How do i do this?

OpenGL OpenGL: Basic Coding
1

What do i need to start programming with open gl in a win32 api IDE sort of way. How do i assemble and link files into an exe?
I need an IDE for a complete beginner.
Thanks

2

Hi,

You need a compiler : for example Visual C++ 5.0 or 6.0

See : http://nehe.gamedev.net/tutorials/

The are 23 lessons to learn OpenGL. From the beginning (that you’re looking for) and after, you’ll can create a 3d world.

After 3 weeks of learning opengl, i’ve made a little 3D worlds with texture mapping, fog, light, sound.

OpenGL is simple to learn that DirectX.

3

Leyder Dylan> sorry to correct you, but NeHe’s guide is 24 lessons now =)

And the 24th is really nice

4

Thanks everybody, so opengl can be used as
a kinda subset of C then?
I mean the commands are opengl, but you use C
to compile right?
I’ve seen GLUT and Mesa referenced to, which one is good for a beginner like me?

5

OpenGL is a 2D and 3D graphics API. You can use any of the several different languages that support it like, C/C++, Delphi, or even Visual Basic (I don’t know which minimum version of VB since I’ve never used it). GLUT is a utility api that simplifies the construction of OpenGL programs to some degree albeit at a loss of some flexibility. Mesa is an OpenGL-like API. Mesa and OpenGL are almost one for one compatible. If you are an absolute beginner I would first just learn a bit about the Windows GDI. At least enough about how to create, update and destroy windows. Then I would look into some of the great [NeHe OpenGL tutorials](http://"http://nehe.gamedev.net/opengl.asp\) as a good starting point in learning OpenGL.

6

Listen to DFrey, except I would say that is nice to know about the Windows GDI, but not neccissary. When I started OpenGL all that windows stuff wasn’t what I wanted to learn and there sure was alot of it. So I used glut. With glut you need to know nothing about windows GDI. And glut will do everything a beginner wants, and it’s much simpler than windows code. If you’ve got want to learn windows programming stuff go that route cause it is better in the end, but if graphics is what you want use glut to start and then pick up windows GDI later.

At least that’s my opinion.