Question regarding OpenGL and macOS

[Sadman]

Hello,
Since macOS does not support OpenGL, does it mean that wxWidgets OpenGL applications do not work on macOS?

Thank you.

[ONEEYEMAN]

Hi,
Which OSX do you have installed?

OSX does support OpenGL just like any other *nix.

Thank you.

[Manolo]

As oneeyeman told, OSX does support OpenGL.
The thing is that they have deprecated OpenGL in favor of their own Metal API. "deprecated" is not the same as "removed". I doubt OSX would remobe OGL in the next years. But with macOS you never know.

The last OGL version they supported (but still available) is 4.1. Currently using wxWidgets for OSX, with no effort on your own, you can ask for OGL 3.2. If you need 4.1 yes or yes, then I can guide you on how to set proper attributes in wxGLContext.

[Sadman]

Thank you for your replies.

So it means OpenGL applications will work, but I cannot utilize features added after OpenGL 4.1?

[Manolo]

I cannot utilize features added after OpenGL 4.1?

Correct.
To use features for, say, OGL 4.5 you need to ask for this 4.5 version when you set parameters of wxGLContext.
But these parameters have no effect in OSX, and you will get just OGL 3.2 version (or, as I told before, you can ask up to 4.1)

If your OGL code (shaders, etc) uses 4.5 features, you will get OGL errors. Not a crash, but nothing drawn.

[ONEEYEMAN]

Manolo,
Are you familiar with OSX? Maybe it makes sense to use Metal API in OSX port?

Thank you.

[Manolo]

Igor, no I don't develop for OSX. But I've read a lot

Metal is an OSX-only API. People using it are likely not using wx.

The future-standard for all OS's, by now, is called "Vulcan". Much more complex that OpenGL, more high-power, more control. So it's mainly used for extreme-necessities. And yes, perhaps some day a wx-vulcan support may be good.