Timeline for Direct3D?

S

speelurker

Member
I've seen in the FAQ (and confirmed with dxdiag) that only DirectDraw is supported on the emulated video card.

Unfortunately, I have some applications that are not graphics intensive but nevertheless require Direct3D (i.e. I don't need accelerated).

In the FAQ, this is listed as a future item. My question is, how far in the future?

Thanks.

P.S. This software is a development nerd's dream come true. :-)
 
i don't need either opengl or directx (thought i wouldn't complain), but in the interest of being helpful...

if Parallels gets DirectX working, there's at least 2 vendors that i know of that sell OpenGL ICD's for Windows that map OpenGL calls into DirectX calls. They do it mostly because MS and any video chip makers outside of nvidia and ATI don't ship with opengl icd's, thus forcing into software emulation.

Windows will already do OpenGL (software emulated) w/o any changes.
 
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Will OpenGL support suit your needs or you really need ms-specific Direct3D ?
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately, they only do Direct3D.

Is it possible to adapt Microsoft's reference rasterizer from the DirectX SDK into your video driver? Again, performance is not really an issue. These are simple 3D scenes.

Thanks!
 
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nivenh said:
i don't need either opengl or directx (thought i wouldn't complain), but in the interest of being helpful...

if Parallels gets DirectX working, there's at least 2 vendors that i know of that sell OpenGL ICD's for Windows that map OpenGL calls into DirectX calls. They do it mostly because MS and any video chip makers outside of nvidia and ATI don't ship with opengl icd's, thus forcing into software emulation.

Windows will already do OpenGL (software emulated) w/o any changes.
Click to expand...

Does anybody have a Direct3D to DirectDraw driver/emulation layer?
 
I found another possibility:

http://www.transgaming.com/swiftshader.php

I've installed it and had limited success. The DirectX 8 library just completely crashes and the DirectX 9 library runs but does not render correctly (but it does have an excellent frame rate!).

I've contacted them about supporting Parallels. I'll post any reply I get.
 
tacit_one said:
Will OpenGL support suit your needs or you really need ms-specific Direct3D ?
Click to expand...
It's been my experience that most high-end 3D apps require OpenGL (Rhino, Solidworks, 3ds Max, AutoCAD), although some do both. Of course, games are another story. Curious: is OpenGL support easier?
 
<< Curious: is OpenGL support easier? >>

Probably because it's Open... ;>) It's always interesting to read about people who want a proprietary standard implemented outside of the rehlm of control of the companies who own the standard. Just another good reason for supporting open-ness by not buying software that limits your choices for using it. Ooops - that's a Mac isn't it?
 
tgrogan said:
<< Curious: is OpenGL support easier? >>

Probably because it's Open... ;>) It's always interesting to read about people who want a proprietary standard implemented outside of the rehlm of control of the companies who own the standard. Just another good reason for supporting open-ness by not buying software that limits your choices for using it. Ooops - that's a Mac isn't it?
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DirectX is proprietary, but access to its API is open. I'm thinking that OpenGL might be easier for Parallels to implement in PW not because it's open standard, but OS X's rendering engine is already depending on it.
 
I doubt you'll see DX support anytime soon. DX is really a very thin layer over the raw GPU hardware, and so it's pretty hard (= nearly impossible) to virtualize, since you would have to emulate most of a GPU and then transcribe that into the Mac native API.

OpenGL, OTOH, is pretty abstracted and since Mac supports OGL this should be more do-able. However, don't expect frame-rates to be wonderful :(

--Tim
 
drtimhill said:
I doubt you'll see DX support anytime soon. DX is really a very thin layer over the raw GPU hardware, and so it's pretty hard (= nearly impossible) to virtualize, since you would have to emulate most of a GPU and then transcribe that into the Mac native API.

OpenGL, OTOH, is pretty abstracted and since Mac supports OGL this should be more do-able. However, don't expect frame-rates to be wonderful :(
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http://www.transgaming.com/swiftshader.php

It's a pure software implementation of DX9 and DX8 (I assume it just writes direct to the frame buffer). The DX9 piece actually does run under Parallels but only sorta works right. The DX8 piece crashes. Frame rate for the demo looks good though.
 
Perhaps, at this point Parallels guys could take a look at Swiftshader and make THAT work properly inside the VM. Hmmm...
 
One would think that it might be possible in full screen mode simply because Apple supplies drivers that supports the hardware for dual boot configurations. In a window, I understand that might be more tricky.
 
MicroDev said:
One would think that it might be possible in full screen mode simply because Apple supplies drivers that supports the hardware for dual boot configurations. In a window, I understand that might be more tricky.
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The full screen mode of PW has nothing to do with the dual booting situation. By your logic it would imply that in full screen mode the VM would use the native ATI driver used when booting to Windows, but this is not the case. It's simply expanding the display area of the VM window to the whole screen, much akin to QuickTime Player doing full screen mode of video playback.
 
The swift shader type solution would be 100% acceptable (including we pay to get it)... Like other posters I don't need raw performance, some apps just require, but don't abuse, it.
 
Bump

bug_face_uk said:
The swift shader type solution would be 100% acceptable (including we pay to get it)... Like other posters I don't need raw performance, some apps just require, but don't abuse, it.
Click to expand...

BTTP

Since the volume has dropped on the forums considerably, any chance Parallels could comment on the chances of a SwiftShader type solution to the lack of Direct 3D?

P.S. Beta 6 has been rock solid for me. No issues.
 
I will even pay to get this 3D-enabled features/performance. Maybe we could call it 3D Software Card. :)

I would be in heaven if all GameHouse / PopCap games could be playable in Parallel with this 3D Software Card!!!
 
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Any update on this situation? I would love to have directx/3d in parallels. It is pretty much the only thing I am waiting for before buying a MB/MBP!
 
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