strange opengl rendering stutter - c++

Question

I'm experiencing a strange stutter in my simple opengl (via GLFW3) app. Although vsync is enabled (frame rate is almost steady 60 fps), the motion of the spinning triangle is not always smooth - it's almost like some frames are skipped sometimes. I tried looking at the time difference between consecutive calls to glSwapBuffers(), but those seem pretty consistent.
Am I doing something wrong? Should I use some kind of motion blur filtering to make it appear smoother?
The code:
#include <cstdlib>
#include <cstdio>
#include <cmath>
#include <cfloat>
#include <cassert>
#include <minmax.h>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <vector>
#include <Windows.h>
#include <GL/glew.h>
#include <gl/GLU.h>
//#include <GL/GL.h>
#include <GLFW/glfw3.h>
#include <glm/glm.hpp>
#include <glm/gtc/type_ptr.hpp>
#ifdef _WIN32
#pragma warning(disable:4996)
#endif
static int swap_interval;
static double frame_rate;
GLuint LoadShaders(const char * vertex_file_path,const char * fragment_file_path){
// Create the shaders
GLuint VertexShaderID = glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER);
GLuint FragmentShaderID = glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER);
// Read the Vertex Shader code from the file
std::string VertexShaderCode;
std::ifstream VertexShaderStream(vertex_file_path, std::ios::in);
if(VertexShaderStream.is_open()){
std::string Line = "";
while(getline(VertexShaderStream, Line))
VertexShaderCode += "\n" + Line;
VertexShaderStream.close();
}else{
printf("Impossible to open %s. Are you in the right directory ? Don't forget to read the FAQ !\n", vertex_file_path);
return 0;
}
// Read the Fragment Shader code from the file
std::string FragmentShaderCode;
std::ifstream FragmentShaderStream(fragment_file_path, std::ios::in);
if(FragmentShaderStream.is_open()){
std::string Line = "";
while(getline(FragmentShaderStream, Line))
FragmentShaderCode += "\n" + Line;
FragmentShaderStream.close();
}
GLint Result = GL_FALSE;
int InfoLogLength;
// Compile Vertex Shader
printf("Compiling shader : %s\n", vertex_file_path);
char const * VertexSourcePointer = VertexShaderCode.c_str();
glShaderSource(VertexShaderID, 1, &VertexSourcePointer , NULL);
glCompileShader(VertexShaderID);
// Check Vertex Shader
glGetShaderiv(VertexShaderID, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &Result);
if (Result != GL_TRUE)
{
glGetShaderiv(VertexShaderID, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &InfoLogLength);
if ( InfoLogLength > 0 ){
std::vector<char> VertexShaderErrorMessage(InfoLogLength+1);
glGetShaderInfoLog(VertexShaderID, InfoLogLength, NULL, &VertexShaderErrorMessage[0]);
printf("%s\n", &VertexShaderErrorMessage[0]);
}
}
// Compile Fragment Shader
printf("Compiling shader : %s\n", fragment_file_path);
char const * FragmentSourcePointer = FragmentShaderCode.c_str();
glShaderSource(FragmentShaderID, 1, &FragmentSourcePointer , NULL);
glCompileShader(FragmentShaderID);
// Check Fragment Shader
glGetShaderiv(FragmentShaderID, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &Result);
if (Result != GL_TRUE)
{
glGetShaderiv(FragmentShaderID, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &InfoLogLength);
if ( InfoLogLength > 0 ){
std::vector<char> FragmentShaderErrorMessage(InfoLogLength+1);
glGetShaderInfoLog(FragmentShaderID, InfoLogLength, NULL, &FragmentShaderErrorMessage[0]);
printf("%s\n", &FragmentShaderErrorMessage[0]);
}
}
// Link the program
printf("Linking program\n");
GLuint ProgramID = glCreateProgram();
glAttachShader(ProgramID, VertexShaderID);
glAttachShader(ProgramID, FragmentShaderID);
glLinkProgram(ProgramID);
// Check the program
glGetProgramiv(ProgramID, GL_LINK_STATUS, &Result);
if (Result != GL_TRUE)
{
glGetProgramiv(ProgramID, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &InfoLogLength);
if ( InfoLogLength > 0 ){
std::vector<char> ProgramErrorMessage(InfoLogLength+1);
glGetProgramInfoLog(ProgramID, InfoLogLength, NULL, &ProgramErrorMessage[0]);
printf("%s\n", &ProgramErrorMessage[0]);
}
}
#ifdef _DEBUG
glValidateProgram(ProgramID);
#endif
glDeleteShader(VertexShaderID);
glDeleteShader(FragmentShaderID);
return ProgramID;
}
static void framebuffer_size_callback(GLFWwindow* window, int width, int height)
{
glViewport(0, 0, width, height);
}
static void set_swap_interval(GLFWwindow* window, int interval)
{
swap_interval = interval;
glfwSwapInterval(swap_interval);
}
static void key_callback(GLFWwindow* window, int key, int scancode, int action, int mods)
{
if (key == GLFW_KEY_SPACE && action == GLFW_PRESS)
set_swap_interval(window, 1 - swap_interval);
}
static bool init(GLFWwindow** win)
{
if (!glfwInit())
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MAJOR, 3);
glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MINOR, 3);
glfwWindowHint(GLFW_OPENGL_PROFILE, GLFW_OPENGL_COMPAT_PROFILE);
// creating a window using the monitor param will open it full screen
