Double buffer copper??

h0ffman · 07 July 2011, 17:57

So you double buffer your screen drawing, clearing one while drawing the other.

I'm wondering if you can do this with the copper and how best to go about it

I know that for interlace you can setup two copper lists, however I would be concerned as to which one was acutally active at any given time.

So, lets say I say i build a copper list ready for the next frame. If I then load the copper pointers at the end of the routine but the copper is still running through the current list, does instantly start your new one or wait until it is finished then start your new one?

would love to know how....

cheers

Lonewolf10 · 07 July 2011, 18:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ffman

So you double buffer your screen drawing, clearing one while drawing the other.

I'm wondering if you can do this with the copper and how best to go about it

I know that for interlace you can setup two copper lists, however I would be concerned as to which one was acutally active at any given time.

You usually setup a copperlist per screen, or in your case one for the physical (active) screen and one for the logical (currently inactive) screen which is currently being created.

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ffman

So, lets say I say i build a copper list ready for the next frame. If I then load the copper pointers at the end of the routine but the copper is still running through the current list, does instantly start your new one or wait until it is finished then start your new one?

would love to know how....

cheers

My understanding is that it will continue using the current copperlist and then use the new address in COPxLCH at the next VBL.

If you want it to start the new copperlist immediately, then write any value to the appropriate strobe register (e.g. COPJMPx).

Regards,
Lonewolf10

korruptor · 11 July 2011, 20:06

I double buffer copper lists and swap them over as the first part of my loop. I've 2 copper lists, pointing to 2 different sets of bitplanes, so swapping them when my loop is entered handles the screen double buffering for me. I just refer to a base pointer in the code and switch what cop1lc refers to each frame.

I had a nasty issue with a race condition when I first started trying to learn asm - I was updating the copperlist as it was being read - so I moved over to double buffering the lot as it just seemed to be easier to manage.

What I'm not doing atm is building any copper lists on the fly, so I've got a load of unnecessary duplication in my code.

h0ffman · 11 July 2011, 22:12

Nice one, cheers guys, have tested the theory and it seems to work

Lonewolf10 · 12 July 2011, 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by korruptor

I had a nasty issue with a race condition when I first started trying to learn asm - I was updating the copperlist as it was being read - so I moved over to double buffering the lot as it just seemed to be easier to manage.

Hehe, had a few issues along those lines myself this week too. I'm not using double buffering at the moment, but it's one of the things I will definately use on my next project

Quote:

Originally Posted by korruptor

What I'm not doing atm is building any copper lists on the fly, so I've got a load of unnecessary duplication in my code.

I have several copperlists in my code, but some are being modified on the fly

Regards,
Lonewolf10

korruptor · 13 July 2011, 04:02

Both mine are being modified. I just don't like the fact that I'm statically duplicating all the unmodified stuff, multiple times. Low pri and not a massive issue, but it bugs the hell out of me all the same

I wish I had more time

Photon · 14 July 2011, 19:54

If it's the buffer you are doubling, and the rest of the copper should show the same, just set the currently-not-being-drawn-into bitplane pointers in the Vblank interrupt.

Or, you could 'poke' the bitplane pointers in a single copper to do double-buffering.

No need for more than 1 copper, just because you double buffer. Only if you also need a copper buffer; when content differs in the copperlist between two frames - somewhere to poke the copper that is not being displayed yet.

korruptor · 19 July 2011, 13:51

Yeah, my copper contents were changing, so I duplicated the list for simplicity. Dirty

Photon · 19 July 2011, 19:10

Well, it's not dirty if you're planning on double-buffering the rest of the copperlist contents, like a coppershade that should match some moving bitplane, for example. Or if you have a screen split and the buffer you are doubling isn't at the top. And if you're running a copper with some stuff in it anyway, it IS the simplest way to switch buffers.

Wasn't a criticism at all

I try to keep such out of non-opinion posts. Reducing redundancy is good programming though, even if it's not always best practice.

07 July 2011, 17:57	#1
h0ffman Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Salisbury Posts: 746	Double buffer copper?? So you double buffer your screen drawing, clearing one while drawing the other. I'm wondering if you can do this with the copper and how best to go about it I know that for interlace you can setup two copper lists, however I would be concerned as to which one was acutally active at any given time. So, lets say I say i build a copper list ready for the next frame. If I then load the copper pointers at the end of the routine but the copper is still running through the current list, does instantly start your new one or wait until it is finished then start your new one? would love to know how.... cheers

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11 July 2011, 20:06	#3
korruptor TDI Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Blitter Town Posts: 124	I double buffer copper lists and swap them over as the first part of my loop. I've 2 copper lists, pointing to 2 different sets of bitplanes, so swapping them when my loop is entered handles the screen double buffering for me. I just refer to a base pointer in the code and switch what cop1lc refers to each frame. I had a nasty issue with a race condition when I first started trying to learn asm - I was updating the copperlist as it was being read - so I moved over to double buffering the lot as it just seemed to be easier to manage. What I'm not doing atm is building any copper lists on the fly, so I've got a load of unnecessary duplication in my code.

11 July 2011, 22:12	#4
h0ffman Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Salisbury Posts: 746	Nice one, cheers guys, have tested the theory and it seems to work

13 July 2011, 04:02	#6
korruptor TDI Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Blitter Town Posts: 124	Both mine are being modified. I just don't like the fact that I'm statically duplicating all the unmodified stuff, multiple times. Low pri and not a massive issue, but it bugs the hell out of me all the same I wish I had more time

14 July 2011, 19:54	#7
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,629	If it's the buffer you are doubling, and the rest of the copper should show the same, just set the currently-not-being-drawn-into bitplane pointers in the Vblank interrupt. Or, you could 'poke' the bitplane pointers in a single copper to do double-buffering. No need for more than 1 copper, just because you double buffer. Only if you also need a copper buffer; when content differs in the copperlist between two frames - somewhere to poke the copper that is not being displayed yet.

19 July 2011, 13:51	#8
korruptor TDI Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Blitter Town Posts: 124	Yeah, my copper contents were changing, so I duplicated the list for simplicity. Dirty

19 July 2011, 19:10	#9
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,629	Well, it's not dirty if you're planning on double-buffering the rest of the copperlist contents, like a coppershade that should match some moving bitplane, for example. Or if you have a screen split and the buffer you are doubling isn't at the top. And if you're running a copper with some stuff in it anyway, it IS the simplest way to switch buffers. Wasn't a criticism at all I try to keep such out of non-opinion posts. Reducing redundancy is good programming though, even if it's not always best practice.

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