Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!news
From: James Russell <James_Russell@scee.sony.co.uk>
Newsgroups: scee.yaroze.programming.3d_graphics
Subject: Re: Using a Priority OT
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 15:44:42 +0100
Organization: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
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James Shaughnessy wrote:
> 
> I sort objects
> in the PriorityOT and then sort that into the required main OT and
> everything seems to be working fine with the priority
> objects always being drawn last.

If you know that everything in your priorityOT (where the pools balls are) will be drawn AFTER the
main OT (where the pool table is), then you don't have to sort the priority OT into the mainOT. Just
go:

GsDrawOT(&mainOT[GsActiveBuff()]);
GsDrawOT(&priorityOT[GsActiveBuff()]);

And all the stuff in the priorityOT will be drawn after all the stuff in the mainOT.

> I occasionally get these
> big lockups (a few seconds) and then get a GPU Timeout error.

This happens because GPU packets are getting corrupted. As you know, the GPU uses linked lists, and
if the pointer information gets corrupted then the common symptom is "GPU Timeout" errors as the GPU
jumps around memory after following an incorrect pointer. The main reason these get corrupted is
that the packet creation area is too small - check the FAQ for a list of the sizes of each poly
type, if that will help. I know you've said you've set up enough, so perhaps you're accidentally
copying over that area. You won't need a separate WorkBase area for each OT.

Cheers,

James


-- 
== James_Russell@scee.sony.co.uk                +44 (171) 447-1626
== Developer Support Engineer - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, let the machine get it.