---
name: "icetGetColorBuffer"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "paraview"
version: "3.8.0-1+b1"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/icetGetColorBuffer"
---

# icetGetColorBuffer(3)

## NAME

**icetGetColorBuffer**,**icetGetDepthBuffer**-- retrieves the last computed color or depth buffer.

## Synopsis

\#include \<GL/ice-t.h\>

| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| GLubyte | \***icetGetColorBuffer** | ( | void ); |
| GLuint | \***icetGetDepthBuffer** | ( | void ); |

## Description

Returns a buffer containing the result of the image composition performed  by the last call to **icetDrawFrame**. Be aware that a color or  depth buffer may not have been computed with the last call to  **icetDrawFrame**. **IceT** avoids the computation and network  transfers for any unnecessary buffers unless specifically requested  otherwise with the flags given to the **icetInputOutputBuffers** function. Use a call to **icetGetBooleanv**with a value of  **ICET\_COLOR\_BUFFER\_VALID** or **ICET\_DEPTH\_BUFFER\_VALID** to determine whether either of these buffers are available. Attempting  to get a nonexistent buffer will result with a warning being emitted and  NULL returned.

## Return Value

**icetGetColorBuffer**returns the color buffer for the displayed tile.  Each pixel value can be assumed to be four consecutive bytes in the  buffer. The pixels are also always aligned on 4-byte boundaries. The  format of the color buffer is defined by the state parameter  **ICET\_COLOR\_FORMAT**, which is typically either **GL\_RGBA**, **GL\_BGRA**, or **GL\_BGRA\_EXT**.

**icetGetDepthBuffer**returns the depth buffer for the displayed tile.  Depth values are stored as 32-bit integers.

The width and the height of the buffer are determined by the width and  the height of the displayed tile at the time **icetDrawFrame** was  called. If the tile layout is changed since the last call to  **icetDrawFrame**, the dimensions of the buffer returned may not  agree with the dimensions stored in the current **IceT** state.

The memory returned by **icetGetColorBuffer**and **icetGetDepthBuffer**need  not, and should not, be freed. It will be reclaimed in the next call to  **icetDrawFrame**. Expect the data returned to be obliterated on the  next call to **icetDrawFrame**.

## Errors

None.

## Warnings

- **ICET\_INVALID\_VALUE**

   The appropriate buffer is not  available, either because it was not computed or it has been  obliterated by a subsequent **IceT** computation.

## Bugs

The returned image may have a value of $(R, G, B, A) = (0, 0, 0, 0)$ for  a pixel instead of the true background color. This can usually be  corrected by replacing all pixels with an alpha value of 0 with the  background color.

The buffers are stored in a shared memory pool attached to a particular  context. As such, the buffers are not copied with the state. Also,  because they are shared, it is conceivable that the buffers will be  reclaimed before the next call to **icetDrawFrame**. If this should  happen, the **ICET\_COLOR\_BUFFER\_VALID** and  **ICET\_DEPTH\_BUFFER\_VALID** state variables will be set  accordingly.

## Copyright

Copyright (C)2003 Sandia Corporation

Under the terms of Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000, there is a non-exclusive  license for use of this work by or on behalf of the U.S. Government.  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without  modification, are permitted provided that this Notice and any statement  of authorship are reproduced on all copies.

## See Also

[*icetDrawFrame*(3)](/icetDrawFrame/3.md), [*icetInputOutputBuffers*(3)](/icetInputOutputBuffers/3.md), [*icetGet*(3)](/icetGet/3.md)