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# docs.GL

OpenGL 4
OpenGL 3
OpenGL 2
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# glCompileShader

## Name

glCompileShader — Compiles a shader object

## C Specification

`void glCompileShader(`GLuint shader`)`;

## Parameters

`shader`

  Specifies the shader object to be compiled.

## Description

`glCompileShader` compiles the source code strings that have been stored in the shader object specified by `shader`.

The compilation status will be stored as part of the shader object's state. This value will be set to `GL_TRUE` if the shader was compiled without errors and is ready for use, and `GL_FALSE` otherwise. It can be queried by calling glGetShader with arguments `shader` and `GL_COMPILE_STATUS`.

Compilation of a shader can fail for a number of reasons as specified by the OpenGL Shading Language Specification. Whether or not the compilation was successful, information about the compilation can be obtained from the shader object's information log by calling glGetShaderInfoLog.

## Errors

`GL_INVALID_VALUE` is generated if `shader` is not a value generated by OpenGL.

`GL_INVALID_OPERATION` is generated if `shader` is not a shader object.

## Associated Gets

glGetShaderInfoLog with argument `shader`

glGetShader with arguments `shader` and `GL_COMPILE_STATUS`

glIsShader

## Examples

Compile a program from a vertex shader and a fragment shader.

    GLuint vshader = glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER);
    glShaderSource(vshader, 1, &vertex_shader_source, NULL); // vertex_shader_source is a GLchar* containing glsl shader source code
    glCompileShader(vshader);

    GLint vertex_compiled;
    glGetShaderiv(vshader, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &vertex_compiled);
    if (vertex_compiled != GL_TRUE)
    {
        GLsizei log_length = 0;
        GLchar message[1024];
        glGetShaderInfoLog(vshader, 1024, &log_length, message);
        // Write the error to a log
    }

    GLuint fshader = glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER);
    glShaderSource(fshader, 1, &fragment_shader_source, NULL); // fragment_shader_source is a GLchar* containing glsl shader source code
    glCompileShader(fshader);

    GLint fragment_compiled;
    glGetShaderiv(fshader, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &fragment_compiled);
    if (fragment_compiled != GL_TRUE)
    {
        GLsizei log_length = 0;
        GLchar message[1024];
        glGetShaderInfoLog(fshader, 1024, &log_length, message);
        // Write the error to a log
    }

    GLuint program = glCreateProgram();

    // This step is unnecessary if you use the location specifier in your shader
    // e.g. layout (location = 0) in vec3 position;
    glBindAttribLocation(program, 0, "position"); // The index passed into glBindAttribLocation is
    glBindAttribLocation(program, 1, "texcoord"); // used by glEnableVertexAttribArray. "position"
    glBindAttribLocation(program, 2, "normal");   // "texcoord" "normal" and "color" are the names of the
    glBindAttribLocation(program, 3, "color");    // respective inputs in your fragment shader.

    glAttachShader(program, vshader);
    glAttachShader(program, fshader);
    glLinkProgram(program);

    GLint program_linked;
    glGetProgramiv(program, GL_LINK_STATUS, &program_linked);
    if (program_linked != GL_TRUE)
    {
        GLsizei log_length = 0;
        GLchar message[1024];
        glGetProgramInfoLog(program, 1024, &log_length, message);
        // Write the error to a log
    }

## Tutorials

open.gl - The Graphics Pipeline
open.gl - Transform Feedback
opengl-tutorial.org - Tutorial 2 : The first triangle

## See Also

glCreateShader, glLinkProgram, glShaderSource

## 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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