4 replies to this topic

[Facehat]

Yet another question: Why can't you use OpenGL with DirectDraw? I was thinking of simply grabbing a device context from a DirectDraw surface and rendering to that, but it sounds like that can't be done. Any reason why?

--TheGoop

[NuFAN]

Hi,
you can use both API's together, it's a bit complicated, but you can do. Many coders prefer this to change the display mode and then set it as the device context.

It depends on what you're gonna do with your programs. If you want to create portable code, use OpenGL. If you only create programs for Windows, then you should better stay at DirectX, because there are many components and if you understand one, it's not hard to understand the rest.

CU

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Skullpture Entertainment
#40842461

[druid-]

A few points:

1)
There's a very simple reason why you can't use a ddraw surface to render opengl on and still access through ddraw functions:

Microsoft hasn't written a driver model to support it.

This is the essential reason, though there can be some issues with hardware compatibility, but MS hasn't even given venders a chance to try it out.

2)
OpenGL and DX are not merging, SGI will continue to support OpenGL and a recent announcement makes it clear that they have stepped out of cooperation with MS on the low-level API.

3)
It is common practice to use ddraw to temporarily set fullscreen (for one app), since MS did not include this functionality in the Win32 API. However, I don't believe this is what TheGoop was asking about.

4)
There are many other reasons to choose OpenGL over DX than just portability. I use OpenGL, but I'm not a fierce advocate of it, try them both and make your own decision.

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Scott Franke [druid-]
sfranke@usc.edu
druid-'s GL Journal
http://www.gamedev.net/opengl