Drawing multiple objects in OpenGL with different buffers

Question

With OpenGL shaders, I want to render two objects. Each is defined by a set of vertex positions and vertex indices for the triangles. When I make my buffers, I use the following code:

// Object 1 vertex positions
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_vertex_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_vertices_size, object1_vertices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);

// Object 1 vertex indices
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_index_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_indices_size, object1_indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

// Object 2 vertex positions
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_vertex_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_vertices_size, object2_vertices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);

// Object 2 vertex indices
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_index_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_indices_size, object2_indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

And then when I render my scene, I use the following code:

// Object 1
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_index_buffer);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object1_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);

// Object 2
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_index_buffer);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object2_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);

However, this results in only object 2 being drawn. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

If you have openGL 3.3+ you should use a VAO:

glBindVertexArray(vao1);
// Object 1 vertex positions
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_vertex_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_vertices_size, object1_vertices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);

// Object 1 vertex indices
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_index_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_indices_size, object1_indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

glBindVertexArray(vao2);
// Object 2 vertex positions
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_vertex_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_vertices_size, object2_vertices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);

// Object 2 vertex indices
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_index_buffer);
glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_indices_size, object2_indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

and then you only need to bind the right vao when drawing:

// Object 1
glBindVertexArray(vao1);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object1_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);

// Object 2
glBindVertexArray(vao2);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object2_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);

otherwise you will need to repeat the bind and glVertexAttribPointer calls between draws:

// Object 1
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_vertex_buffer);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object1_index_buffer);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object1_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);

// Object 2
glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_vertex_buffer);
glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, 0);
glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, object2_index_buffer);
glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, object2_num_indices, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, (void*)0);