Should I use GLUT

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6 comments, last by Hodgman 13 years, 11 months ago
Hello, i'm new in programming using OpenGL with Visual C++. As a beginner i find GLUT library not very hard to learn. But i was told that GLUT sucks. It's very hard to me to learn Win32 API, because i've been developing MFC projects. My question is: Can i use glut as a proper tool to make simple game and does it allow me to use all OpenGL effects?
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GLUT is a window manager that hides all of the messy window creation. Beyond that, OpenGL uses extensions you have to load yourself, either with your own code, or another library (GLEE or GLEW), so there's nothing stopping you from accessing everything (although I'm unsure if it lets you create OpenGL 3 contexts).

If you're not sure about GLUT, you can use SDL, which has plenty of documentation to help you out, also has support for creating OpenGL 3 contexts, and does other things (like load images and sound files).
You should have a look at freeglut.
Until you learn a new windowing manager API, stick with GLUT. It exists basically for educational reasons.

In short, yes, use GLUT for practice; no, do not use GLUT in your final project (if you plan on selling it or something).
Amateurs practice until they do it right.Professionals practice until they never do it wrong.
I think SDL would be a better choice than GLUT when it comes to releasing things, but I don't see a reason to make the switch immediately.
Personally, I'd like to know the difference between Freeglut and GLUT. Anyone? (sorry for hijacking :/)
if all you need glut for is window creation and messaging, I would recommend to search the web for exactly that. there's a lot of OpenGL demos which do not use glut to setup the main window. you could, for example, take a look at Emil Perssons's frameworks: http://humus.name/index.php?page=3D
Wunderwerk Engine is an OpenGL-based, shader-driven, cross-platform game engine. It is targeted at aspiring game designers who have been kept from realizing their ideas due to lacking programming skills.

blog.wunderwerk-engine.com
Quote:Original post by tre
Personally, I'd like to know the difference between Freeglut and GLUT. Anyone? (sorry for hijacking :/)
The freeglut website says that they created an open-source version of GLUT because the original GLUT hasn't been updated since 1998 and has a restrictive license.

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