What's New in Director 8.5 > 3D Basics > Using rendering methods |  |

Using rendering methods

The rendering method refers to the specific way Director 8.5 displays 3D images on the Stage. The methods available depend on the type of hardware you have. The rendering methods include the following:

| `#auto`: Director chooses the best method based on the client machine's specific hardware and drivers.
| `#openGL`: OpenGL drivers for a 3D hardware accelerator are used. OpenGL is available for both the Macintosh and Windows platforms.
| `#directX7_0`: DirectX7_0 drivers for a 3D hardware accelerator are used. This option is available for Windows only.
| `#directX5_2`: DirectX5_2 drivers for a 3D hardware accelerator are used. This option is available for Windows only.
| `#software`: Director's built-in software renderer is used. This option is available on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms.

The rendering method can have a dramatic effect on performance. If your hardware permits you to choose different methods, you can do so using the following procedure.

To choose a rendering method:

1 | Select the Stage.
2 | Open the Property Inspector.
3 | Click the Movie tab.
4 | Select a rendering method from the pop-up menu.

If you don't choose a rendering method, Director 8.5 defaults to `#auto`.

Below the pop-up menu, the name of the active 3D renderer property is displayed. The value of this property indicates which rendering method is currently being used. This is especially useful when you want to know which renderer is active while you have `#auto` selected.