Windows Display Driver Model
The Windows Display Driver Model ( WDDM ) describes the architecture of drivers for graphics adapters under Windows . It was created in Windows Vista by revising the driver architecture contained in Windows XP .
overview
Windows has supported graphic effects with WDDM since Vista, with which windows of open applications can be managed and switched through. The so-called glass design , which appears transparent, requires a driver for the graphics adapter developed according to this model. In addition, multitasking of the graphics processor is supported, which means that several graphics-intensive applications can be executed at the same time. A memory manager and a processor planner coordinate the processing here. Protected HD videos can be played on external monitors, the connection of televisions via Plug & Play has been made easier compared to Windows XP and projectors are automatically recognized when connected ( hot plug ). A gamma correction integrated in the driver model makes color corrections easier for video playback. Another improvement is increased fault tolerance for errors in the display driver. The operating system can fix such errors without restarting the system .
One of the limitations of the first version (WDDM 1.0) was that only a single graphics card driver could be loaded. If a monitor was connected to several graphics cards, only one of them was used and the others were deactivated. Furthermore, some of the graphics modes previously supported in the previous versions of Vista were no longer available, including extending the desktop across multiple screens.
Since the WDDM 1.1 version of Windows 7 , multiple graphics adapter and monitor drivers are supported in one system at the same time. With Windows 8 the version WDDM 1.2 appeared, with Windows 8.1 version WDDM 1.3 is delivered.
With the new version WDDM 2.0, Windows 10 supports a virtual address mode for the GPUs. This version also provides the necessary basics for DirectX 12 .
Others
Competitor Apple had a similar architecture with the name Quartz Extreme in the Mac OS X 10.2 operating system in 2002 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Windows Vista MultiMonitor Support ( Memento of the original from April 30, 2012 on WebCite ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English)
- ↑ What's new for Windows 10 display drivers (WDDM 2.0) (English)
- ↑ The Direct X Performance Preview ... (English)
- ↑ Article about WDDM at netzwelt.de
