I have an existing function which draws a outline over an AABB (usually to highlight mobs or blocks):
 

    public static void drawLineBox(PoseStack matrixStack, AABB aabb, float r, float g, float b, float a) {
        Entity camEntity = MC.getCameraEntity();
        double d0 = camEntity.getX();
        double d1 = camEntity.getY() + camEntity.getEyeHeight();
        double d2 = camEntity.getZ();

        RenderSystem.depthMask(false); // disable showing lines through blocks
        VertexConsumer vertexConsumer = MC.renderBuffers().bufferSource().getBuffer(RenderType.lines());

        matrixStack.pushPose();
        matrixStack.translate(-d0, -d1, -d2); // because we start at 0,0,0 relative to camera
        LevelRenderer.renderLineBox(matrixStack, vertexConsumer, aabb, r, g, b, a);
        matrixStack.popPose();
    }

 

I want to adapt this code to draw solid overlays instead of just outlines. See this mockup as an example of what I mean:

 

I've noticed that RenderType.lines() can actually be swapped out for a variety of other types, including notably .solid() and .translucent() which sound like the things that I want.

However, when I replace .lines() in my above code with any other RenderType I get this error:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: Not filled all elements of the vertex
	at TRANSFORMER/[email protected]/com.mojang.blaze3d.vertex.BufferBuilder.endVertex(BufferBuilder.java:249)
	at TRANSFORMER/[email protected]/net.minecraft.client.renderer.LevelRenderer.renderLineBox(LevelRenderer.java:2313)
	at TRANSFORMER/[email protected]/net.minecraft.client.renderer.LevelRenderer.renderLineBox(LevelRenderer.java:2297)
	at TRANSFORMER/[email protected]/com.solegendary.reignofnether.util.MyRenderer.drawLineBox(MyRenderer.java:59)

Is there a guide anywhere for how to properly use these RenderTypes?

I am also interested in how all of the others are used too as it could be a useful tool in the future.

Things-that-are-not-lines require more than 2 vertices.

Ok so if I understand correctly, a vertex is created using this line:

vertexConsumer.vertex(matrix4f, x, y, z).color(r, g, b, a).normal(matrix3f, x, y, z).endVertex();

And for a square in my case I just copy with the appropriate coords 4 times.

While I see that the .vertex() takes in-world coordinates, the .normal() seems to be just 1, 0 or -1. How does that work?

In fact, while we're at it - is there any tutorial or docs you can provide that explain how all of the vertexConsumer functions are used? (namely uv, uv2, overlayCoords and normal)

Normals only have two possible directions and can generally be determined by the order in which the vertices are specified.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_(geometry)

 

Minecraft's code is all a convenience wrapper around standard LWJGL calls, which is itself a Java wrapper around raw OpenGL instructions. UV coordinates are for textures.

I managed to get the box drawn, but no matter how I change the colour() params, it seems to always be a black box...

https://pastebin.com/BSjw2Ch1

Edited June 19, 20223 yr by SoLegendary
image