dInput or no dInput?

Graphics and GPU Programming Programming

Started by Drath February 01, 2003 12:54 PM

3 comments, last by Drath 21 years, 3 months ago

138

Author

February 01, 2003 12:54 PM

Is it a good idea for me to use direct input. My prject will be keyboard and mouse based so I was wondering if I really need it considering the windows messaging system seems to work well.

Pipo DeClown

804

February 01, 2003 01:04 PM

I dont know much about the hardware-to-sofware and which is faster etc. but I can tell you that DirectInput is a must for your game. I use it for Pushed, NotPushed, and Released. You can do anything with DirectInput since you have acces to the buffer where the Data is stored. With Window Messages, you dont have acces to the Data. But if you do use the WM''s you can store them and handle them in your MainGame Loop.

Conclusion: DirectX rules.

.lick

S1CA

1,418

February 01, 2003 09:28 PM

For ALL text input use the Windows message system. The reasons are many.

For game control input in an action type game, DInput does allow you to bypass a lot of processing between the keyboard hardware and the message side. So for the absolute lowest latency on your *control* input, DInput might be preferable to you.

But Windows keyboard and mouse input is fine for most applications, particularly with things like GetAsyncKeyState() to go a bit deeper than the message system (which is queued so is never quite so direct) - DInput goes the next level deeper but not too much more.

[Just had a flash of nostalgia -: $BFEC01 and the related keyboard serial comms error handling, flag checking etc on the Amiga (just peeking the register was baaaad since it relied on OS support to tidy up the buffer mess). CIA port redirection anyone - flashing caps lock keys ahoy