I''m currently working through Tom Miller''s Managed DX Kick Start. The source code shows how to use a single vertex buffer and a single index buffer. But how do I use multiple vertex buffers and index buffers on a single frame? The lines that lead me to believe there can only be one are the following:

device.VertexFormat = CustomVertex.PositionColored.Format;
device.SetStreamSource(0, vb, 0);
device.Indices = ib; 

Where vb is the vertex buffer and ib is the index buffer. Thanks. -Nick

After looking a bit at SetStreamSource, I think I understand. Do I set the first parameter (streamNumber) to a different value for each buffer?

In terms of indices, I am unable to find a method to set them. May I say device.Indices+=ib1; device.Indices+=ib2; etc.? Or is there any other way to do it? Perhaps some sample code would help.

Thanks.

-Nick

quote:Original post by nickwinters
I''m currently working through Tom Miller''s Managed DX Kick Start. The source code shows how to use a single vertex buffer and a single index buffer. But how do I use multiple vertex buffers and index buffers on a single frame?

Are you asking how to use multiple vertex buffers in a single render call or are you asking about how to use multiple vertex buffers to draw different objects on the screen? I ask this because you say you want o use multiple vertex buffers on a single frame, so it''s not clear which one you mean.

neneboricua

I believe what I want is to use them in a single render call. So I''d have one set for walls, another for players, another for obstacles, etc.

-Nick

quote:Original post by nickwinters
I believe what I want is to use them in a single render call. So I''d have one set for walls, another for players, another for obstacles, etc.

-Nick

In that case, then you should not be using multiple streams. The rationale for multiple streams is that sometimes different meshes have data that they can have in common.

For example, if you have two vertex buffers with different position values but that use the same texture coordinates, it would be a waste of memory to allocate space for these texture coordinates in both vertex buffers. You could just make the texture coordinates into their own vertex buffer and use multiple streams when rendering your data.

Trying to have a vertex buffer for walls, another for players, another for obstacles, and trying to render them all at the same time will cause you massive headaches. For example, vertex shaders (as well as the fixed function pipeline for that matter) can only output one transformed position. There is no way to output a bunch of different positions for different streams. The idea of multiple streams is there to be able to share data, not to try to render multiple meshes at once.

Hope this clears it up for you,
neneboricua

Regardless of the costs, I would like to know how to do this. Is it possible?

-Nick

I never said it was expensive. What I was trying to say was that it is not possible. Let me try to explain in a little more detail why you can't do this. Do a search for "Programming One or More Streams" in the SDK docs for an explanation as to what multiple streams are and how to use them.

The reason what you're suggesting is not possible is because for a given vertex, you can only output one transformed position. To do what you're suggesting, you'd have to be able to output n transformed positions (one for each stream you're using). The hardware isn't made that way. Even if you could do it, the hardware would have to do deal internally with the fact that the geometry for one of those n streams could overlap the geometry for another.

Another reason is that internally, D3D drivers use index buffers for everything. So even if you use DrawPrimitive, internally the driver will use an index buffer of {0,1,2,3,4...}
for how ever many triangles you're rendering. For your idea to work, you would have to be able to set n index buffers as well as n streams. D3D doesn't have the functionality to do this.

neneboricua

[edited by - neneboricua19 on February 29, 2004 5:04:16 PM]

Alright, that makes sense. So instead, is it possible for me to make the walls in one vertex buffer, and load everything else as meshes?

Thanks.

-Nick