What's New in Graphics in Symbian^3

ScreenPlay

ScreenPlay is a new graphics architecture which enables device creators to take advantage of improved software performance, hardware acceleration and third party graphics engines. For more information, see:

• The ScreenPlay Graphics Architecture
• The NonScreenPlay Graphics Architecture
• Graphics Composition
• Graphics Hardware Acceleration
• Dynamic Resolution Switching
• Advanced Pointer Overview
• External Surfaces Overview

Khronos APIs

For information about the supported Khronos APIs, see:

• Khronos API Support
• OpenVG Collection
• OpenGLES Collection
• EGL Collection

Interface breaks and deprecated functionality

On ScreenPlay, support for direct screen access (DSA) is maintained for backward compatibility reasons, although Symbian recommends the use of external surfaces in preference to DSA. However, whereas on some earlier devices, applications might work without fully conforming to the rules of DSA, these rules are now necessarily enforced.

The following functionality is deprecated in Symbian^3:

• Creating transparent windows using a mask and RWindow is deprecated. See Transparent Windows for more information.

• Backed-up windows are deprecated. See Displayable Windows for more information.

Guide documentation changes

The following documentation has been added to the Windowing collection:

• Window Server Component Overview
• Display Control and Mapping in the Window Server Client
• Transparent Windows
• Redraw Drawing
• Advanced Pointers
• External Surfaces
• Window Server Internals Concepts
• The wsini.ini File

The following documentation has been added to the OpenGLES collection:

• OpenGLES Collection

The following documentation has been added to the OpenVG collection:

• OpenVG Collection

The following documentation has been added to the EGL collection:

• EGL Collection

The following documentation has been updated:

• Graphics and Drawing
• The Font and Bitmap Server Overview