const bool useFullScreen = false;
GLFWmonitor* monitor = useFullScreen ? glfwGetPrimaryMonitor() : NULL;
*win = glfwCreateWindow(640, 480, "", monitor, NULL);
if (!(*win))
{
glfwTerminate();
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
glfwMakeContextCurrent(*win);
GLenum glewError = glewInit();
if( glewError != GLEW_OK )
{
printf( "Error initializing GLEW! %s\n", glewGetErrorString( glewError ) );
return false;
}
//Make sure OpenGL 2.1 is supported
if( !GLEW_VERSION_2_1 )
{
printf( "OpenGL 2.1 not supported!\n" );
return false;
}
glfwMakeContextCurrent(*win);
glfwSetFramebufferSizeCallback(*win, framebuffer_size_callback);
glfwSetKeyCallback(*win, key_callback);
// get version info
const GLubyte* renderer = glGetString (GL_RENDERER); // get renderer string
const GLubyte* version = glGetString (GL_VERSION); // version as a string
printf("Renderer: %s\n", renderer);
printf("OpenGL version supported %s\n", version);
return true;
}
std::string string_format(const std::string fmt, ...) {
int size = 100;
std::string str;
va_list ap;
while (1) {
str.resize(size);
va_start(ap, fmt);
int n = vsnprintf((char *)str.c_str(), size, fmt.c_str(), ap);
va_end(ap);
if (n > -1 && n < size) {
str.resize(n);
return str;
}
if (n > -1)
size = n + 1;
else
size *= 2;
}
return str;
}
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
srand(9); // constant seed, for deterministic results
unsigned long frame_count = 0;
GLFWwindow* window;
init(&window);
// An array of 3 vectors which represents 3 vertices
static const GLfloat g_vertex_buffer_data[] = {
-1.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
1.0f, -1.0f, 0.0f,
0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f,
};
GLuint vbo;
glGenBuffers(1, &vbo);
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vbo);
// acclocate GPU memory and copy data
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, sizeof(g_vertex_buffer_data), g_vertex_buffer_data, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
unsigned int vao = 0;
glGenVertexArrays (1, &vao);
glBindVertexArray (vao);
glEnableVertexAttribArray (0);
glBindBuffer (GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vbo);
glVertexAttribPointer (0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);
// Create and compile our GLSL program from the shaders
GLuint programID = LoadShaders( "1.vert", "1.frag" );
// Use our shader
glUseProgram(programID);
GLint locPosition = glGetAttribLocation(programID, "vertex");
assert(locPosition != -1);
glm::mat4 world(1.0f);
GLint locWorld = glGetUniformLocation(programID, "gWorld");
assert(locWorld != -1 && "Error getting address (was it optimized out?)!");
glUniformMatrix4fv(locWorld, 1, GL_FALSE, glm::value_ptr(world));
GLenum err = glGetError();
GLint loc = glGetUniformLocation(programID, "time");
assert(loc != -1 && "Error getting uniform address (was it optimized out?)!");
bool isRunning = true;
while (isRunning)
{
static float time = 0.0f;
static float oldTime = 0.0f;
static float fpsLastUpdateTime = 0.0f;
oldTime = time;
time = (float)glfwGetTime();
static std::string fps;
glClear (GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
glUseProgram (programID);
glUniform1f(loc, time);
glBindVertexArray (vao);
glDrawArrays (GL_TRIANGLES, 0, 3);
glfwSwapBuffers(window);
glfwPollEvents();
isRunning = !glfwWindowShouldClose(window);
float dT = time-oldTime;
if (time-fpsLastUpdateTime > 0.5)
{
static const char* fmt = "frame rate: %.1f frames per second";
glfwSetWindowTitle(window, string_format(fmt, 1.0f/(dT)).c_str());
fpsLastUpdateTime = time;
}
}
glfwDestroyWindow(window);
glfwTerminate();
return 0;
}
////////////////////////////////////////
// 1.frag
////////////////////////////////////////
#version 330 core
// Ouput data
out vec3 color;
void main()
{
// Output color = red
color = vec3(1,0,0);
}
//////////////////////////////////////////////
// 1.vert
//////////////////////////////////////////////
#version 330 core
// Input vertex data, different for all executions of this shader.
in vec3 vertex;
uniform mat4 gWorld;
uniform float time;
void main()
{
gl_Position = gWorld * vec4(vertex, 1.0f);
gl_Position.x += sin(time);
gl_Position.y += cos(time)/2.0f;
gl_Position.w = 1.0;
}
OK. I got home and did more testing.
First I tried to disable the V-Sync, but I couldn't! I had to disable the windows' desktop effects (Aero) to be able to do so, and lo and behold - once Aero was disabled, the stutter disappeared (with V-Sync on).
Then I tested it with V-Sync off, and of course, I got much higher frame rate with the occasional expected tearing.
Then I tested it in full screen. The rendering was smooth with Aero and without it.
I couldn't find anyone else who share this problem. Do you think it's a GLFW3 bug? a driver/hardware issue (I have GTS450 with the latest drivers)?
Thank you all for you answers. I learned a lot, but my problem is still unsolved.

