Direct3D device driver development on Windows

What actually do you mean by Device Drivers ??? The one that windows use to setup hardware ???

Try the Windows DDK site. Though I don't know if the DDK is available for free (I doubt that).

I see many job postings asking for programmers who have experience or knowledge of developing graphics drivers for OpenGL on Windows and Linux. Well I am not experienced but I curious to know how to get there ?

Thanks

To write DirectX device drivers on windows, you need:
- Hardware-specific info: Classified. You'll only have this if you're an IHV
- The DirectX Driver Development Kit (DDK). You won't get this unless you're an IHV (or work at one)

In short, I don't know a good way to write drivers on windows unless you create the hardware yourself [smile]

Quote:

I see many job postings asking for programmers who have experience or knowledge of developing graphics drivers for OpenGL on Windows and Linux. Well I am not experienced but I curious to know how to get there ?

My guess:
Get linux, get some open source GL drivers (there are loads of these on linux), and train yourself there - innovate as much as you can. Prove yourself.

Now I'm sure someone else who knows better will chime in and tell us what's the right plan for windows.

I guess, no no... IT was a lame, silly.... question. I dont know anything about graphics drivers (especially that it was hardware vendor confidential info).

Thank you all for showing me the devine LIGHT and TRUTH :~)

The fact that hw info is confidential is not the point - the point is, however: you need to know the hardware inside out to be able to write a driver for it, and you simply do not have the necessary knowledge about the hardware if you don't work in collaboration with it's maker (or happen to be it's maker yourself).

You may want to look at Linux drivers for major cards if you want to see how a driver is written, but do not expect to write one yourself if you have no previous experience on the matter.

Kind regards,
-Nik

EDIT: I just realized, I re-wrote Coder's post [smile]

Quote:

Original post by Coder - The DirectX Driver Development Kit (DDK). You won't get this unless you're an IHV (or work at one)

Actually, all of the DDK's are included in an MSDN Universal subscription, so they aren't *that* exclusive (though, I guess the cost of an MSDN subscription makes it exclusive [smile]).

Of course, this doesn't come with source code for any display drivers. For that, you need to become a user of the SharedSource Program.

.. or you can run around writing unable drivers, screwing up others computers. [lol]

Quote:

Original post by circlesoft Quote: Original post by Coder - The DirectX Driver Development Kit (DDK). You won't get this unless you're an IHV (or work at one) Actually, all of the DDK's are included in an MSDN Universal subscription, so they aren't *that* exclusive (though, I guess the cost of an MSDN subscription makes it exclusive [smile]).

You know, Dustin. If you keep mentioning this universal subscription long enough, I'll kill you someday and scavenge it from your body (You do carry the "subscription badge" on you, don't you? And it does come with a badge, right?) [grin]

If you can afford it, order the Windows Server 2003 DDK (includes Windows XP DDK which should include DX DDK).

It's $0.00 + S/H.

EDIT: It contains sample drivers for the Permedia 2 and 3. Old, but still very interesting stuff.

Quote:

Original post by Coder You know, Dustin. If you keep mentioning this universal subscription long enough, I'll kill you someday and scavenge it from your body (You do carry the "subscription badge" on you, don't you? And it does come with a badge, right?) [grin]

I think a badge is about the only thing it doesn't come with. I don't even know what half of this stuff is. But it sure is spiffy!

Quote:

Original post by Donavon Keithley EDIT: It contains sample drivers for the Permedia 2 and 3. Old, but still very interesting stuff.

Awesome, I didn't know it had any example drivers - I'll have to check that out.

Quote:

I'll kill you someday and scavenge it from your body

circlesoft hires Rocky as his body guard.[wink]

Quote:

I don't even know what half of this stuff is. But it sure is spiffy!

You mean you aren't using Windows Services for UNIX and BizTalk server!? C'mon man, be reasonable!

It's probably worth noting that only older DirectX DDKs are available with a MSDN Universal subscription. To obtain a newer DDK (such as for DirectX 9), you need to apply to Microsoft separately and sign a separate NDA.

As for deciding to learn to write drivers only because there seems to be a few jobs in that area at the moment isn't very good career planning.

Generally you'd come into that industry from some other route than teaching yourself with the DDK (that doesn't have too much value with an employer compared to experience/knowledge gained through a university course (EE, computer science etc or previous employment doing something similar).

Graduate jobs do come up at those types of company - though it's better in the long run to do a degree, get a graduate job in a related industry and then make moves when you have real **experience** [not many companies are going to trust you to write kernel mode drivers capable of crashing a machine etc unless they see some track record (academic and/or work experience).

Quote:

Original post by S1CA It's probably worth noting that only older DirectX DDKs are available with a MSDN Universal subscription. To obtain a newer DDK (such as for DirectX 9), you need to apply to Microsoft separately and sign a separate NDA.

Wouldn't the Windows XP DDK be recent enough to have DX9 info in it? The XP DDK is included in MSDN Universal.

Yeah I'm not sure that's accurate but I don't have the 2003 DDK. I have XP SP1, which has DX8 (and was built before DX9 went final). The latest docs include the DX9 DDK and there's this statement on one of the pages:

"The Europa sample is included with the DirectX 9 DDK and the Windows Server 2003 SP1 DDK."

which could be implying that the 2003 DDK includes DX9.

Simon, could you be thinking of the reference rasterizer source code? I know that requires a separate license agreement.