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How would I go about using Double Buffering (to create a loading screen) in Panda3D using C++? I've searched Google and found some forums that talk about the concept of swapping buffers, but I haven't seen any that show any type of source code (specifically Panda3D/C++). I'd like to try and stay away from using pure OpenGL code and work it through Panda3D, but if I have no other choice, then I'll have to go with OpenGL coding.

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According to the documentation, it looks like Panda3D gives you a double buffered rendering context by default; you shouldn't have to do anything. Maybe you should tell us what you're actually trying to do? – Trevor Powell Nov 20 '11 at 11:46
I'm trying to create a loading screen. While the loading screen is being shown, the game is drawn in the second buffer, then copied over to the first. I don't know how to implement this into Panda3D. – Josh Vega Nov 20 '11 at 21:36
I think you're confused about what double-buffering is and what it's for. Everything you draw is always drawn into an offscreen buffer (often called a 'back buffer'), and then the front and back buffers are swapped. This happens in every frame of every game; it's so that you don't see flickering as you would if the new frame was being drawn straight to the screen. You don't have to do anything special to get this: it happens automatically under OpenGL and similar modern graphics libraries. – Trevor Powell Nov 20 '11 at 21:42
Oh...ok, so how do I setup a loading screen then? – Josh Vega Nov 22 '11 at 22:06

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Usually 3D engines like Panda3D handle trivial details like double buffering for you automatically. You only have to start tweaking the back-buffer settings if you want things like triple-buffering.

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You just need to have an image on top of everything, so you won't see new things popping up one after another.

The default Panda3d nodes for GUI/HUD are render2d, aspect2d and pixel2d. Attach an image NodePath to one of them.

Manual explains each in detail.

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