Graphics libraries.

[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?

[Chesso]

Strange problem with ZenGL.

I followed the steps though, I added one with just Delphi folder available (not i386 etc) then the rest i386-Win32, and when I try and run a program from within the IDE, any program (doesn't have to be related to anything within ZenGL) and it
refuses because zlib cannot find LibC.dcu (which does not exist in the package)?

[MuteClown]

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?

Thats what i was thinking.

Most Computers now from common companies such as HP and Acer come with the additional drivers. I think the only one im not sure on is if the computer is using an intel GPU, which Dell seems to like.

[Andru]

Chesso
For Delphi you must point only to lib/zlib/delphi and souce code of ZenGL. And as I said before - better compile dll and use it instead of separate units.
PS: but maybe you choose wrong place to point paths. Open one of demos and look where I set paths for Delphi 2010

Most Computers now from common companies such as HP and Acer come with the additional drivers.

In 2009 I bought my HP laptop, and guess what? There was no official drivers for Radeon HD 4650 inside(installed, I mean), so my system didn't support OpenGL and DxVA for video decoding using videocard.

WILL
You think so because you are programmer, a lot of people uses computers without understanding whole "system stuff", and because of that publishers prefer Direct3D. And if your game is not something very incredible, you will loose a lot of costumers because of OpenGL. But all this is related to casual/small games.

[code_glitch]

Can I just give some encouragement here: I have recently had to install windows 7 on my sis' PC... It has an old ATI radeon 9600 (mobility) series, which M$ has drivers for although ATI says it has not made them? (WDDM 1.1 ones). I am very pleased to announce that that card has OpenGl support with its' drivers out out of the box. Its unclear what version but it handled everything I tested on it. The same applies to my nVidia mobile card, ATI HD 4330, and those GMA 4500MHD chips. The importance being that I see every new chipset now has OpenGL support out of the box, meaning that the future has quite a bright light for OpenGL. Especially on those GMA chips by intel: they run OpenGL at about twice the speed as Direct3D.... Thank you intel. Although I still stand by what I said: dual core is not low end...