Parameters

Description

glBufferSubData redefines some or all of the data store for the buffer object currently bound to target. Data starting at byte offset offset and extending for size bytes is copied to the data store from the memory pointed to by data. An error is thrown if offset and size together define a range beyond the bounds of the buffer object's data store.

Notes

When replacing the entire data store, consider using glBufferSubData rather than completely recreating the data store with glBufferData. This avoids the cost of reallocating the data store.

Consider using multiple buffer objects to avoid stalling the rendering pipeline during data store updates. If any rendering in the pipeline makes reference to data in the buffer object being updated by glBufferSubData, especially from the specific region being updated, that rendering must drain from the pipeline before the data store can be updated.

Clients must align data elements consistent with the requirements of the client platform, with an additional base-level requirement that an offset within a buffer to a datum comprising $\mathit{N}$ be a multiple of $\mathit{N}$.

Errors

GL_INVALID_ENUM is generated if target is not GL_ARRAY_BUFFER or GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER.

GL_INVALID_VALUE is generated if offset or size is negative, or if together they define a region of memory that extends beyond the buffer object's allocated data store.

GL_INVALID_OPERATION is generated if the reserved buffer object name 0 is bound to target.

Examples

// data_size_in_bytes is the size in bytes of your vertex data.
// data_vertices is your actual vertex data, probably a huge array of floats

GLuint vertex_buffer; // Save this for later rendering
glGenBuffers(1, &vertex_buffer);
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vertex_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, data_size_in_bytes, 0, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glBufferSubData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0, data_size_in_bytes, data_vertices);

GLint size = 0;
glGetBufferParameteriv(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, GL_BUFFER_SIZE, &size);
if(data_size_in_bytes != size)
{
    glDeleteBuffers(1, &vertex_buffer);
    // Log the error
    return;
}

// Success

// data_size_in_bytes is the size in bytes of your vertex data.
// data_indices is an array of integer offsets into your vertex data.

GLuint index_buffer; // Save this for later rendering
glGenBuffers(1, &index_buffer);
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, index_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, data_size_in_bytes, 0, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glBufferSubData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0, data_size_in_bytes, data_indices);

GLint size = 0;
glGetBufferParameteriv(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, GL_BUFFER_SIZE, &size);
if(data_size_in_bytes != size)
{
    glDeleteBuffers(1, &index_buffer);
    // Log the error
    return;
}

// Success

Tutorials

opengl-tutorial.org - Particles / Instancing

See Also

glBindBuffer, glBufferData