Starbase Functionality

Commands Not Supported

This section notes which standard Starbase capabilities are not supported by the SMD:

An SMD memory buffer is an output-only device. Thus, the following Starbase input-related calls are not supported (no action is taken if they are called):

await_event             read_locator_event
define_raster_echo      request_choice
disable_events          request_locator
echo_type               sample_choice
echo_update             set_locator
enable_events           set_signal
initiate_request        track
inquire_request_status  track_off
read_choice_event

A call to inquire_input_capabilities indicates that there are no input capabilities.

The SMD's memory is never visible; you can never see the image with your eyes. Thus, these two visibility-related calls are ignored for the SMD.
await_retrace display_enable

The SMD does not emulate features provided by device hardware. For example, the Z-buffer hidden-surface removal and shading that can be done by the transform engine drivers are not supported. Explicitly, the functions not supported are:

alpha_transparency           light_attenuation
backface_control             light_model
bf_alpha_transparency        light_switch
bf_control                   line_endpoint
bf_fill_color                line_filter
bf_interior_style            perimeter_filter
bf_perimeter_color           set_capping_planes
bf_perimeter_repeat_length   set_model_clip_indicator
bf_perimeter_type            set_model_clip_volume
bf_surface_coefficients      shade_range
bf_surface_model             surface_coefficients
bf_texture_index             surface_model
contour_enable               texture_index
define_contour_table         texture_viewport
define_texture               texture_window
define_trimming_curve        viewpoint
deformation_mode             zbuffer_switch
depth_cue
depth_cue_color
depth_cue_range
hidden_surface
interior_style (INT_OUTLINE)
interior_style (INT_POINT)
intline_width
light_ambient

Conditionally Supported

Routines which are partially supported are:

bank_switch

For SMDpixel mode, this call is ignored. For SMDpixel3 and SMDplane, this call is supported.

shade_mode

The color map mode may be selected, but shading cannot be turned on

vertex_format

The user can call this routine, but the driver does not recognize any extra coordinates.

with_data

The following routines are called with_data routines because they contain with_data in their routine names. These with_data routines are supported by the SMD graphics devices.

partial_polygon_with_data3d
polygon_with_data3d
polyhedron_with_data
polyline_with_data3d
polymarker_with_data3d
quadrilateral_mesh_with_data
triangle_strip_with_data

For detailed information on these routines, read the Starbase Reference. In some cases, you will be able to find the routines under their own name, but in other cases, you will need to use the first part of the routine name to locate these routines (e.g., polyline_with_data3d is described on the man page for polyline(3G)).

Configuration

The SMD driver does not provide locking and unlocking capabilities that permit shared access to a single memory buffer.
SMDplane emulates exactly the number of planes specified:
- 1, 3, 4, 6, or 8 planes: 1 bank.
- 16 planes: 2 banks (8 planes, double-buffered).
- 24 planes: 3 banks.

Starbase Functionality

Technical documentation

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Commands Not Supported

Conditionally Supported

Configuration