Visuals: GDK 3 Reference Manual

Visuals

Visuals — Low-level display hardware information

Functions

void	gdk_query_depths ()
void	gdk_query_visual_types ()
GList *	gdk_list_visuals ()
gint	gdk_visual_get_bits_per_rgb ()
void	gdk_visual_get_blue_pixel_details ()
GdkByteOrder	gdk_visual_get_byte_order ()
gint	gdk_visual_get_colormap_size ()
gint	gdk_visual_get_depth ()
void	gdk_visual_get_green_pixel_details ()
void	gdk_visual_get_red_pixel_details ()
GdkVisualType	gdk_visual_get_visual_type ()
gint	gdk_visual_get_best_depth ()
GdkVisualType	gdk_visual_get_best_type ()
GdkVisual *	gdk_visual_get_system ()
GdkVisual *	gdk_visual_get_best ()
GdkVisual *	gdk_visual_get_best_with_depth ()
GdkVisual *	gdk_visual_get_best_with_type ()
GdkVisual *	gdk_visual_get_best_with_both ()
GdkScreen *	gdk_visual_get_screen ()

Types and Values

	GdkVisual
enum	GdkVisualType
enum	GdkByteOrder

Object Hierarchy

    GObject
    ╰── GdkVisual

Includes

#include <gdk/gdk.h>

Description

A GdkVisual describes a particular video hardware display format. It includes information about the number of bits used for each color, the way the bits are translated into an RGB value for display, and the way the bits are stored in memory. For example, a piece of display hardware might support 24-bit color, 16-bit color, or 8-bit color; meaning 24/16/8-bit pixel sizes. For a given pixel size, pixels can be in different formats; for example the “red” element of an RGB pixel may be in the top 8 bits of the pixel, or may be in the lower 4 bits.

There are several standard visuals. The visual returned by gdk_screen_get_system_visual() is the system’s default visual, and the visual returned by gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual() should be used for creating windows with an alpha channel.

A number of functions are provided for determining the “best” available visual. For the purposes of making this determination, higher bit depths are considered better, and for visuals of the same bit depth, GDK_VISUAL_PSEUDO_COLOR is preferred at 8bpp, otherwise, the visual types are ranked in the order of(highest to lowest) GDK_VISUAL_DIRECT_COLOR, GDK_VISUAL_TRUE_COLOR, GDK_VISUAL_PSEUDO_COLOR, GDK_VISUAL_STATIC_COLOR, GDK_VISUAL_GRAYSCALE, then GDK_VISUAL_STATIC_GRAY.

Functions

gdk_query_depths ()

void
gdk_query_depths (gint **depths,
                  gint *count);

gdk_query_depths has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

This function returns the available bit depths for the default screen. It’s equivalent to listing the visuals (gdk_list_visuals()) and then looking at the depth field in each visual, removing duplicates.

The array returned by this function should not be freed.

Parameters

depths	return location for available depths.	[out][array length=count][transfer none]
count	return location for number of available depths

gdk_query_visual_types ()

void
gdk_query_visual_types (GdkVisualType **visual_types,
                        gint *count);

gdk_query_visual_types has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

This function returns the available visual types for the default screen. It’s equivalent to listing the visuals (gdk_list_visuals()) and then looking at the type field in each visual, removing duplicates.

The array returned by this function should not be freed.

Parameters

visual_types	return location for the available visual types.	[out][array length=count][transfer none]
count	return location for the number of available visual types

gdk_list_visuals ()

GList *
gdk_list_visuals (void);

gdk_list_visuals has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use gdk_screen_list_visuals (gdk_screen_get_default()).

Lists the available visuals for the default screen. (See gdk_screen_list_visuals()) A visual describes a hardware image data format. For example, a visual might support 24-bit color, or 8-bit color, and might expect pixels to be in a certain format.

Call g_list_free() on the return value when you’re finished with it.

Returns

a list of visuals; the list must be freed, but not its contents.

