I've only recently gotten VS.Net and I'm very baffled. Previously I used VC++ 6 for everything. C++ .Net seems to make windows like this: System::Threading::Thread::CurrentThread->ApartmentState = System::Threading::ApartmentState::STA; Application::Run(new Form1()); As apposed to VC++ 6 when I used to use RegisterClassEx and CreateWindow. Should I keep using these functions and just delete the new System::Threading::Thread (so on) function? Is there a way to get a HWND from the System::Threading... window? I need a HWND to create a device in Direct3D. Also, if I go to New Project->C++ Projects->.Net->Empty Project (.Net) and just start programming like I used to in version 6, am I using managed code already, or is there special syntax and conventions I have to use? Sorry to ask just basic questions like this. I wasn't sure if this should go in beginers forum or here.

Yeah, I was expecting that actually. Believe it or not, I have read all of the MSDN information I could find that I thought was relavent and I bought and read a book on Visual Studio. I'm trying to stubornly continue using c++ since I'm used to it, and simultaneously use Managed DirectX. Unfortunatly, unless you can recomend a better manual then the one I've been looking through (and am still looking through actually) I'm pretty much stuck :/

Crud, just a link to a website that discusses how managed c++ syntax is different from C++ might be helpfull (Especially if I am just being retarded and need to RTFM) . The only things I can find online are about C#. I can't seem to find the relavent FM to read. I try to wait tell the last moment to ask a question on GameDev, as I know how many of you get mad if you think the answer is easy to come by.

hiya!

I'm not sure if this is more basic than you're looking for:

tut

it's more of a ground up intro, and does not deal specifically with D3D. still, it's a quick read!

Hey, thanks for the information. I kind of like the new namespace system and some of the other things I've been reading about. The main reason I'm trying to use Managed Code is that I have really simple needs for DirectX (I make 2D games) and the Managed DirectX SDK makes the Sprite class look more robust if you use Managed DirectX (The C++ DirectX Sprite doesn't even seem to support stretching the sprite for some reason). If it is true that you need to use Managed Code to use the Draw2D feature I want to figure out how this works :( Most of the example of creating a device in Direct3D involve passing the this pointer (when I try that I get the "error C2673: 'WinMain' : global functions do not have 'this' pointers" error.

Is there a quick answer to this? The Third parameter of the function to create the device wants a "Control *renderWindow". I'm having trouble figuring out what that is. An HWnd I've been assuming but I don't know how to pull an HWnd out of a window created in .Net. This really is turning more into a DirectX question actually. I'm not sure if I'm needing help with DirectX or .Net though :P (This problem really seems to elementry. I've totally already made 4 or 5 directX applications with DirectX8 before. Creating the Device never seemed this hard)

Shadow,

for the control, you can just pass in a reference to the window. The Window class in .NET derives from the Control class. Since most UI controls derive from the Control class, you can essentially pass in almost any UI control into the CreateDevice() function. This can be especially cool if you are developing an editor and want a "panel" to show the results from the editor using the actual engine.

Ok, thanks everyone. I'm going to spend more time on the tutorial site lonesock recomended and then perhaps just end up getting another book :/ I think I've tried the last Form1::get_Handle type thing that I could think of.