enable_triple_buffer(3alleg4)

💖 enable_triple_buffer 💖

okay bestie, so this is a page from the Allegro manual (the 3alleg4 section, for the Allegro game programming library) and it's literally just about flipping on triple buffering. that's it. that's the whole vibe. let's get into it 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

enable_triple_buffer — turns triple buffering ON. yes, the whole function is just that. Allegro game programming library behavior, iconic.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <allegro.h>

int enable_triple_buffer();

like. one include. one call. no arguments. no drama. we love a low-effort high-reward queen 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so here's the tea: there's a bit called GFX_CAN_TRIPLE_BUFFER, and it lives inside the gfx_capabilities field. if that bit is not set, that's your sign to attempt to turn it on by calling this function. that's literally what it's for. no cap.

and here's the specific scenario that's giving main character energy: if you're running in mode-X inside a clean DOS environment, this routine will enable the timer retrace simulator, which then activates the triple buffering functions. so like, mode-X + clean DOS = this function wakes up and does the thing 🔥

lowkey note the word attempt — this is you trying, not you guaranteeing. the return value below is how you find out how it went. 👀

⭐ RETURN VALUE ⭐

• returns zero if triple buffering is enabled 🎉
• returns -1 otherwise 😭

that's it. 0 = slay, -1 = not slay. check it, bestie, don't assume.

💜 SEE ALSO 💜

• gfx_capabilities(3alleg4)
• request_scroll(3alleg4)
• request_video_bitmap(3alleg4)
• ex3buf(3alleg4)
• exupdate(3alleg4)

go read those too, iykyk, they're the friend group this function runs with 🌈

🎀 sign-off 🎀

that's the whole page, bestie — written against Allegro version 4.4.3, and it's the enable_triple_buffer(3alleg4) page in case you need to cite it in the group chat. go enable that triple buffer, you absolute icon 👑💖✨