====== Introduction to the reference application ======

The purpose of the reference application is to provide an example of how to use the SpeedTree SDK. 

{{sdk:refapp_dx12_911.png?1350}}

All source files prefixed with "My" indicate an example implementation meant to detail what an application might (and, in a lot of cases, should) do when interfacing with the SpeedTree SDK. These files constitute the bulk of the reference application and are not part of the official SDK; they are merely examples or "reference" implementations. 

Most of the code in the reference application is dedicated to feeding the following data to the SDK:

  * Forest population, both random and by .stf files

  * Terrain population via an example height map class

  * Grass population using a procedural system

The other main parts of the reference application are as follows:

  * The actual render loop

  * Mouse, keyboard, and gamepad controls

  * Gathering and printing rendering statistics

  * Extracting the user configuration from the given .sfc (__S__peedTree __F__orest __C__onfiguration) file (which has a considerable number of options) and passing them into the SDK. Example .sfc files are shown in the Reference App Launcher application (screenshot below, executable is at ''[SDK]/SDK/Bin/Reference Application Launcher.exe''). The .sfc syntax is not part of the SDK, but a handy mini-language our developers use to build example forests. SDK users can use it for experimentation and running their own art assets through the reference application.

{{sdk:refapp_launcher_911.png?800}}


In the figure below, the reference application serves as an example of one of the blue application boxes.

{{sdk:sdk_architecture.png?1000}}