Help test OpenGL changes in Rhino for Mac

Rhino Rhino for Mac
1

I’ve made some changes to the OpenGL drawing code in Rhino for Mac, and these changes use capabilities of the graphics chip in the computer. These changes speed up drawing substantially, and bring the drawing speed of the Mac version up to par with the Windows version. I have tested these changes on a number of Macs, but Apple has used quite a few graphics chips and I do not have access to all of them.

Rather than release these changes to everyone and just hoping that the changes work everywhere, I’d like to ask your help in testing this work. I’m rather confident that the changes will work on the graphics chips I have not tested, but I’d like to test this more before releasing it to all.

I have tested these changes with the following GPUs: Intel HD 4000, Intel GMA950, NVIDIA 8600M, and NVIDIA 650M. All work without problems. The Intel GMA X3100 has some problems, and the OpenGL changes will not be turned on for that graphics chip.

I am specifically interested in testing these changes on computers with the Intel HD 3000 or any of the ATI graphics chips. This includes MacBooks from a few years ago, and iMacs from a few years ago.

You can see what graphics chip you have by going to Rhinoceros > Preferences > OpenGL and looking at the Graphics: line. If you have a graphics chip I have not tested, I’d like your help.

Use the Copy to clipboard button on the OpenGL preferences page. Send an email to marlin@mcneel.com with your OpenGL settings so I can keep track of what is being tested, and state that you want to test the latest OpenGL changes. I’ll send you a download link to a version of Rhino for Mac that contains these changes.

Thank you for your help.

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sure, i have an ati 5770 in my desktop which i’ll try…
(though this computer is going to be around up to the exact day the new mac pro is released)… it’s already about two years too old :smile: …but those will be ati gpus as well so this may help

(edit- email sent)

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I use an iMac 27" "Late 2011"
with AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB

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I have an intel HD 3000 on this macbook air. curious to see it work better… or have anti-aliasing, that would be a dream supreme!

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I’d like to have you test both the HD 3000 and how antialiasing now works on that GPU. Send an email to marlin@mcneel.com with your OpenGL settings and I’ll send back a download link and what I need tested.

Thanks!

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got it installed… no anti-a option.

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Directions for testing AA are in the email containing the download link.

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right, duh. I have the options now but no results on screen, I tried opening a new window as well as restarting rhino but the jaggedness is unchanged.

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I have a 27" iMac with an ATI Radeon HD 4670 256 MB. I have no issues with drawing speed sofar, so you need to tell me what you want tested.

Max.

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I got access to a Mac with an ATI/AMD graphics chip today, and it looks like anti-aliasing does not work with the type of OpenGL drawing I am doing. There is an alternate technique I can use that should work with ATI/AMD GPUs and I’ll let the testers know when I have implemented this and I have a new version to test.

I’m getting just a small taste of the problems Jeff has supporting a variety of GPUs.