Graphics libraries.

[Chesso]

Are you sure Sphinx does not GUI? I also assumed newer version would, you might need to post around on forum or contact developer(s).

I suppose if there is not much difference between XE and 2010 it might be alright, I haven't tried it yet but will when I have time.

On the other hand I hear a lot around here about SDL, which I wouldn't mind at least test driving for drawing, obviously not the new 1.3 or w/e as commercial applications need licenses and all sorts of weird and wonderful things, not something I am interested in this stage. How do I get started with SDL and Delphi 2010 just with basic 2D drawing of images, preferably in a fashion similar to UnDelphiX? Also performance wise does it do better than UnDelphiX if anyone knows?

[WILL]

How do I get started with SDL and Delphi 2010 just with basic 2D drawing of images, preferably in a fashion similar to UnDelphiX? Also performance wise does it do better than UnDelphiX if anyone knows?

JEDI-SDL is amazingly easy to use in Delphi. I assume you are running Windows? If you happen to be running on a Mac I can probably hook you up with a working copy that is not yet published. Dom is working on a release soon. Get it at SourceForge here http://sourceforge.net/projects/jedi-sdl/

I use this version currently for all my Windows-based games. It works great and is very stable. You don't need OpenGL to get started with it, but it comes bundled with it so if you want to make the move, it'll be easy.

After you've gotten the library and unzipped it with all your other Pascal projects or where ever else you want it to reside, check out the Free Pascal meets SDL site for some basics on how to use the library. It's super easy to get started working with it. In fact, it's even easier to use than UnDelphiX in some ways.

As long as you don't need any 3D acceleration you'll be quite happy with it I'm sure. Once you start into rotation, scaling or alpha blending, you're ready to move on to OpenGL. But first start with the basics of the SDL library of course.

[Chesso]

So from what I read, it does it's own 2D magic, and also cranks out Direct3D and OpenGL, so I assume you can combine them to some extent, and basically to move on and up I will not have to change libraries or anything like that.

[Andru]

How is that these days? Does windows 7 come with proper OpenGL support?

Bad as before. Typical user with installed Windows XP/7 will have only GDI Generic GL_RENDERER. But if this user is a gamer, then official drivers could be installed. So, OpenGL is not a good solution for casual games nowadays.

[Chesso]

Hi Andru,

Just checked out your ZenGL Demo's that come with the package, looks pretty darn nice to me.

Thinking about giving it a shot this weekend, are there any special install instructions for D2010 or do I just point to all the source file directories and add w/e to uses and check demo sources.

Also, I presume it is not visual and probably does not have something similar to DXImageList, so if I were to say put my graphics in a resource file to go with executable and use a record array for information reference (having it as a list
will make changes easier as I refer to DXImagesList.Items[N] at the moment) how would I load those up ready to go (I use PNG for the small file size, but I will w/e is supported as long as it's loss less).

[Andru]

are there any special install instructions for D2010

No, all you need is "just point to all the source file directories and add w/e to uses"(here the "full" instruction). But this way is for advanced programming mostly, so you can just compile a dll(go to src/Delphi and open ZenGL.dproj) and use it with only one uses - zglHeader(don't forget to put dll with executable, and execute function zglLoad, as showed in demo01).

I presume it is not visual and probably does not have something similar to DXImageList

Yes, ZenGL doesn't use or provide something related with VCL, it's just a library. So, you need to use only your variables/arrays/etc. with ZenGL types(e.g. zglPTexture is for "images"). What about using only one executable, I have never thought about this... all my resources I have always carried with executable in directory data Maybe this weekend I will try to make a demo with loading resources inside executable.

PS: Oh, almost forgot - with Delphi 2010 there is a problem with function key_GetText, but it has already fixed in svn and I will update ZenGL this weekend.

[czar]

Bad as before. Typical user with installed Windows XP/7 will have only GDI Generic GL_RENDERER. But if this user is a gamer, then official drivers could be installed. So, OpenGL is not a good solution for casual games nowadays.

Shame that nothing has changed. It is not in M$ to support OpenGL. I stopped with OpenGL based libraries because I was continually having to support people with the generic drivers.

[Andru]

I stopped with OpenGL based libraries because I was continually having to support people with the generic drivers.

Yeah, the only reason why I created ZenGL version with Direct3D renderer is commercial projects, where publishers want Direct3D instead of OpenGL. But I like OpenGL more than Direct3D, and OpenGL can run on my Linux and other OS's

So I guess what I am saying, is learn Sdl, Learn OpenGL, and then once that is done, take it a step further by mixing the two. Its an absolutely amazing mix. So basically, you want a graphics library? I say, make your own... You'll know what its designed for, who its designed for and it will be designed to suit your needs. Yay.

And as always, it will take you much time, which you can spend to develop game instead of library... but yeah, developing bicycles is always fun!

[WILL]

To what version of OpenGL are you guys coding that requires all these drivers that users wouldn't have an a current system? I've never had an issue with OpenGL on any of my XP-based systems unless the graphics card was ancient. What are these people running Windows 3.11?

[WILL]

So from what I read, it does it's own 2D magic, and also cranks out Direct3D and OpenGL, so I assume you can combine them to some extent, and basically to move on and up I will not have to change libraries or anything like that.

Yes and then not quite. SDL is it's own graphics API, input API, sound API, etc... You can use OpenGL with it, but you have to set it up as such. It then has functions that will help support OpenGL textures(sprites, etc) and different image formats, but that's it. The setup is a little different. There aren't any functions that help with Direct3D nor does it actually use it at all.

It is it's own hardware interface for graphics.

This does not mean that you cannot use Direct3D for graphics just because you are using SDL for user input and sound, but it's nicer to use OpenGL as it integrates better with it.

That said, go to the Free Pascal meets SDL site and just read about the setup instructions. It tells you everything you need to know. It's super easy to use and I know of at least one high school that uses it to introduce kids to CS using Pascal that is catching onto it quite fast.