Can two processes display the same OpenGL canvas?

Question

I have three different processes running on the same machine. One of them has an OpenGL window. I would like the other two to be able to render (quickly) the various rectangular parts of the OpenGL window.

If I can guarantee that they will take turns executing OpenGL commands, is this possible?

Many thanks

Hugo Elias

Answer 1

On Windows, this is possible with threads of the same process.

The function you are looking for is wglMakeCurrent:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd374387%28VS.85%29.aspx

Answer 2

I understand that this is not possible with any existing drivers. An OpenGL context belongs to only one process.

Even for two threads within the same process, each of them must make OpenGL calls in the same OpenGL context. (This should not be so in design, but often it is a problem with current drivers.)