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# docs.GL

OpenGL 4
OpenGL 3
OpenGL 2
OpenGL ES 3
OpenGL ES 2

# glVertexAttribPointer

## Name

glVertexAttribPointer — define an array of generic vertex attribute data

## C Specification

`void glVertexAttribPointer(` | GLuint index,
| GLint size,
| GLenum type,
| GLboolean normalized,
| GLsizei stride,
| const GLvoid * pointer`)`;

## Parameters

`index`

  Specifies the index of the generic vertex attribute to be modified.

`size`

  Specifies the number of components per generic vertex attribute. Must be 1, 2, 3, or 4. The initial value is 4.

`type`

  Specifies the data type of each component in the array. Symbolic constants `GL_BYTE`, `GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE`, `GL_SHORT`, `GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT`, `GL_FIXED`, or `GL_FLOAT` are accepted. The initial value is `GL_FLOAT`.

`normalized`

  Specifies whether fixed-point data values should be normalized (`GL_TRUE`) or converted directly as fixed-point values (`GL_FALSE`) when they are accessed.

`stride`

  Specifies the byte offset between consecutive generic vertex attributes. If `stride` is 0, the generic vertex attributes are understood to be tightly packed in the array. The initial value is 0.

`pointer`

  Specifies a pointer to the first component of the first generic vertex attribute in the array. The initial value is 0.

## Description

`glVertexAttribPointer` specifies the location and data format of the array of generic vertex attributes at index `index` to use when rendering. `size` specifies the number of components per attribute and must be 1, 2, 3, or 4. `type` specifies the data type of each component, and `stride` specifies the byte stride from one attribute to the next, allowing vertices and attributes to be packed into a single array or stored in separate arrays. If set to `GL_TRUE`, `normalized` indicates that values stored in an integer format are to be mapped to the range [-1,1] (for signed values) or [0,1] (for unsigned values) when they are accessed and converted to floating point. Otherwise, values will be converted to floats directly without normalization.

If a non-zero named buffer object is bound to the `GL_ARRAY_BUFFER` target (see glBindBuffer) while a generic vertex attribute array is specified, `pointer` is treated as a byte offset into the buffer object's data store. Also, the buffer object binding (`GL_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`) is saved as generic vertex attribute array client-side state (`GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`) for index `index`.

When a generic vertex attribute array is specified, `size`, `type`, `normalized`, `stride`, and `pointer` are saved as client-side state, in addition to the current vertex array buffer object binding.

To enable and disable a generic vertex attribute array, call glEnableVertexAttribArray and glDisableVertexAttribArray with `index`. If enabled, the generic vertex attribute array is used when glDrawArrays or glDrawElements is called.

## Notes

Each generic vertex attribute array is initially disabled and isn't accessed when glDrawElements or glDrawArrays is called.

`glVertexAttribPointer` is typically implemented on the client side.

## Errors

`GL_INVALID_ENUM` is generated if `type` is not an accepted value.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if `index` is greater than or equal to `GL_MAX_VERTEX_ATTRIBS`.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if `size` is not 1, 2, 3, or 4.

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if `stride` is negative.

## Associated Gets

glGet with argument `GL_MAX_VERTEX_ATTRIBS`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_ENABLED`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_SIZE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_TYPE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_NORMALIZED`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_STRIDE`

glGetVertexAttrib with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`

glGet with argument `GL_ARRAY_BUFFER_BINDING`

glGetVertexAttribPointerv with arguments `index` and `GL_VERTEX_ATTRIB_ARRAY_POINTER`

## See Also

glBindAttribLocation, glBindBuffer, glDisableVertexAttribArray, glDrawArrays, glDrawElements, glEnableVertexAttribArray, glVertexAttrib

## Copyright

Copyright © 2003-2005 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. This material may be distributed subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open Publication License, v 1.0, 8 June 1999. https://opencontent.org/openpub/.

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