Note: GetDesktop() should be GetDesktopWindow() - Damn my faulty memory! 
Hi all - I’m not sure if this post should be in the Beginner or Advanced(beginner coder, advanced topic (: ) forum, but a while back I was doing some research on the idea of using the desktop as an OpenGL window. After some fiddling, I managed to get it working in 9x - the trick being that you have to run the program while the desktop is still uncaptured by an application(ie. the program needs to be shell-status (system.ini, shell=<prog.exe> ). Anyway, I’ve decided - eventually - to take it a bit further; not sure how much further yet . Perhaps just a new shell(probably), perhaps a new windowing system in OGL for Windows (CreateOGLWindow()) . But, since the 9x architecture is - according to Micro$oft$haft - obsolete these days, and is now promoting the NT+ line, ME, 2K, etc, etc, so on and so forth - all of which I have a severe phobia to - I was wondering if anyone could try creating the desktop as an OGL DC for me, and tell me how it works… if you like, I can email you the program/code I’ve been using to test the concept on my 9x system. Ask on here, or email me (lupine_NickT@hotmail.com), & I’ll send it. If not, then all you need to do is, basically, what I wrote in the subject line . Use the Desktop’s HWND to get the DC, and run the program as shell. In the NT arch., that setting’s probably buried in the 50Mb registry, somewhere. So… anyone?
(upd. email addy, GetDesktopWindow())
[This message has been edited by lupine (edited 05-01-2002).]
no i dont want to test it
just wanted to state ME is NOT nt-based, its win98 with the name ME and some features in 
(and some new bugs)
and my registry is NOT 50mb not in 2k and not in XP…
i suggest you should not be scared of the NT-systems, cause they are working great (much bether than winDOS systems for me…)
well… if you would post a link i would try it possibly, dunno
Whichever, whatever… I’m running 95b, still . From 95c & up, I spit upon their code! Mainly due to the IE integration, but there are other reasons. And the TCP stack problems with 95b don’t affect me much.
Anyway.
You’re looking at Files->OGL.zip - That’s MS VC++ (6) code. I’ll add Borland C & (poss. Delphi) versions, and binary when I get the chance, but I’m on a public PC ATM. Don’t forget to change the shell= variable, or it simply won’t do anything.
Oh, and also… could anyone tell me if this would have a chance of working in Linux? I’ve got TurboLinux w/GNOME, so I’ll have a go when I get back tonight, but a quick opinion would be nice as I’ve not coded any windowing apps in Linux yet, so I don’t know what expect
That is a strange way to get access to the desktop, most people just pass the HDC and then get the bitmaps from that, and copy it someplace for use as a texture. (At least I think this is how I did it in the past…don’t have access to the code at the moment.)
I have to agree with davepermen on all his points.
Originally posted by Elixer:
[b]That is a strange way to get access to the desktop, most people just pass the HDC and then get the bitmaps from that, and copy it someplace for use as a texture. (At least I think this is how I did it in the past…don’t have access to the code at the moment.)
I have to agree with davepermen on all his points.
[/b]
cool
oh, and about the linux… don’t know what you’re talkin about… except if you run a windows-emulator in linux you will not get this to work at all. why should linux use the win32api?