Does AvaloniaUI support OpenGL ES 3.1+?

[anose001]

I setup an OpenGL control via example and latest Angle version 2.1.2.21 via NuGet package. On my desktop this provides OpenGL ES 3.0. Is OpenGL ES 3.1+ supported via AvaloniaUI?

[maxkatz6]

Avalonia uses Angle from October 6 - https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/angle/commits/avalonia-fork-master/
Which has incomplete support for 3.1 - https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/angle/blob/avalonia-fork-master/doc/ES31StatusOnD3D11.md
The same status in on latest master branch as well - https://github.com/google/angle/blob/main/doc/ES31StatusOnD3D11.md

If you need any of missing features in AngleGL, you can use WGL rendering mode. But WGL is known to have poorer stability with some drivers.

[kekekeks]

Versions list is passed through EglDisplay ctor -

Avalonia/src/Windows/Avalonia.Win32/OpenGl/Angle/AngleWin32EglDisplay.cs

Lines 41 to 46 in 9c6a2c9

	return new AngleWin32EglDisplay(display, egl, new EglDisplayOptions()
	{
	Egl = egl,
	ContextLossIsDisplayLoss = true,
	GlVersions = AvaloniaLocator.Current.GetService<AngleOptions>()?.GlProfiles
	}, AngleOptions.PlatformApi.DirectX11);

[maxkatz6]

@anose001 so it seems you just need to set GlProfiles properly.

[anose001]

@maxkatz6, @kekekeks, thanks for the replies. It seems like AngleOptions only allows to set OpenGLES 2 or 3 if I am not mistaken?

https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/blob/56108c1caf51122ca6cdf462b5df2b53cf6abae8/src/Windows/Avalonia.Win32/AngleOptions.cs#L14C1-L18C11

Since the forked ANGLE version supports OpenGL ES 3.1 on Desktop GL (I assume this is OpenGL), OpenGL ES, Vulkan, (and almost fully) Direct3D11 rendering backends, is this as easy as adding new GlVersion(GlProfileType.OpenGLES, 3, 1) in the above file, calling it in my AppBuilder, and playing around with the functionalities?

Also, does an Avalonia cross-platform app use Direct3D11 as the backing renderer on windows? What does it use on Android or iOS? I am asking this because my standalone Avalonia application uses OpenGL 4.0 as the highest version and I am trying to understand whether I can change the Avalonia cross-platform rendering backend on Desktop to OpenGL and do OpenGL ES on mobile, and if I can, how so?

[maxkatz6]

@anose001 no, you can set values other than 2 or 3, it's a mutable property:

.With(new AngleOptions
{
    GlProfiles = new [] { new GlVersion(GlProfileType.OpenGLES, 3, 1) }
})

Also, does an Avalonia cross-platform app use Direct3D11 as the backing renderer on windows?

Yes, on Windows.
But also, Windows supports WGL (native GL) and Vulkan.

Android, Linux

OpenGL by default, Vulkan is a new option in 11.1.

iOS, macOS

OpenGL in 11.1 by default, Metal in 11.2 (nightly) by default.

Browser

WebGL 2 by default in 11.1

[maxkatz6]

Each platform options (like, Win32Platform options or AndroidPlatformOptions) have RenderingMode property, which defines what is used and in what priority (that's a list).

[anose001]

@maxkatz6, ah great, thank you, I will give this a try and see how it goes.

The recommended approach to use Vulkan on Windows is shown in this GpuInterop example, correct?

I see that Vulkan/Metal on mobile and OS is a recent development. Once that is implemented and released will there be an example on how to get started on these platforms?

[maxkatz6]

The recommended approach to use Vulkan on Windows is shown in this GpuInterop example, correct?

If you want to access Vulkan interop, then yes.

Once that is implemented and released will there be an example on how to get started on these platforms?

What exactly is your question? For developers there won't be any difference. Once default value is changed - it will just work on new renderer. I also plan to document these new platform options when I have time.

But if you are asking about GPU interop, then likely no. This part of the code that requires in-deep knowledge from the developer, and understanding GPU related code before doing anything with Avalonia. And we can only provide samples on how to integrate them.

[anose001]

@maxkatz6, maybe I am misunderstanding something but will there be a VulkanControlBase or MetalControlBase similar to OpenGlControlBase for rendering onto a surface/view?