/**
   * A utility method to load vertex data into an OpenGL "vertex array object" (VAO) for efficient
   * rendering. The VAO stores several "vertex buffer objects" (VBOs) that contain the vertex
   * attribute data.
   *
   * @param data reference to the vertex data to be loaded into a VAO
   */
  private void initArrayBuffer(GLVertexData data) {

    // Make a vertex array object (VAO) for this vertex data
    // and store a reference to it
    GLVertexArrayObject vao = new GLVertexArrayObject(gl, data.getElements().size() + 1);
    data.setVAO(vao);

    // Bind (activate) the VAO for the vertex data in OpenGL.
    // The subsequent OpenGL operations on VBOs will be recorded (stored)
    // in the VAO.
    vao.bind();

    // Store all vertex attributes in vertex buffer objects (VBOs)
    ListIterator<VertexData.VertexElement> itr = data.getElements().listIterator(0);
    data.getVAO().rewindVBO();
    while (itr.hasNext()) {
      VertexData.VertexElement e = itr.next();

      // Bind the vertex buffer object (VBO)
      gl.glBindBuffer(GL3.GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, data.getVAO().getNextVBO());
      // Upload vertex data
      gl.glBufferData(
          GL3.GL_ARRAY_BUFFER,
          e.getData().length * 4,
          FloatBuffer.wrap(e.getData()),
          GL3.GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
    }

    // Bind the default vertex buffer objects
    gl.glBindBuffer(GL3.GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);

    // Store the vertex data indices into the last vertex buffer
    gl.glBindBuffer(GL3.GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, data.getVAO().getNextVBO());
    gl.glBufferData(
        GL3.GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER,
        data.getIndices().length * 4,
        IntBuffer.wrap(data.getIndices()),
        GL3.GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);

    // Bind the default vertex array object. This "deactivates" the VAO
    // of the vertex data
    gl.glBindVertexArray(0);
  }
  /**
   * The main rendering method.
   *
   * @param renderItem the object that needs to be drawn
   */
  private void draw(RenderItem renderItem) {

    // Set the material of the shape to be rendered
    setMaterial(renderItem.getShape().getMaterial());

    // Get reference to the vertex data of the render item to be rendered
    GLVertexData vertexData = (GLVertexData) renderItem.getShape().getVertexData();

    // Check if the vertex data has been uploaded to OpenGL via a
    // "vertex array object" (VAO). The VAO will store the vertex data
    // in several "vertex buffer objects" (VBOs) on the GPU. We do this
    // only once for performance reasons. Once the data is in the VBOs
    // asscociated with a VAO, it is stored on the GPU and rendered more
    // efficiently.
    if (vertexData.getVAO() == null) {
      initArrayBuffer(vertexData);
    }

    // Set modelview and projection matrices in shader (has to be done in
    // every step, since they usually have changed)
    setTransformation(renderItem.getT());

    // Bind the VAO of this shape. This activates the VBOs that we
    // associated with the VAO. We already loaded the vertex data into the
    // VBOs on the GPU, so we do not have to send them again.
    vertexData.getVAO().bind();

    // Try to connect the vertex buffers to the corresponding variables
    // in the current vertex shader.
    // Note: This is not part of the vertex array object, because the active
    // shader may have changed since the vertex array object was initialized.
    // We need to make sure the vertex buffers are connected to the right
    // variables in the shader
    ListIterator<VertexData.VertexElement> itr = vertexData.getElements().listIterator(0);
    vertexData.getVAO().rewindVBO();
    while (itr.hasNext()) {
      VertexData.VertexElement e = itr.next();
      int dim = e.getNumberOfComponents();

      // Bind the next vertex buffer object
      gl.glBindBuffer(GL3.GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vertexData.getVAO().getNextVBO());

      // Tell OpenGL which "in" variable in the vertex shader corresponds
      // to the current vertex buffer object.
      // We use our own convention to name the variables, i.e.,
      // "position", "normal", "color", "texcoord", or others if
      // necessary.
      int attribIndex = -1;
      switch (e.getSemantic()) {
        case POSITION:
          attribIndex = gl.glGetAttribLocation(activeShaderID, "position");
          break;
        case NORMAL:
          attribIndex = gl.glGetAttribLocation(activeShaderID, "normal");
          break;
        case COLOR:
          attribIndex = gl.glGetAttribLocation(activeShaderID, "color");
          break;
        case TEXCOORD:
          attribIndex = gl.glGetAttribLocation(activeShaderID, "texcoord");
          break;
      }

      gl.glVertexAttribPointer(attribIndex, dim, GL3.GL_FLOAT, false, 0, 0);
      gl.glEnableVertexAttribArray(attribIndex);
    }

    // Render the vertex buffer objects
    gl.glDrawElements(
        GL3.GL_TRIANGLES,
        renderItem.getShape().getVertexData().getIndices().length,
        GL3.GL_UNSIGNED_INT,
        0);

    // We are done with this shape, bind the default vertex array
    gl.glBindVertexArray(0);

    cleanMaterial(renderItem.getShape().getMaterial());
  }