[transfer container][element-type GdkVisual]

gdk_visual_get_bits_per_rgb ()

gint
gdk_visual_get_bits_per_rgb (GdkVisual *visual);

gdk_visual_get_bits_per_rgb has been deprecated since version 3.22. and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use gdk_visual_get_red_pixel_details() and its variants to learn about the pixel layout of TrueColor and DirectColor visuals

Returns the number of significant bits per red, green and blue value.

Not all GDK backend provide a meaningful value for this function.

Parameters

visual

a GdkVisual

Returns

The number of significant bits per color value for visual .

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_blue_pixel_details ()

void
gdk_visual_get_blue_pixel_details (GdkVisual *visual,
                                   guint32 *mask,
                                   gint *shift,
                                   gint *precision);

Obtains values that are needed to calculate blue pixel values in TrueColor and DirectColor. The “mask” is the significant bits within the pixel. The “shift” is the number of bits left we must shift a primary for it to be in position (according to the "mask"). Finally, "precision" refers to how much precision the pixel value contains for a particular primary.

Parameters

visual	a GdkVisual
mask	A pointer to a guint32 to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
shift	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
precision	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_byte_order ()

GdkByteOrder
gdk_visual_get_byte_order (GdkVisual *visual);

gdk_visual_get_byte_order has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

This information is not useful

Returns the byte order of this visual.

The information returned by this function is only relevant when working with XImages, and not all backends return meaningful information for this.

Parameters

visual

A GdkVisual.

Returns

A GdkByteOrder stating the byte order of visual .

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_colormap_size ()

gint
gdk_visual_get_colormap_size (GdkVisual *visual);

gdk_visual_get_colormap_size has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

This information is not useful, since GDK does not provide APIs to operate on colormaps.

Returns the size of a colormap for this visual.

You have to use platform-specific APIs to manipulate colormaps.

Parameters

visual

A GdkVisual.

Returns

The size of a colormap that is suitable for visual .

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_depth ()

gint
gdk_visual_get_depth (GdkVisual *visual);

Returns the bit depth of this visual.

Parameters

visual

A GdkVisual.

Returns

The bit depth of this visual.

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_green_pixel_details ()

void
gdk_visual_get_green_pixel_details (GdkVisual *visual,
                                    guint32 *mask,
                                    gint *shift,
                                    gint *precision);

Obtains values that are needed to calculate green pixel values in TrueColor and DirectColor. The “mask” is the significant bits within the pixel. The “shift” is the number of bits left we must shift a primary for it to be in position (according to the "mask"). Finally, "precision" refers to how much precision the pixel value contains for a particular primary.

Parameters

visual	a GdkVisual
mask	A pointer to a guint32 to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
shift	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
precision	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_red_pixel_details ()

void
gdk_visual_get_red_pixel_details (GdkVisual *visual,
                                  guint32 *mask,
                                  gint *shift,
                                  gint *precision);

Obtains values that are needed to calculate red pixel values in TrueColor and DirectColor. The “mask” is the significant bits within the pixel. The “shift” is the number of bits left we must shift a primary for it to be in position (according to the "mask"). Finally, "precision" refers to how much precision the pixel value contains for a particular primary.

Parameters

visual	A GdkVisual
mask	A pointer to a guint32 to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
shift	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]
precision	A pointer to a gint to be filled in, or `NULL`.	[out][allow-none]

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_visual_type ()

GdkVisualType
gdk_visual_get_visual_type (GdkVisual *visual);

Returns the type of visual this is (PseudoColor, TrueColor, etc).

Parameters

visual

A GdkVisual.

Returns

A GdkVisualType stating the type of visual .

Since: 2.22

gdk_visual_get_best_depth ()

gint
gdk_visual_get_best_depth (void);

gdk_visual_get_best_depth has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Get the best available depth for the default GDK screen. “Best” means “largest,” i.e. 32 preferred over 24 preferred over 8 bits per pixel.

Returns

best available depth

gdk_visual_get_best_type ()

GdkVisualType
gdk_visual_get_best_type (void);

gdk_visual_get_best_type has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Return the best available visual type for the default GDK screen.

