Hi all! I have mentioned a few times that I would write a tutorial on Direct3D programming and now I have finally delivered. You can find it here: http://hem.passagen.se/aj76/tutorials.html It is an introductory tutorial divided into two parts, the first part is about how to set up and manage a window with Win32 API. The second is how to initialize Direct3D with the help of Direct3DX and draw a rotating triangle in the window. I want your feedback on this so that I can improve my writing for any future tutorials from me, so it is in your best interest to give me constructive critisism. Also feel free to ask me if there is something you don't understand. You can give me your comments and questions either by e-mail or here in this topic. You'll probably get better response here though as there are others that may help you faster than I. (Hmm, a really stupid mistake to forget to write the word tutorial in the topic, don't you think? I decided to delete the other post and make a new one.) - WitchLord Edited by - WitchLord on 5/20/00 6:18:30 PM

Hi Witchlord,

Thanks for your efforts. I really like the layout!

Just a question and a suggestion:

Is this the Direct3D Immediate stuff I''ve been hearing about? I''m learning OpenGL right now... NeHe''s tutorials and the Red Book on the web. I haven''t tried D3D yet.

Could you make a downloadable source code? I would really like to run before I start reading to make sure it will work on my computer.

Thanks again, tremendous effort,

Nick

If you go to the site you''ll find some downloadable source.

Thank you.

1. Yes, the second tutorial is on Direct3D Immediate Mode. It is for people that have never used Direct3D or Direct3DX before, so you should be able to pick up the basics by reading it.

2. There are already downloadable source code. It is actually two separate programs. If you read the first part there is source code for creating and managing a simple window. In the second part there is source code for creating a window and rendering a rotating triangle in it. Click on the links and you find the source code right at the top of the tutorials.



- WitchLord

md2ge,

D3DXCreateContext() does create a z-buffer for you, since you cannot set the bit depth of the z-buffer the function uses the maximum available bit depth. But D3DXCreateContextEx() is more powerful and lets you choose the bit depth of the various buffers yourself.

You probably cannot add buffer after the context has been created though, because the context needs to keep track of them all. But then again why would you want to do that?

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Sparkle,

no the TranslateMessage() call is not necessary. It is there to let you translate WM_KEYDOWN and WM_SYSKEYDOWN to WM_CHAR messages. There are also other translator functions that can be called before DispatchMessage(), for example TranslateAccelerator() that translates WM_KEYDOWN and WM_SYSKEYDOWN into menucommands.

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As always, don't take my word for it. Even though I'm usually right it doesn't mean that I'm always right. If you find any errors in the tutorials please report them.

If you want any more confirmation from me, you'll have to wait about 8 hours since I'm off to bed now.

I can't wait to see the response I have gotten during my sleep.

- WitchLord

Edited by - WitchLord on May 20, 2000 8:42:30 PM

Buster,

good point. I''ll have to think about it. I just prefer to read tutorials on the screen myself, besides if you print it you cannot use the links to the MSDN library.

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Hmm, I was expecting a lot more posts during the few hours that I was away. But then again, who would do the posting?You were probably sleeping yourself.

Please continue to give me feedback, the more I get the more motivation I''ll have to write more tutorials.

- WitchLord