glBegin

C Specification

void glBegin(
    GLenum	 mode)

void glEnd(void)

Parameters

mode

Specifies the primitive or primitives that will be created from vertices presented between glBegin and the subsequent glEnd. Ten symbolic constants are accepted: GL_POINTS, GL_LINES, GL_LINE_STRIP, GL_LINE_LOOP, GL_TRIANGLES, GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP, GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, GL_QUADS, GL_QUAD_STRIP, and GL_POLYGON.

Description

GL_POINTS

Treats each vertex as a single point. Vertex n defines point n. n points are drawn.

GL_LINES

Treats each pair of vertices as an independent line segment. Vertices 2n1 and 2n define line n. n/2 lines are drawn.

GL_LINE_STRIP

Draws a connected group of line segments from the first vertex to the last. n1 lines are drawn.

GL_LINE_LOOP

Draws a connected group of line segments from the first vertex to the last, then back to the first. Vertices n and n+1 define line n. The last line, however, is defined by vertices n and 1. n lines are drawn.

GL_TRIANGLES

Treats each triplet of vertices as an independent triangle. Vertices 3n2, 3n1, and 3n define triangle n. n/3 triangles are drawn.

GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP

Draws a connected group of triangles. One triangle is defined for each vertex presented after the first two vertices. For odd n, vertices n, n+1, and n+2 define triangle n. For even n, vertices n+1, n, and n+2 define triangle n. n2 triangles are drawn.

GL_TRIANGLE_FAN

Draws a connected group of triangles. One triangle is defined for each vertex presented after the first two vertices. Vertices 1, n+1, and n+2 define triangle n. n2 triangles are drawn.

GL_QUADS

Treats each group of four vertices as an independent quadrilateral. Vertices 4n3, 4n2, 4n1, and 4n define quadrilateral n. n/4 quadrilaterals are drawn.

GL_QUAD_STRIP

Draws a connected group of quadrilaterals. One quadrilateral is defined for each pair of vertices presented after the first pair. Vertices 2n1, 2n, 2n+2, and 2n+1 define quadrilateral n. n/21 quadrilaterals are drawn. Note that the order in which vertices are used to construct a quadrilateral from strip data is different from that used with independent data.

GL_POLYGON

Draws a single, convex polygon. Vertices 1 through n define this polygon.

Regardless of the value chosen for mode, there is no limit to the number of vertices that can be defined between glBegin and glEnd. Lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, and polygons that are incompletely specified are not drawn. Incomplete specification results when either too few vertices are provided to specify even a single primitive or when an incorrect multiple of vertices is specified. The incomplete primitive is ignored; the rest are drawn.

The minimum specification of vertices for each primitive is as follows: 1 for a point, 2 for a line, 3 for a triangle, 4 for a quadrilateral, and 3 for a polygon. Modes that require a certain multiple of vertices are GL_LINES (2), GL_TRIANGLES (3), GL_QUADS (4), and GL_QUAD_STRIP (2).

Errors

• GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if mode is set to an unaccepted value.
• GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if glBegin is executed between a glBegin and the corresponding execution of glEnd.
• GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if glEnd is executed without being preceded by a glBegin.
• GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if a command other than glVertex, glColor, glIndex, glNormal, glTexCoord, glEvalCoord, glEvalPoint, glArrayElement, glMaterial, glEdgeFlag, glCallList, or glCallLists is executed between the execution of glBegin and the corresponding execution glEnd.

  Execution of glEnableClientState, glDisableClientState, glEdgeFlagPointer, glTexCoordPointer, glColorPointer, glIndexPointer, glNormalPointer, glVertexPointer, glInterleavedArrays, or glPixelStore is not allowed after a call to glBegin and before the corresponding call to glEnd, but an error may or may not be generated.

See Also