I need to load textures from the internet in runtime. It takes quite a lot of time.

The idea is to bind static texture with "Loading" text on it instead of real textures while they are loading from the internet in background.

So the question is: what's the best way for background texture loading?

My solution is to use FutureTask and to override done() method and to call glGenTexure in it. But the problem is there is no access to GL10 gl variable to call it.

It is possible to call glGenTexture in the nearest onDrawFrame(GL10 gl), but it is so tricky.

What do you think about it?

Why not just handle it in a new thread?

jonbonazza, what do you mean "handle it in a new thread"?
The problem is the same - where can I get GL10 gl variable?

Just store the gl10 variable as a member and use it in your draw() routine?

You can only call into OpenGL from the OpenGL thread, so you'll have to finish loading your textures in the OpenGL thread. A compromise would be to load the bitmaps in a separate thread but do not send them to OpenGL yet. Once loaded into a Bitmap, add the Bitmap to a queue of Bitmaps to be processed on the OpenGL thread. At the beginning of each frame process any Bitmaps in the queue. It'll be about as responsive as completely loading the items in a separate thread. You'll have to ensure that your queue is thread-safe and also that you don't attempt to load more Bitmaps at once than you have memory for. That means make sure you call bitmap.recycle() after you've called glGenTexture.

moblcade.com wrote:You can only call into OpenGL from the OpenGL thread, so you'll have to finish loading your textures in the OpenGL thread. A compromise would be to load the bitmaps in a separate thread but do not send them to OpenGL yet. Once loaded into a Bitmap, add the Bitmap to a queue of Bitmaps to be processed on the OpenGL thread. At the beginning of each frame process any Bitmaps in the queue. It'll be about as responsive as completely loading the items in a separate thread. You'll have to ensure that your queue is thread-safe and also that you don't attempt to load more Bitmaps at once than you have memory for. That means make sure you call bitmap.recycle() after you've called glGenTexture.

This.

Sorry, didn't fully understand the question at first. Yes, download the textures from the internet in a seperate thread. When they are done downloading, queue an event to the gl thread to run the routine that will do the gl loading of the bitmap.

Code: Select all

public void done() {
   queueEvent(new Runnable() {
      @Override
      public void run() {
         glRenderer.loadBitmap(Bitmap bitmap);
      }   
   }
}


Yes, that's the idea. However you implement it is up to you. I'd probably just do something like this (pseudo-pseudocode):

Code: Select all

// In separate thread...
for each bitmap to load:
    bitmap = loadBitmap(...);
    synchronized (queue) {
        queue.add(bitmap);
    }
    ...

// glRenderer:
public void onDrawFrame(GL gl) {
    sychronized (queue) {
        while queue.hasRemaining():
            bmp = queue.dequeue();
            sendToOpenGl(gl, bmp);
            bmp.recycle();
    }
}