SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer(3)

💖 SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the SDL3 FUNCTIONS corner of the manual, and today's main character is SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer — make a 2D software rendering context for a surface 🦋

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <SDL3/SDL_render.h>

SDL_Renderer * SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer(SDL_Surface *surface);

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💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

so there are literally two other APIs you can use to create an SDL_Renderer: SDL_CreateRenderer() and SDL_CreateWindowAndRenderer(). and yes, those can also make a software renderer, no cap — but they're intended to be used with an SDL_Window as the final destination, not an SDL_Surface. so if a surface is your whole vibe, this is the function for you. iykyk 💖

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🫶 FUNCTION PARAMETERS 🫶

• surface — the SDL_Surface structure representing the surface where rendering is done. that's the canvas, bestie. that's where the art happens 🎨

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⭐ RETURN VALUE ⭐

returns a valid rendering context, or NULL if there was an error 😭 (yes, the sad NULL). call SDL_GetError() for more info — she will tell you what went wrong, fr fr.

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🧚 THREAD SAFETY 🧚

it is safe to call this function from any thread. every thread is invited to the party 🎉 periodt.

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🌈 AVAILABILITY 🌈

this function is available since SDL 3.2.0 ✨

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• SDL_DestroyRenderer(3) — because every creation story needs a cleanup arc 💀

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and that's the whole page, no notes. this little legend comes to you from the Simple Directmedia Layer era, specifically SDL 3.4.18, and yes the page itself is SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer(3) 🫶 go make something cute with it, bestie 💖✨🎀