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<p><font face="serif">I am seeing several of you make calls to
glutTimerFunc in your codes. I'm sure you probably found some
online example that used this and thought it was a good idea --
but stop. Timers are used primarily to synchronize events. In
the codes you are writing there is already a built in timer
based on the framerate of the hardware you are using. To ensure
that we are hitting every frame possible we use glutIdleFunc.
Making a call to glutTimerFunc adds a step and -- under badly
coded or misunderstood conditions -- can cause the graphics
systems to lock up.</font></p>
<p><font face="serif">For those continuing on to CSC 415 -- you will
see this function again and where its use is appropriate. You
will also see how much the window manager - and calls to the
window manager functions -- can drain the resources that we
desperately need to get "realistic" rederer performance.</font></p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Andrew J. Pounds, Ph.D. (<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:pounds_aj@mercer.edu">pounds_aj@mercer.edu</a>)
Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science
Mercer University, Macon, GA 31207 (478) 301-5627
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://faculty.mercer.edu/pounds_aj">http://faculty.mercer.edu/pounds_aj</a>
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