Answer 1

It's a strange Windows dwm (Desktop Window Manager) composition mode and glfwSwapBuffers() interaction problem. I didn't got down to the root of the problem yet. But you can workaround the stuttering by doing one of the following:
go fullscreen
disable dwm window composition (see my answer to Linear movement stutter)
enable multi sampling: glfwWindowHint(GLFW_SAMPLES, 4);

Answer 2

Without seeing this stutter problem it is difficult to say what the problem is. But the first impression of your program is ok.
So I guess you observe that a frame once in a while is shown twice. Leading to a very small stutter. This happens usually when you try to output 60 frames on 60Hz Monitor with vsync.
In such a setup you must not miss one vsync period or you will see a stutter, because of the frame shown twice.
On the other hand it is nearly impossible to guarantee this because the scheduler on a windows platforms schedules threads for 15ms(about that I don't know the correct value by heart).
So it is possible that a higher priority thread will use the CPU and your presenting thread is not able to swap the buffers for a new frame in time. When you increase the values e.g. 120 frames on 120 Hz monitor you will see those stutters even more often.
So I don't know any solution how you can prevent this on the windows platform. But If someone else knows I would be happy to know it too.

Answer 3

It's hard to tell without visualizing your problem but unless we are talking about some severe stuttering it's rarely a rendering issue. The motion/physics in your program is handled/processed by the CPU. The way you are implementing your animation, is handled in a way that is solely depended on the CPU.
What this means is that:
Say you are rotating your triangle by a fixed amount every CPU cycle. This is very depended on the time a CPU cycle takes to complete. Things like cpu workload can have huge impact on your screen result (not necessarily though). And it doesn't even take huge CPU occupation to notice a difference. All it takes is a background process to wake up and query for updates. This could result in a 'spike' of which could be observed as a tiny pause in your animation flow (due to the small delay the CPU can cause in your animation cycle). This can be interpreted as a stutter.
Now understanding the above there are a few ways to solve your issue (but in my opinion it doesn't worth investing for what you are trying to do above). You need to find a way to have consistent animation steps (with a small margin for variation).
This is a great article to explore:
http://gafferongames.com/game-physics/fix-your-timestep/
Ultimately most of the methods implemented above will result in a better rendering flow. But still not all of them guarantee physics-rendering precision. Without trying it out myself yet, i would say that one would have to go as far as implementing interpolation in his/her rendering process to guarantee smooth drawing as best as possible.
Now what i wanted to explain to you most, is that stuttering is usually caused by the CPU because it intervenes directly with your way of handling physics. But overall, using time for handling your physics and interpolating inside your rendering cycles is a topic definitely worth to explore.