Getting Started with Direct3D - Direct3D Rendering - page 8

Using resources created with a typeless format, allows the same underlying resource to be
represented by multiple resource views, where the compatible resolved format is defined
by the view. For example, using a resource with both a Depth Stencil View (DSV) and SRV
requires that the underlying resource be created with a format like Format.R32G8X24_
Typeless . The SRV then specifies a format of Format.R32_Float_X8X24_Typeless ,
and finally the DSV is created with a format of Format.D32_Float_S8X24_UInt .

Some types of buffers can be provided to certain stages of the pipeline without a resource
view, generally when the structure and format of the buffer is defined in some other way,
for example, using state objects or structures within shader files.

Types of resource views include:

F Depth Stencil View (DSV),
F Render Target View (RTV),
F Shader Resource View (SRV)
F Unordered Access View (UAV)
F Video decoder output view
F Video processor input view
F Video processor output view

The following table shows the managed and unmanaged types for the different
resource views.

Managed type (SharpDX.Direct3D11) Unmanaged type

DepthStencilView ID3D11DepthStencilView

RenderTargetView ID3D11RenderTargetView

ShaderResourceView ID3D11ShaderResourceView

UnorderedAccessView ID3D11UnorderedAccessView

VideoDecoderOutputView ID3D11VideoDecoderOutputView

VideoProcessorInputView ID3D11VideoProcessorInputView

VideoProcessorOutputView ID3D11VideoProcessorOutputView

Buffers
A buffer resource is used to provide structured and unstructured data to stages of in the
graphics pipeline.