starting openGL

[saltpro15]

Hey guys,

I've been using C++ with various environments (MSVC++, Dev C++, Notepad++, Bluefish + command line)
and I want to start doing 3d graphics. I've heard the best way to do this is with openGL, now I know there's a good tut on this site for openGL, but I have a few questions
Right now I'm using Bluefish on Ubuntu, so where can I get glut for linux?
Will my programs still compile on Windows if i write them in Linux?
If 1 or 2 is a "no" then which Windows environment would you guys recommend? (MSVC++ or Dev C++)?

thanks,
Drew

[Insectoid]

I'd like this too, I want to try Ruby with OpenGL.

[DemonWasp]

If you write in the portable subset of C++, you can get it to compile on both Windows and Linux. If you're careful, you can probably get OSX too. Cross-compiling is a chore, though, so be forewarned. You will need to compile for the target OS, which is probably best done ON that OS, with a compiler built for that platform.

No idea about GLUT though. My OpenGL stuff has all been through JMonkeyEngine on LWJGL.

Does Ruby even *have* OpenGL bindings?

[rdrake]

saltpro15 @ Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:06 pm wrote:

Right now I'm using Bluefish on Ubuntu, so where can I get glut for linux?

You need freeglut-dev. I believe it's this.

code:

sudo apt-get install freeglut3-dev

If not, remove the 3 from there.

saltpro15 @ Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:06 pm wrote:

Will my programs still compile on Windows if i write them in Linux?

Yes, before the GLUT and OpenGL include files you need to include the Windows API header. The following (from memory) should do the trick.

c++:

#ifdef WIN32 #include "Windows.h" #endif #include <GL/glu.h> #include <GL/glut.h>

That should include the Windows API header only if you're compiling under Windows.

saltpro15 @ Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:06 pm wrote:

If 1 or 2 is a "no" then which Windows environment would you guys recommend? (MSVC++ or Dev C++)?

Personally I found Dev-C++ to be easiest on Windows. You install the OpenGL/GLUT package for it from the package manager.

[wtd]

DemonWasp @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:34 am wrote:

If you write in the portable subset of C++, you can get it to compile on both Windows and Linux. If you're careful, you can probably get OSX too. Cross-compiling is a chore, though, so be forewarned. You will need to compile for the target OS, which is probably best done ON that OS, with a compiler built for that platform.

No idea about GLUT though. My OpenGL stuff has all been through JMonkeyEngine on LWJGL.

Does Ruby even *have* OpenGL bindings?

Most certainly yes.

[saltpro15]

I decided to go with Dev C++, found the file for glut, installed it, ran some sample code and I'm getting linker errors, anyone know what I did wrong?

[DemonWasp]

The libraries may not be on the LD_LIBRARY_PATH or similar. I'll assume you got the glut libraries through the repositories; can we see your linker errors?

[CodeMonkey2000]

Are you new to graphical APIs? If you are then I wouldn't recommend jumping right into openGL. Begin with SDL first, it's simple, but it only does 2D. On the plus side you can use SDL with openGL instead of using GLUT.

[rdrake]

saltpro15 @ Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:06 pm wrote:

I decided to go with Dev C++, found the file for glut, installed it, ran some sample code and I'm getting linker errors, anyone know what I did wrong?

Chances are you didn't tell it the proper libraries to use.

code:

-lopengl -lglu -lglut -mwindows

I forget exactly now, haven't done any OpenGL in a while.

[saltpro15]

got it, thanks rdrake