Zero Knowledge In OpenGL

Dear all,
I need help in using OpenGL. OpenGL is a library, isn’t it? When I install it in my PC, then where I have to write down the code? Is it OK if I use MatLab/Visual C?
Please help. Thanks a lot.

hi im not sure what MatLab is but i use Visual C++ and if you are just starting out nehe.gamdev.net is a great website

Originally posted by aini_hamzah:
Dear all,
I need help in using OpenGL. OpenGL is a library, isn’t it? When I install it in my PC, then where I have to write down the code? Is it OK if I use MatLab/Visual C?
Please help. Thanks a lot.

Thank you but I can’t open the website. Any website that can help me out with this OpenGL thing?

[This message has been edited by aini_hamzah (edited 11-17-2002).]

It shuld be nehe.gamedev.net

nehe.gamedev.net was down, is now back online.

OpenGL is a specification for an application programmer’s interface (API). When someone (like the good folks at www.mesa3d.org)) implements this spec, what they produce (among some other things) is some libraries (including libGL.so libGLU.so) along with header files that you can #include in your C or C++ source code file(s).

The reason everyone calls OpenGL an “interface to graphics hardware” is because the OpenGL libraries have functions in them with very low-level routines that talk almost directly to your graphics card. The functions in the OpenGL API almost mimic the functionality of your graphics card.

You can write your programs using MS’s Visual C++, Visual SlickEdit, using the cygwin tools, whatever. Just make sure that you tell your linker to link in the OGL libs.

It sounds like you are starting from scratch. In that case, If I were you, I’d install something like Mandrake Linux, and learn to use:

[ul][li]make[]gcc/g++[]vi or emacs or nedit or something similar[/ul][/li]and, then later, gdb and maybe doxygen.

Installing OpenGL means making sure 2 things are on your system:

[ul][li]the OGL libs and headers[*]the OGL drivers[/ul][/li]What that 2nd item means depends on what operating system you’re using. For me, on linux with a DRI-supported video card (Matrox G400), I think it means having a kernel with DRI baked right in (maybe it’s a loadable kernel module, dunno).