Using RenderDoc to analyze a GPU frame
RenderDoc is a free tool to capture and analyze the frames our application draws. The program supports OpenGL and Vulkan, and also Direct 3D on Windows and OpenGL ES on mobile devices.
In Figure 15.9, a single frame of the 04_opengl_tbo example of Chapter 14 has been captured:
Figure 15.9: RenderDoc analyzing an OpenGL version of the model viewer
In Figure 15.9, at the top of the RenderDoc window labeled with number 1, the overall timing of the frame is shown. On the left side, at number 2, the recorded OpenGL calls are presented. Selecting one block or command advances the frame and the timing bar in the window with the number 1 to the frame state at that specific time.
The colored bars at number 3 are the joint matrices that were uploaded to the texture buffer. We use a texture buffer to upload the matrix data to the GPU, and the uploaded data is visible as a one-dimensional texture in RenderDoc. On the lower...
