Platform Independent OpenGL

OpenGL OpenGL: Basic Coding
1

Hi All,

I am new to this forum, I have few questions regarding Opengl.
In my current project we are using Opengl 2.0 for graphics design and Windows forms for buttons and stuff like that. To be compatible with that I am using TAO framework for Opengl.
Now I need to make my Project platform independent and looking for alternatives other than TAO framework and windows forms.
Any suggestions?? I am using C++ CLI now would like to go for pure C++.
Can anyone suggest me how do I go about this?

Thanks in Advance!

2

You can’t be 100% plateform independant, most of languages and libraries are not supported on absolutely all platforms but some of them target quite a large variety of platforms (mainly free/open sources libraries and compilers).

What platform do you intend to be supported on ? Computers only ? Game consoles too ? Cell phones too ?

I personally use Gtk+ (in fact its C++ version, Gtkmm) along with gtkglext, and it works well for both Windows and Linux.
In our institute, our main application is written with Qt and it’s also restricted to Windows and Linux.

The java language and API is known to work on many platforms. But if you want to keep C++ as your language, then forget it.

You also have to know that on mobile platforms you’ll have to deal with OpenGL ES (which is a variant of OpenGL 3 for its second release). See more info about this here: http://www.khronos.org/opengles/

You can also aim web browsers and in this case you’ll have to move to WebGL. I don’t know more about this but if I understand it well, C++ won’t be useable for it. This link can give you more info about it: http://www.khronos.org/webgl/

3

Thanks for the update!
I have to use Opengl for infotainment system in car. it is an embedded system that’s why GUI must be in C++.
You said you are using gtk… is it with Mono?
I heard about Mono but i have doubts whether it supports Opengl framework or not.
Any ideas/suggestions?

4

I have to use Opengl for infotainment system in car.

Then that’s almost certainly not OpenGL. It’s OpenGL ES, which is not the same thing.

You said you are using gtk… is it with Mono?

GTK+ is a GUI library. Mono has GTK+ bindings, but that’s the only relationship between them.

5

As Alfonse said, I think you’ll have to use OpenGL ES not OpenGL.

AFAIK, only Qt (not Gtk+) provides tools for using OpenGL ES. But Qt is heavy, big and reputed slow.

If you do stuff for car, then most certainly you don’t need such GUI tools, heavy, slow, which provide too much things (I simply don’t use 90% of the provided signals in Gtk+ for example). If this is the case, you can try simpler GUI tools directly on top of OpenGL ES. Maybe write your own (if it’s limited to writing buttons, it’s not that difficult) ?

You could have a look at clutter (http://www.clutter-project.org/). Maybe it could help you.

6

Thanks for all the Info!

Interfaces to the Embedded systems is already implemented in our lower layers…for us it doesn’t matter usage of Opengl ES or OpenGl both are same for our development.

In any case I would like to thank u all for your time! I would be moving to the QT opengl soon for making it Platform independent…if any body has any info about it please do post some links, so that i can refer it for my fast development.