glVertexAttribPointer 3G
glVertexAttribPointer define an array of generic vertex attribute data

## C Specification

void `glVertexAttribPointer` GLuint index GLint size GLenum type GLboolean normalized GLsizei stride const GLvoid * pointer

## Parameters

index

  Specifies the index of the generic vertex attribute to be modified.

size

  Specifies the number of components per generic vertex attribute. Must be 1, 2, 3, or 4. The initial value is 4.

type

  Specifies the data type of each component in the array. Symbolic constants `GL_BYTE`, `GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE`, `GL_SHORT`, `GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT`, `GL_FIXED`, or `GL_FLOAT` are accepted. The initial value is `GL_FLOAT`.

normalized

  Specifies whether fixed-point data values should be normalized (`GL_TRUE`) or converted directly as fixed-point values (`GL_FALSE`) when they are accessed.

stride

  Specifies the byte offset between consecutive generic vertex attributes. If stride is 0, the generic vertex attributes are understood to be tightly packed in the array. The initial value is 0.

pointer

  Specifies a pointer to the first component of the first generic vertex attribute in the array. The initial value is 0.

## Description

`glVertexAttribPointer` specifies the location and data format of the array of generic vertex attributes at index index to use when rendering. size specifies the number of components per attribute and must be 1, 2, 3, or 4. type specifies the data type of each component, and stride specifies the byte stride from one attribute to the next, allowing vertices and attributes to be packed into a single array or stored in separate arrays. If set to `GL_TRUE`, normalized indicates that values stored in an integer format are to be mapped to the range [-1,1] (for signed values) or [0,1] (for unsigned values) when they are accessed and converted to floating point. Otherwise, values will be converted to floats directly without normalization.

If a non-zero named buffer object is bound to the `GL_ARRAY_BUFFER` target (see glBindBuffer) while a generic vertex attribute array is specified, pointer is treated as a byte offset into the buffer object's data store. Also, the buffer object binding (`GL_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`) is saved as generic vertex attribute array client-side state (`GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`) for index index.

When a generic vertex attribute array is specified, size, type, normalized, stride, and pointer are saved as client-side state, in addition to the current vertex array buffer object binding.

To enable and disable a generic vertex attribute array, call glEnableVertexAttribArray and glDisableVertexAttribArray with index. If enabled, the generic vertex attribute array is used when glDrawArrays or glDrawElements is called.

## Notes

Each generic vertex attribute array is initially disabled and isn't accessed when glDrawElements or glDrawArrays is called.

`glVertexAttribPointer` is typically implemented on the client side.

## Errors

`GL_INVALID_ENUM` is generated if type is not an accepted value.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if index is greater than or equal to `GL_MAX_VERTEX_ATTRIBS`.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if size is not 1, 2, 3, or 4.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if stride is negative.

## Associated Gets

glGet with argument `GL_MAX_VERTEX_ATTRIBS`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_ENABLED`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_SIZE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_TYPE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_NORMALIZED`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_STRIDE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`

glGet with argument `GL_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`

glGetVertexAttribPointerv with arguments index and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_POINTER`

## See Also

glBindAttribLocation, glBindBuffer, glDisableVertexAttribArray, glDrawArrays, glDrawElements, glEnableVertexAttribArray, glVertexAttrib

## Copyright

Copyright 2003-2005 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. This material may be distributed subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open Publication License, v 1.0, 8 June 1999. http://opencontent.org/openpub/.