GLshort

GLSHORT refers to the OpenGL type alias GLshort, a 16-bit signed integer used within the OpenGL API’s type system. In the standard GL headers, GLshort is defined as a typedef to the C short type, ensuring a portable and consistent name for 16-bit integers across platforms.

Definition and naming: The canonical declaration in OpenGL headers is typedef short GLshort;. This naming conventions aligns with other GL types such as GLint, GLfloat, and GLdouble, which map to corresponding C primitive types. The GLshort alias forms part of OpenGL’s cross‑platform type ecosystem, allowing developers to write portable code without assuming a specific underlying platform size for short integers.

Usage: GLshort is used to declare buffers and arrays that store 16-bit signed integer data, such as vertex coordinates, indices, or color components where 16-bit precision is appropriate. When passing data to OpenGL functions that require 16-bit data, developers typically provide a pointer to GLshort or to an array of GLshort values. For example, an array of GLshort values can be supplied to a vertex attribute pointer, and OpenGL will interpret the data as 16-bit integers.

Distinction from GL_SHORT: GLshort (the C type) is a typedef used in the program’s source code, whereas GL_SHORT (with an underscore) is an OpenGL enumerant constant used as a parameter to GL functions to specify the data type of array data (for example, in vertex attribute calls). They are related but serve different roles.

See also: OpenGL types, GL_SHORT, GLgl.h headers, VertexPointer, Indexed data in OpenGL.