wglGetProcAddress

The wglGetProcAddress function returns the address of an OpenGL extension function for use with the current OpenGL rendering context.

PROC wglGetProcAddress(
  LPCSTR  lpszProc   // name of the extension function
);
 

Parameters

lpszProc
Points to a null-terminated string that is the name of the extension function. The name of the extension function must be identical to a corresponding function implemented by OpenGL.

Return Values

When the function succeeds, the return value is the address of the extension function.

When no current rendering context exists or the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The OpenGL library supports multiple implementations of its functions. Extension functions supported in one rendering context are not necessarily available in a separate rendering context. Thus, for a given rendering context in an application, use the function addresses returned by the wglGetProcAddress function only.

The spelling and the case of the extension function pointed to by lpszProc must be identical to that of a function supported and implemented by OpenGL. Because extension functions are not exported by OpenGL, you must use wglGetProcAddress to get the addresses of vendor-specific extension functions.

The extension function addresses are unique for each pixel format. All rendering contexts of a given pixel format share the same extension function addresses.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Use version 3.5 and later.
  Windows: Use Windows 95 and later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in wingdi.h.
  Import Library: Link with opengl32.lib.

See Also

OpenGL on Windows NT and Windows 95 Overview, WGL Functions, glGetString, wglMakeCurrent