First of all, Dev-C++ is the IDE. MingW is the compiler and the header files are fine. You just have to make sure you link properly and have the right compiler options set. Do the fallowing

In Project Options

add this to ''Extra compiler commands''

-fvtable-thunks

Do not add any spaces between -fvtable and -thunks, leave them like this =-fvtable-thunks. MingW is very picky on this type of stuff.

Extra Linker Options

Add these in ''Extra Linker libraries''
-ldxguid
-lddraw

Make sure you havve the correct include directories set for were you DirectX 8 package hearder files are located at. I my self, copied the include files and libs from the ZIP file the DirecX8 package, to my Dev-C++ include and lib directory.Now, MingW can''t fully implement DirectX. Actually, the only part of DirectX it implements is DirectDraw. That I''v seen and delt with. I''v went rounds with it trying to get DirectSound and DirectInput to work. I don''t know why there is a DX8 package for MingW when it can only use DDraw witch isn''t even DX8. Its more like DX7 and the package dosen''t work right either.

So in closing. You''ll only be able to use DDraw if your compiler is MingW. Why, because it sucks and can''t deal with COM that well, amung other thangs. You best bet is to save up $44 and go to Hastings and buy Visual C++ Standard Edition. Alot less of a head ache then MingW is.

Actually, I got my Visual Studio Enterprise Edition for free. I''m thinking about trashing it tho. Not that I don''t like it but I''m going to be getting Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Edition. So that would make just plain old 6.0 worthless to all beans. I''ll be getting the PhotoShop 7.0 and 3D Studio Max too, along with a new computer. Because I''m going to school now that state wants to help me so they can get me to leave there state. But, I''ll sit around alot longer and soke up some sice software and alittle cah to play with.

Only use ddraw?
I'm learning d3d with dx8 and use dev-c++. It works for me.

There's dx8-librarys made to work for dev-c++ made by Paul Gerfen to download here:
http://www.bloodshed.net/dev/packages/index.html

(On complaints with Mingw/gcc: It's free. There isn't a lot of free compilers out there. Kinda good for those of us who haven't good lots of cash. I can't see the point of complaining on freeware, support it and if a good coder help improving it. )



[edited by - brewski on May 5, 2002 6:53:38 PM]

I''m not trashing on MingW at all. Actually I kind of like it. It makes smaller EXEs the VC and its 1/4 of the size in harddrive space. I never got any DX3D to work because I never used it. I don''t like the fact of my application forcing any one to have hardware suport. I think thats the most stupid thang. Mainly because I don''t have hardware support yet. But some of those free compilers are pretty damn good and in many ways in my eyes better then VC. The only thang I realy have a problem with is COM/OLE and MFC. I want to use those, but mroe COM then any thang. I''v found that MingW and other gcc stuff is tons easier to code with. Besides, I get Flex and Bison with DJGPP and you make compilers with them. So all in all, I''m not complaining about freeware. I just wish some packages made for some freeware had more support for different APIs.