glNewList function

Article
03/09/2021

The glNewList and glEndList functions create or replace a display list.

Syntax

void WINAPI glNewList(
   GLuint list,
   GLenum mode
);

Parameters

list

The display list name.

mode

The compilation mode. The following values are accepted.

Value	Meaning
GL_COMPILE	Commands are merely compiled.
GL_COMPILE_AND_EXECUTE	Commands are executed as they are compiled into the display list.

Return value

This function does not return a value.

Error codes

The following error codes can be retrieved by the glGetError function.

Name	Meaning
GL_INVALID_VALUE	list was zero.
GL_INVALID_ENUM	mode was not an accepted value.
GL_INVALID_OPERATION	The function was called between a call to glBegin and the corresponding call to glEnd.

Remarks

Display lists are groups of OpenGL commands that have been stored for subsequent execution. The display lists are created with glNewList. All subsequent commands are placed in the display list, in the order issued, until glEndList is called.

The glNewList function has two parameters. The first parameter, list, is a positive integer that becomes the unique name for the display list. Names can be created and reserved with glGenLists and tested for uniqueness with glIsList. The second parameter, mode, is a symbolic constant that can assume one of the two preceding values.

Certain commands are not compiled into the display list, but are executed immediately, regardless of the display list mode. These commands are glColorPointer, glDeleteLists, glDisableClientState, glEdgeFlagPointer, glEnableClientState, glFeedbackBuffer, glFinish, glFlush, glGenLists, glIndexPointer, glInterleavedArrays, glIsEnabled, glIsList, glNormalPointer, glPopClientAttrib, glPixelStore, glPushClientAttrib, glReadPixels, glRenderMode, glSelectBuffer, glTexCoordPointer, glVertexPointer, and all of the glGet routines.

Similarly, glTexImage2D and glTexImage1D are executed immediately and not compiled into the display list when their first argument is GL_PROXY_TEXTURE_2D or GL_PROXY_TEXTURE_1D, respectively.

When the glEndList function is encountered, the display list definition is completed by associating the list with the unique name list (specified in the glNewList command). If a display list with name list already exists, it is replaced only when glEndList is called.

The glCallList and glCallLists functions can be entered into display lists. The commands in the display list or lists executed by glCallList or glCallLists are not included in the display list being created, even if the list creation mode is GL_COMPILE_AND_EXECUTE.

The following function retrieves information related to glNewList:

glGet with argument GL_MATRIX_MODE

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server	Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only]
Header	Gl.h
Library	Opengl32.lib
DLL	Opengl32.dll