split data to count equal parts.

Write the chunks using offsets calculated from start, step and stop.

Parameters:
  • data (bytes) – The data.
  • start (int) – First offset.
  • step (int) – Offset increment.
  • count (int) – The number of offsets.
Buffer.read(size=-1, offset=0) → bytes

Read the content.

Parameters:size (int) – The size. Value -1 means all.
Keyword Arguments:
 offset (int) – The offset.
Returns:bytes
Buffer.read_into(buffer, size=-1, offset=0, write_offset=0)

Read the content into a buffer.

Parameters:
  • buffer (bytearray) – The buffer that will receive the content.
  • size (int) – The size. Value -1 means all.
Keyword Arguments:
 
  • offset (int) – The read offset.
  • write_offset (int) – The write offset.
Buffer.read_chunks(chunk_size, start, step, count) → bytes

Read the content.

Read and concatenate the chunks of size chunk_size using offsets calculated from start, step and stop.

Parameters:
  • chunk_size (int) – The chunk size.
  • start (int) – First offset.
  • step (int) – Offset increment.
  • count (int) – The number of offsets.
Returns:

bytes

Buffer.read_chunks_into(buffer, chunk_size, start, step, count, write_offset=0)

Read the content.

Read and concatenate the chunks of size chunk_size using offsets calculated from start, step and stop.

Parameters:
  • buffer (bytearray) – The buffer that will receive the content.
  • chunk_size (int) – The chunk size.
  • start (int) – First offset.
  • step (int) – Offset increment.
  • count (int) – The number of offsets.
Keyword Arguments:
 

write_offset (int) – The write offset.

Buffer.clear(size=-1, offset=0, chunk=None)

Clear the content.

Parameters:

size (int) – The size. Value -1 means all.

Keyword Arguments:
 
  • offset (int) – The offset.
  • chunk (bytes) – The chunk to use repeatedly.
Buffer.bind_to_uniform_block(binding=0, offset=0, size=-1)

Bind the buffer to a uniform block.

Parameters:

binding (int) – The uniform block binding.

Keyword Arguments:
 
  • offset (int) – The offset.
  • size (int) – The size. Value -1 means all.
Buffer.bind_to_storage_buffer(binding=0, offset=0, size=-1)

Bind the buffer to a shader storage buffer.

Parameters:

binding (int) – The shader storage binding.

Keyword Arguments:
 
  • offset (int) – The offset.
  • size (int) – The size. Value -1 means all.
Buffer.orphan(size=-1)

Orphan the buffer with the option to specify a new size.

It is also called buffer re-specification.

Reallocate the buffer object before you start modifying it.

Since allocating storage is likely faster than the implicit synchronization, you gain significant performance advantages over synchronization.

The old storage will still be used by the OpenGL commands that have been sent previously. It is likely that the GL driver will not be doing any allocation at all, but will just be pulling an old free block off the unused buffer queue and use it, so it is likely to be very efficient.

Keyword Arguments:
 size (int) – The new byte size if the buffer. If not supplied the buffer size will be unchanged.

Example

# For simplicity the VertexArray creation is omitted

>>> vbo = ctx.buffer(reserve=1024)

# Fill the buffer

>>> vbo.write(some_temporary_data)

# Issue a render call that uses the vbo

>>> vao.render(...)

# Orphan the buffer

>>> vbo.orphan()

# Issue another render call without waiting for the previous one

>>> vbo.write(some_temporary_data)
>>> vao.render(...)

# We can also resize the buffer. In this case we double the size

>> vbo.orphan(vbo.size * 2)
Buffer.release()

Release the ModernGL object.

Attributes

Buffer.size

The size of the buffer.

Type:int
Buffer.dynamic

Is the buffer created with the dynamic flag?

Type:bool
Buffer.glo

The internal OpenGL object. This values is provided for debug purposes only.

Type:int
Buffer.mglo

Internal representation for debug purposes only.

Buffer.extra

Any - Attribute for storing user defined objects

Buffer.ctx

The context this object belongs to