doc/src/platforms/x11overlays.qdoc
author Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:19:33 +0300
branchRCL_3
changeset 8 3f74d0d4af4c
permissions -rw-r--r--
qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Ignore whitespace changes - Everywhere: Within whitespace: At end of lines:
8
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     1
/****************************************************************************
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     2
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     3
** Copyright (C) 2010 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies).
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     4
** All rights reserved.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     5
** Contact: Nokia Corporation (qt-info@nokia.com)
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     6
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     7
** This file is part of the documentation of the Qt Toolkit.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     8
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
     9
** $QT_BEGIN_LICENSE:LGPL$
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    10
** No Commercial Usage
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    11
** This file contains pre-release code and may not be distributed.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    12
** You may use this file in accordance with the terms and conditions
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    13
** contained in the Technology Preview License Agreement accompanying
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    14
** this package.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    15
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    16
** GNU Lesser General Public License Usage
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    17
** Alternatively, this file may be used under the terms of the GNU Lesser
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    18
** General Public License version 2.1 as published by the Free Software
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    19
** Foundation and appearing in the file LICENSE.LGPL included in the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    20
** packaging of this file.  Please review the following information to
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    21
** ensure the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1 requirements
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    22
** will be met: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    23
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    24
** In addition, as a special exception, Nokia gives you certain additional
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    25
** rights.  These rights are described in the Nokia Qt LGPL Exception
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    26
** version 1.1, included in the file LGPL_EXCEPTION.txt in this package.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    27
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    28
** If you have questions regarding the use of this file, please contact
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    29
** Nokia at qt-info@nokia.com.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    30
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    31
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    32
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    33
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    34
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    35
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    36
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    37
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    38
** $QT_END_LICENSE$
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    39
**
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    40
****************************************************************************/
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    41
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    42
/*!
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    43
    \page x11overlays.html
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    44
    \title How to Use X11 Overlays with Qt
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    45
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    46
    X11 overlays are a powerful mechanism for drawing
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    47
    annotations etc., on top of an image without destroying it, thus saving
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    48
    a great deal of image rendering time. For more information, see the highly
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    49
    recommended book \e{OpenGL Programming for the X Window System} (Mark
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    50
    Kilgard, Addison Wesley Developers Press 1996).
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    51
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    52
    \warning The Qt OpenGL Extension includes direct support for the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    53
    use of OpenGL overlays. For many uses of overlays, this makes the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    54
    technique described below redundant. The following is a discussion
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    55
    on how to use non-QGL widgets in overlay planes.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    56
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    57
    In the typical case, X11 overlays can easily be used together with the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    58
    current version of Qt and the Qt OpenGL Extension. The following
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    59
    requirements apply:
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    60
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    61
    \list 1
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    62
    \i Your X server and graphics card/hardware must support overlays.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    63
       For many X servers, overlay support can be turned on with
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    64
       a configuration option; consult your X server installation
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    65
       documentation.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    66
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    67
    \i Your X server must (be configured to) use an overlay visual as the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    68
       default visual. Most modern X servers do this, since this has the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    69
       added advantage that pop-up menus, overlapping windows etc., will
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    70
       \e not affect underlying images in the main plane, thereby
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    71
       avoiding expensive redraws.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    72
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    73
    \i The best (deepest) visual for OpenGL rendering is in the main
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    74
       plane. This is the normal case. Typically, X servers that support
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    75
       overlays provide a 24-bit \c TrueColor visual in the main plane,
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    76
       and an 8-bit \c PseudoColor (default) visual in the overlay plane.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    77
    \endlist
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    78
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    79
    Assuming that the requirements mentioned above are met, a
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    80
    QGLWidget will default to using the main plane visual, while all
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    81
    other widgets will use the overlay visual. Thus, we can place a
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    82
    normal widget on top of the QGLWidget, and do drawing on it,
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    83
    without affecting the image in the OpenGL window. In other words,
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    84
    we can use all the drawing capabilities of QPainter to draw
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    85
    annotations, rubberbands, etc. For the typical use of overlays,
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    86
    this is much easier than using OpenGL for rendering annotations.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    87
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    88
    An overlay plane has a specific color called the transparent
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    89
    color. Pixels drawn in this color will not be visible; instead
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    90
    the underlying OpenGL image will show through.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    91
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    92
    To use this technique, you must not use the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    93
    QApplication::ManyColor or QApplication::TrueColor color
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    94
    specification for QApplication, because this will force the
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    95
    normal Qt widgets to use a \c TrueColor visual, which will
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    96
    typically be in the main plane, not in the overlay plane as
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    97
    desired.
3f74d0d4af4c qt:70947f0f93d948bc89b3b43d00da758a51f1ef84
Eckhart Koeppen <eckhart.koppen@nokia.com>
parents:
diff changeset
    98
*/