GLGETPOINTERV(3G)

🌸 GLGETPOINTERV (3G) 🌸

okay bestie, so this is the page for glGetPointerv — yes, it lives in the 3G manual, the OpenGL one, and it's literally the "hey, where does that pointer actually live?" function. it's giving directory assistance for client-side state. 💅

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✨ C SPECIFICATION ✨

void glGetPointerv( GLenum pname,
                    void **params )

that's the whole vibe. two args, no drama.

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🎀 PARAMETERS 🎀

• pname — tells the function which array or buffer pointer you want handed back. the symbolic constants it accepts are GL_COLOR_ARRAY_POINTER, GL_EDGE_FLAG_ARRAY_POINTER, GL_FEEDBACK_BUFFER_POINTER, GL_INDEX_ARRAY_POINTER, GL_NORMAL_ARRAY_POINTER, GL_TEXTURE_COORD_ARRAY_POINTER, GL_SELECTION_BUFFER_POINTER, and GL_VERTEX_ARRAY_POINTER. that's the whole guest list, no plus-ones. 🫶
• params — the spot where the pointer value you asked for by pname gets dropped off.

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so glGetPointerv returns pointer info, periodt. pname is a symbolic constant that says which pointer you're asking about, and params is a pointer to a location where the returned data gets placed. it's literally pointer-to-put-a-pointer-in. pointer inception, but make it useful. 🌀

think of it as: you name the thing with pname, and it writes the address into whatever params points at. no cap, that's the entire job.

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🦋 NOTES 🦋

heads up bestie, there are some rules 👇

• glGetPointerv is available only if the GL version is 1.1 or greater. older than that and it's simply not invited to the party. 😭
• the pointers are all client-side state. every single one. no server-side shenanigans.
• the initial value for each pointer is 0. that's the starting state, fresh out the box. 🌱
• when the GL_ARB_multitexture extension is supported, querying GL_TEXTURE_COORD_ARRAY_POINTER returns the value for the active client texture unit. so whichever unit is the main character at that moment, that's whose pointer you get. 👑

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🔥 ERRORS 🔥

• GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if pname is not an accepted value. i.e. if you pass a constant that wasn't on the list above, the GL will absolutely let you know. 💀

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• glArrayElement(3G)
• glClientActiveTextureARB(3G)
• glColorPointer(3G)
• glDrawArrays(3G)
• glEdgeFlagPointer(3G)
• glFeedbackBuffer(3G)
• glIndexPointer(3G)
• glInterleavedArrays(3G)
• glNormalPointer(3G)
• glSelectBuffer(3G)
• glTexCoordPointer(3G)
• glVertexPointer(3G)

like, the entire pointer friend group. go say hi. 🧚

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okay that's the tea 🍓 — this page came from the 3G manual set and signs itself off, iconic as ever, as:

GLGETPOINTERV(3G)

mwah 💜 go forth and get those pointers.