From: Paul G. <pga...@te...> - 2000-10-28 02:25:03
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Hi Earnie, On 27 Oct 2000, at 7:42, the Illustrious Earnie Boyd wrote: > --- Paul Garceau <pga...@te...> wrote: > > > > > > On 24 Oct 2000, at 1:13, the Illustrious Paul Sokolovsky wrote: > > > > > Hello Earnie, > > > > > > Earnie Boyd wrote on Tuesday, October 24, 2000: > > > > > > EB> Opinions of whether we should include them in the w32api > > > package or create a EB> separate package? > > > > Since the DirectX API really isn't part of the Win32api, my > > opinion is that we should not, at least not initially. > > I was asking because I've been asking. The question isn't > whether we should include them but is instead where should they > be included? Ah, thanks for the clarification. My opinion would be to set up a special directory/folder (directx) and then any versions that we can support may be added underneath that. For example: Header files: i386-mingw32msvc/include/directx/dx<version> libs: i386-mingw32msvc/lib With the exception of the header files, this is the way I have it currently set up. As it stands I defaulted to putting the Dx stuff under the standard include directory. As to your question about "What Gnu Dx", let me refer you to the following website: http://pws.prserv.net/thefortins/cyg-directx.html In fact they are not really "Gnu", they are ports of the MS Copyrighted Dx6.1 headers specifically for use under Cygwin and/or mingw Gnu compilers. There is no reliance on cygwin1.dll. > > > If there are a lot of requests for Dx functionality, then > > there might well be a reason to re-evaluate such a policy. > > > > I don't understand what you are trying to say. Simply put, it seems like a lot less hassle to only add them if there is a demand for them. I doubt that there has been very many uses of the headers. The only reason I've been using them is because of a 3d Rendering Engine I've been supporting under Win9x and NT4. The Dx3 stuff I am using for CrystalSpace was specifically defined within the context of the CS project and I had to go out and purchase an old DX3 development handbook just to get that to work since MS no longer supports Dx3 unless you subscribe to MSDN, and then only for legacy support reasons. Dx6.1 only works if you are using a Win9x system or you are using MSVS v6 or later. > > > In the meantime, I have a number of concerns re: Dx support > > > > If we attempt to maintain it, we will be dealing with a lot of > > proprietary issues and questions about DirectX and an > > assumption will be made that we are responsible for maintaining > > ongoing updates for DirectX under Mingw. > > We would only be adding contributed clean room created headers. > It's not going to be any different than we already have. Ok. > > > Fact is, it is fairly easy to build Dx apps given the current > > availability of the Dx stuff (6.1 was last one I remember being > > available for Gnu development) AT (After Tweaking). > > References? Examples? Howto's? In terms of Dx3, nothing online, really. I had to buy a special book, "Win32 Game Developers Guide with DirectX 3" (The Waite Group), just to get the Dx3 headers and then ended up making a number of changes to the provided Dx3 headers before it would even work under Mingw. In terms of DirectX, best thing to do is start with the DirectX page at MS (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/). Of course, that only covers Dx7, Dx7.0a and Dx6. The only systems that can use/implement these versions are: Win9x WinMe Win2k Follows is an excerpt from the dxfaq provided at the MSDN website: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?URL=/library/techart/dxfaq2.htm What's the status of DirectX on Windows NT or Windows 2000? DirectX version 3, plus Microsoft DirectPlay® version 5.2, is supported on Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 with service pack 3. With service pack 4, DirectPlay is upgraded to version 6.0, with other components remaining at version 3; and service pack 5 upgrades DirectPlay to version 6.1a. Windows 2000 fully supports DirectX 7, including full Direct3D hardware acceleration. -- end of excerpt My NT4 system has Service Pack 6. As you can see from the excerpt, to support DirectX under NT4 involves quite a bit of work. There is an assumption included in the excerpt as well, that you, as a developer, are using MSVS, and nothing else. A further assumption is that you are a subscriber to the MSDN. Are there plans to include DirectPlay as well? If so, then those, imho, should also go under the DirectX directory I noted earlier in this email. > I don't see how this and the clipped quotes below applies to our > situation. I was only outlining my concerns and opinions about including DirectX, etc. I hope that I haven't offended anyone. Peace, Paul G. > > -8<- > ->8- > Cheers, > > ===== > Earnie Boyd > mailto:ear...@ya... > > --- <http://earniesystems.safeshopper.com> --- > --- Cygwin: POSIX on Windows <http://gw32.freeyellow.com/> --- > --- Minimalist GNU for Windows <http://www.mingw.org/> --- > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. > http://im.yahoo.com/ > _______________________________________________ > MinGW-dvlpr mailing list > Min...@li... > http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/mingw-dvlpr > Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. |