How to create a second OpenGL context for multithreading on linux?

Question

I am using GLFW to create my window and I am on OpenGL 4.5.

What is the most OS agnostic way (if possible) to create a second OpenGL context to share objects with the main thread for multithreading (i.e one context per thread).

Dorota Kadłubowska · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-11 07:48:19Z

3

I don't know whether this method is OS agnostic enough, but in my application I simply use another hidden window:

//'pWindow' is the main GL context here...
glfwWindowHint(GLFW_VISIBLE, GL_FALSE);
pGLctx[0] = glfwCreateWindow(sw, sh, "slave0", NULL, pWindow);

glfwMakeContextCurrent(pGLctx[0]); //... to make it current in calling thread...

And that works for me.

I have to say here that generally speaking rendering and multithreading (on CPU that is) can be a nightmare to handle, so it is crucial to be sure that one needs it at all.

answered Jan 11, 2018 at 7:48

Dorota Kadłubowska

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1 Comment

bernie Over a year ago

I would add that some (all?) OpenGL drivers have a global lock that limits interactions to 1 thread at a time which usually defeats the whole purpose of multithreading.

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