consoleApp or Win32App?

[skipper]

You might think its a stupid question but In C++ 2008 express what is best to use in a new project for openGL. A new Console App or a new Win32 project?.

Also is it best to download something like SDL, GDK?. Ive used GDK be for and no abit about it. Is it best to learn GDK and then use openGL?.

[marshats]

Here’s one person’s opinion on why he chose a particular library. While you are still learning it is worth your while to be open to a library that suits you best.

Note there are many fine alternatives to SDL – you may want to take a look at those also and see what you like best:
glut
glfw
sfml

My vote though – A console app with SDL is a excellent place to start learning openGL. I tend to use glut mostl often because I like its structure but SDL is probably still a better first learning tool with a less rigid structure.

[skipper]

Hi thanks.

Ive downloaded SDL and will learn that. Ive already learnt how to get an image on the screen in SDL. I learnt from Lazy Foo’ Productions and theres loads of tutorials. I followed the 1st couple and so i made a bitmap image and success fully loaded it in using C++ and SDL. Tomorrow im going on to how to pause the screen tutorial so it stays on as SDL quits after so long.

[RefleX]

@skipper

You might think its a stupid question but In C++ 2008 express what is best to use in a new project for OpenGL. A new Console App or a new Win32 project?

The only difference between these 2 projects are the code they start off with. You going to need a Win32 window to render OpenGL into, which can be created in a console project. I think there is also a difference between entry points. Console project uses a cross platform entry point (void main(…)), while win32 project uses a windows specific entry point which makes the console window invisible when the program starts. Console windows can made visible/invisible during a programs execution for both project types. Other than that there is no real difference between these 2, other than person preference.

[ZbuffeR]

I found starting with a console is good to put loads of printf, useful to be able to trace what happens and when. Rendering text with OpenGL is not trivial in comparison.