GraphicsBuffer.GetNativeBufferPtr

Returns

IntPtr Pointer to the underlying graphics API buffer.

Description

Retrieve a native (underlying graphics API) pointer to the buffer.

Use this function to retrieve a pointer/handle corresponding to the graphics buffer, as it is represented in the native graphics API. This can be used to enable graphics buffer data manipulation from native code plugins.

Note: When you use the Unity APIs to modify the buffer data, it changes the underlying graphics API native pointer. Call GetNativeBufferPtr to get the new native pointer.

The type of data returned depends on the underlying graphics API: ID3D11Buffer on D3D11, ID3D12Resource on D3D12, buffer "name" (as GLuint) on OpenGL/ES, MTLBuffer on Metal.

Note that calling this function when using multi-threaded rendering will synchronize with the rendering thread (a slow operation), so best practice is to set up the necessary buffer pointer only at initialization time.

Additional resources: Native code plugins.