Returns

best visual type

gdk_visual_get_system ()

GdkVisual *
gdk_visual_get_system (void);

gdk_visual_get_system has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Use gdk_screen_get_system_visual (gdk_screen_get_default()).

Get the system’s default visual for the default GDK screen. This is the visual for the root window of the display. The return value should not be freed.

Returns

system visual.

[transfer none]

gdk_visual_get_best ()

GdkVisual *
gdk_visual_get_best (void);

gdk_visual_get_best has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Get the visual with the most available colors for the default GDK screen. The return value should not be freed.

Returns

best visual.

[transfer none]

gdk_visual_get_best_with_depth ()

GdkVisual *
gdk_visual_get_best_with_depth (gint depth);

gdk_visual_get_best_with_depth has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Get the best visual with depth depth for the default GDK screen. Color visuals and visuals with mutable colormaps are preferred over grayscale or fixed-colormap visuals. The return value should not be freed. NULL may be returned if no visual supports depth .

Parameters

depth

a bit depth

Returns

best visual for the given depth.

[transfer none]

gdk_visual_get_best_with_type ()

GdkVisual *
gdk_visual_get_best_with_type (GdkVisualType visual_type);

gdk_visual_get_best_with_type has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Get the best visual of the given visual_type for the default GDK screen. Visuals with higher color depths are considered better. The return value should not be freed. NULL may be returned if no visual has type visual_type .

Parameters

visual_type

a visual type

Returns

best visual of the given type.

[transfer none]

gdk_visual_get_best_with_both ()

GdkVisual *
gdk_visual_get_best_with_both (gint depth,
                               GdkVisualType visual_type);

gdk_visual_get_best_with_both has been deprecated since version 3.22 and should not be used in newly-written code.

Visual selection should be done using gdk_screen_get_system_visual() and gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual()

Combines gdk_visual_get_best_with_depth() and gdk_visual_get_best_with_type().

Parameters

depth	a bit depth
visual_type	a visual type

Returns

best visual with both depth and visual_type , or NULL if none.

[nullable][transfer none]

gdk_visual_get_screen ()

GdkScreen *
gdk_visual_get_screen (GdkVisual *visual);

Gets the screen to which this visual belongs

Parameters

visual

a GdkVisual

Returns

the screen to which this visual belongs.

[transfer none]

Since: 2.2

Types and Values

GdkVisual

typedef struct _GdkVisual GdkVisual;

A GdkVisual contains information about a particular visual.

enum GdkVisualType

A set of values that describe the manner in which the pixel values for a visual are converted into RGB values for display.

Members

GDK_VISUAL_STATIC_GRAY	Each pixel value indexes a grayscale value directly.
GDK_VISUAL_GRAYSCALE	Each pixel is an index into a color map that maps pixel values into grayscale values. The color map can be changed by an application.
GDK_VISUAL_STATIC_COLOR	Each pixel value is an index into a predefined, unmodifiable color map that maps pixel values into RGB values.
GDK_VISUAL_PSEUDO_COLOR	Each pixel is an index into a color map that maps pixel values into rgb values. The color map can be changed by an application.
GDK_VISUAL_TRUE_COLOR	Each pixel value directly contains red, green, and blue components. Use `gdk_visual_get_red_pixel_details()`, etc, to obtain information about how the components are assembled into a pixel value.
GDK_VISUAL_DIRECT_COLOR	Each pixel value contains red, green, and blue components as for `GDK_VISUAL_TRUE_COLOR`, but the components are mapped via a color table into the final output table instead of being converted directly.

enum GdkByteOrder

A set of values describing the possible byte-orders for storing pixel values in memory.

Members

GDK_LSB_FIRST	The values are stored with the least-significant byte first. For instance, the 32-bit value 0xffeecc would be stored in memory as 0xcc, 0xee, 0xff, 0x00.
GDK_MSB_FIRST	The values are stored with the most-significant byte first. For instance, the 32-bit value 0xffeecc would be stored in memory as 0x00, 0xff, 0xee, 0xcc.