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Bug 236

Summary: SDL 1.2.10 loading graphics into virtual memory?
Product: SDL Reporter: Steve Allen <ssallen>
Component: videoAssignee: Ryan C. Gordon <icculus>
Status: RESOLVED INVALID QA Contact: Sam Lantinga <slouken>
Severity: major    
Priority: P2    
Version: 2.0.0   
Hardware: x86   
OS: Windows (XP)   
Attachments: The test file is also included here. I didn't see this before.

Description Steve Allen 2006-05-19 13:54:01 UTC 
SDL 1.2.10 appears to be loading all my graphics into virtual memory instead of real memory.  This did not happen with 1.2.9.  I have provided a link below to a test file that illustrates the issue.  I have tried this with a couple different small apps and wrote this one specifically to illustrate the problem.

I have included the SDL dlls that I downloaded directly from the SDL website.  The linked file has all the grimy details.  Please let me know if you require any additional information.  Thanks!

http://www.wretchedsoft.com/bugtest.zip
Comment 1 Steve Allen 2006-05-19 13:55:58 UTC 
Created attachment 131 [details]
The test file is also included here.  I didn't see this before.

Thanks again!
Comment 2 Ryan C. Gordon 2006-05-20 00:56:38 UTC 
Probably due to the switch to windib as the default video target on Windows.

Try forcing it to use DirectX and see if it goes back to old behaviour.

--ryan.
Comment 3 Steve Allen 2006-05-20 14:03:14 UTC 
(In reply to comment #2)
> Probably due to the switch to windib as the default video target on Windows.
> 
> Try forcing it to use DirectX and see if it goes back to old behaviour.
> 
> --ryan.
> 

Hello again,

what would be the best method of going about this?  I don't see a use_this_driver()-esque api call.  Should I recompile the dll with the defaults switched?  Thanks!
Comment 4 Ryan C. Gordon 2006-05-20 16:34:34 UTC 
You can set an environment variable: SDL_VIDEODRIVER=directx

Be careful that SDL actually picks that up, since Windows is a little fruity about environment variables. Check SDL_VideoDriverName() to see what you got (if it tells you "windib", then you got the default one).

Alternately, you could rebuild SDL, but this should work.

--ryan.
Comment 5 Steve Allen 2006-05-21 15:21:32 UTC 
Looks like you are correct sir.  

I set the environ var to directx and all is 
behaving splendidly again.  The memory usage is correct and doesn't appear to be paging anymore.  I removed the environment var and rebooted again and get windib back with its paging fetish.

Let me know if you want me to try anything else.

Thanks!
Comment 6 Ryan C. Gordon 2006-05-21 16:24:29 UTC 
Ok, that's expected, then.

What I would recommend is that you forcibly set that environment variable in your program before the SDL_Init() call...we changed the default to windib because we had a lot of problems with buggy drivers crashing machines, but if it hasn't been a problem for you, you might as well use it.

We're adding a better means to select a video backend to SDL 1.3, and hopefully moving the Windows code to something that's more powerful than DirectX 5, too.

--ryan.