NAME

       glBufferData - creates and initializes a buffer object's data store

C SPECIFICATION

       void glBufferData(GLenum target, GLsizeiptr size, const GLvoid * data, GLenum usage);

PARAMETERS

       target
           Specifies the target buffer object. The symbolic constant must be GL_ARRAY_BUFFER,
           GL_ATOMIC_COUNTER_BUFFER, GL_COPY_READ_BUFFER, GL_COPY_WRITE_BUFFER,
           GL_DRAW_INDIRECT_BUFFER, GL_DISPATCH_INDIRECT_BUFFER, GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER,
           GL_PIXEL_PACK_BUFFER, GL_PIXEL_UNPACK_BUFFER, GL_QUERY_BUFFER,
           GL_SHADER_STORAGE_BUFFER, GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, GL_TRANSFORM_FEEDBACK_BUFFER, or
           GL_UNIFORM_BUFFER.

       size
           Specifies the size in bytes of the buffer object's new data store.

       data
           Specifies a pointer to data that will be copied into the data store for
           initialization, or NULL if no data is to be copied.

       usage
           Specifies the expected usage pattern of the data store. The symbolic constant must be
           GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_STREAM_READ, GL_STREAM_COPY, GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_STATIC_READ,
           GL_STATIC_COPY, GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW, GL_DYNAMIC_READ, or GL_DYNAMIC_COPY.

DESCRIPTION

       glBufferData creates a new data store for the buffer object currently bound to target. Any
       pre-existing data store is deleted. The new data store is created with the specified size
       in bytes and usage. If data is not NULL, the data store is initialized with data from this
       pointer. In its initial state, the new data store is not mapped, it has a NULL mapped
       pointer, and its mapped access is GL_READ_WRITE.

       usage is a hint to the GL implementation as to how a buffer object's data store will be
       accessed. This enables the GL implementation to make more intelligent decisions that may
       significantly impact buffer object performance. It does not, however, constrain the actual
       usage of the data store.  usage can be broken down into two parts: first, the frequency of
       access (modification and usage), and second, the nature of that access. The frequency of
       access may be one of these:

       STREAM
           The data store contents will be modified once and used at most a few times.

       STATIC
           The data store contents will be modified once and used many times.

       DYNAMIC
           The data store contents will be modified repeatedly and used many times.

       The nature of access may be one of these:

       DRAW
           The data store contents are modified by the application, and used as the source for GL
           drawing and image specification commands.

       READ
           The data store contents are modified by reading data from the GL, and used to return
           that data when queried by the application.

       COPY
           The data store contents are modified by reading data from the GL, and used as the
           source for GL drawing and image specification commands.

NOTES

       If data is NULL, a data store of the specified size is still created, but its contents
       remain uninitialized and thus undefined.

       Clients must align data elements consistent with the requirements of the client platform,
       with an additional base-level requirement that an offset within a buffer to a datum
       comprising N bytes be a multiple of N.

       The GL_ATOMIC_COUNTER_BUFFER target is available only if the GL version is 4.2 or greater.

       The GL_DISPATCH_INDIRECT_BUFFER and GL_SHADER_STORAGE_BUFFER targets are available only if
       the GL version is 4.3 or greater.

       The GL_QUERY_BUFFER target is available only if the GL version is 4.4 or greater.

ERRORS

       GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if target is not one of the accepted buffer targets.

       GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if usage is not GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_STREAM_READ,
       GL_STREAM_COPY, GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_STATIC_READ, GL_STATIC_COPY, GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW,
       GL_DYNAMIC_READ, or GL_DYNAMIC_COPY.

       GL_INVALID_VALUE is generated if size is negative.

       GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if the reserved buffer object name 0 is bound to target.

       GL_OUT_OF_MEMORY is generated if the GL is unable to create a data store with the
       specified size.

ASSOCIATED GETS

       glGetBufferSubData()

       glGetBufferParameter() with argument GL_BUFFER_SIZE or GL_BUFFER_USAGE

SEE ALSO

       glBindBuffer(), glBufferSubData(), glMapBuffer(), glUnmapBuffer()

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright © 2005 Addison-Wesley. Copyright © 2011-2012 Khronos Group. This material may be
       distributed subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open Publication License,
       v 1.0, 8 June 1999.  http://opencontent.org/openpub/.

AUTHORS

       opengl.org