OpenGL and Windows 7

[mattheweston]

Has anyone tried OpenGL and WIndows 7? Thoughts? Experiences?

[X Abstract X]

It works fine. I don't know what kind of answers you're expecting.

[mattheweston]

I was thinking of deving on Win 7 and wondered if there was anything that had to be done different on Win 7 than previous versions of Windows to get OpenGL to work well.

[Falco Girgis]

There is absolutely no difference...

[qpHalcy0n]

There are a multitude of differences actually, and this is incurred by the WDDM. There were a lot of changes there primarily in the video memory model, the video scheduler, and the way that the buffers are shared across resources that primarily have performance implications. There is also a VSync implication. There have been issues with folks in the transition from XP/Vista to 7 when dealing with VSync. They're spotty so sometimes are difficult to pick up.

For the casual OpenGL programmer, you're not likely to notice any difference.

[Falco Girgis]

Not to sound like I'm trying to rationalize my response, but I was specifically referring to from a high-level programmer's standpoint, nothing below the hood.

Also, make goddamn sure you even have your OpenGL drivers... otherwise its emulated in Direct3D and runs like asshole.

[TheBuzzSaw]

Those differences struck in Vista anyway. They're not unique to 7.

[GroundUpEngine]

For the casual OpenGL programmer, you're not likely to notice any difference.

Also, make goddamn sure you even have your OpenGL drivers... otherwise its emulated in Direct3D and runs like asshole.

Agreed, big time!

[qpHalcy0n]

In transitioning from WVDDM (Vista) to WDDM (Win7) the driver model was revamped quite a bit. WVDDM did change the driver model up a bit, but it didn't really come to fruition until WDDM and especially WDDM 1.1 (Introduced w/ Win7).

You dont have to justify your response, Falco. Nobody's saying anything on ya. I just want to be clear that the implementation of these changes, for the most, is abstracted from you. What I mean to say is that your OpenGL programs will still run. However there are alot of performance implications that have popped up under the new driver model which sometimes require some attention to graphics code where performance is critical. There are implications to a virtual graphics device (which is what the OpenGL driver operates as under Vista and Windows7). As such all of the API commands directly related to cache performance or buffer pools on the card run through the kernel now.

So if you are at least fairly critical of your code you've probably either already noticed these changes or will hopefully at least give them a look. If you're a casual graphics programmer, then you're not likely to care.