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haskellopenglglut

Transparency/Alpha with haskell GLUT bindings


Using the Haskell GLUT binding, I modified the Hello World example in two ways:

  1. Added WithAlphaComponent to initialDisplayMode.
  2. Changed color to a Color4 with 0.5 opacity.

I would expect it to display a semi-transparent white square with the background red showing through. Instead it shows a solid white square, as if the opacity is being ignored. I can't figure out why this doesn't work?

import Graphics.UI.GLUT

display :: DisplayCallback
display = do
   -- clear all pixels
   clear [ ColorBuffer ]

   -- draw white polygon (rectangle) with corners at
   -- (0.25, 0.25, 0.0) and (0.75, 0.75, 0.0)

   -- CHANGE #2
   color (Color4 1.0 1.0 (1.0 :: GLfloat) 0.5)

   -- resolve overloading, not needed in "real" programs
   let vertex3f = vertex :: Vertex3 GLfloat -> IO ()
   renderPrimitive Polygon $ mapM_ vertex3f [
      Vertex3 0.25 0.25 0.0,
      Vertex3 0.75 0.25 0.0,
      Vertex3 0.75 0.75 0.0,
      Vertex3 0.25 0.75 0.0]

   -- don't wait!
   -- start processing buffered OpenGL routines
   flush

myInit :: IO ()
myInit = do
   -- select clearing color
   clearColor $= Color4 0.7 0 0 0

   -- initialize viewing values
   matrixMode $= Projection
   loadIdentity
   ortho 0 1 0 1 (-1) 1

-- Declare initial window size, position, and display mode (single buffer and
-- RGBA). Open window with "hello" in its title bar. Call initialization
-- routines. Register callback function to display graphics. Enter main loop and
-- process events.
main :: IO ()
main = do
   _ <- getArgsAndInitialize
   -- CHANGE #1
   initialDisplayMode $= [ SingleBuffered, RGBMode, WithAlphaComponent ]
   initialWindowSize $= Size 250 250
   initialWindowPosition $= Position 100 100
   _ <- createWindow "hello"
   myInit
   displayCallback $= display
   mainLoop

Solution

  • Taken from the Alpha.hs example.

    -- Initialize alpha blending function.
    myInit :: IO ()
    myInit = do
       blend $= Enabled
       blendFunc $= (SrcAlpha, OneMinusSrcAlpha)
       shadeModel $= Flat
       clearColor $= Color4 0 0 0 0