I have compiled a 3D modeling program that uses Tcl/Tk and Togl-1.5. The same program has been compiled successfully under three platforms: SGI, Linux, and Windows NT. On Windows NT, however, the 3D graphics is incredibly slow. But when I ran the same application on a different Windows NT machine using a high-end 3DLabs graphics adapter, the graphics were fast. The problem is that we want to run the application on a laptop, without a high-end graphics card. Also, I noted that the Linux machines handled the graphics quickly without using a high-end graphics card.
I have two ideas:
Increase CPU processor speed/power? (currently using 750MHz on laptop)
Avoid using OpenGL routines; use Direct3D or something else instead? (how do I do this…?)
I never have used any of those, but it really sounds like you are using a laptop with no openGL acceleration available, or you have outdated drivers, and it is falling back to software mode.
Which laptop is it? Even with a 2GHz CPU it still is VERY slow if you are in software emulation mode. You need one of the laptops with either the new Nvidia GO chipset (I think that is the right name) or the ATI Radeon mobile chipset, then you should be OK.
The wrapper method for running stuff made for openGL on DX is not a very good solution IMO, since I haven’t seen one that works 100%
Your best bet is to either get a new laptop with a good chipset, or change the application.
You are correct that there is no hardware OpenGL acceleration on the laptop. The interesting thing, however, is that the Togl built-in demos and other 3-D applications showing complex models seem to do just fine – near-fluid motion. My Togl application is incredibly slow however, even with simple models. I believe there is a way to fix the speed by changing my application code. Maybe there is a lighting or some GL mode that I can toggle…?
[This message has been edited by NTtogl (edited 01-03-2002).]
[This message has been edited by NTtogl (edited 01-03-2002).]
