AIR renderMode GPU vs renderMode direct

Question

When developing an AIR app for mobile application can someone explain to me the differences between using renderMode = GPU vs renderMODE = direct and when you would use either?

Faceharden

I don't know the exact answer, but these documents might be of use: a help doc from Adobe, and a post on an Adobe forum. I'm sure there's other info lurking out there. Maybe you can summarize what you found and post it as an answer here to benefit the rest of us. – Trapezoid

Answer 1

Please feel free to correct me but this is my understanding. There are 2 components in the display pipeline

1. Rendering
2. Compositing

There are 3 renderModes possible with Flash/AIR

1. CPU
2. GPU
3. DIRECT

With CPU, BOTH Compositing and Rendering are handled by the CPU/software. With GPU, Compositing is handled by the GPU/hardware and Rendering is still handled by CPU/software

DIRECT is the opposite of GPU mode in that Compositing is handled by the CPU/software and Rendering is handled by the GPU/hardware.

GPU mode benefits most from partial blitting, CPU mode from stage blitting and benefits from DIRECT mode come only if targeting Stage3D, either directly or indirectly via a framework like Starling or Away3D.

Conversely if targeting Stage3D, you must use renderMode=DIRECT

Faceharden