Text in a 3d environment

Hello, I am designing a game in which I want text to be displayed over certain objects to indicate to the user what to do next.

Sadly, when I was messing around a few weeks ago I got text to appear in the environment when I didnt want it to, now I forget what cause it.

Here is my text drawing function, it works fine for my current menu which is done displaying messages on the users HUD.

Code:

...
void setOrthographicProjection() 
{
     
     // switch to projection mode
	 glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION);
	 // save previous matrix which contains the 
	 //settings for the perspective projection
	 glPushMatrix();
	 // reset matrix
	 glLoadIdentity();
	 // set a 2D orthographic projection
	 gluOrtho2D(0, win_width, 0, win_height);
	 // invert the y axis, down is positive
	 glScalef(1, -1, 1);
	 // mover the origin from the bottom left corner
	 // to the upper left corner
	 glTranslatef(0, -win_height, 0);
	 glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
	 
}

void resetPerspectiveProjection() 
{
     
     glMatrixMode(GL_PROJECTION);
	 glPopMatrix();
	 glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
	
}


void renderBitmapString(float x, float y, float z, void *font, char *string) {
     char *c;
     glRasterPos3f(x, y, z);
     for (c=string; *c != '\0'; c++) {
         glutBitmapCharacter(font, *c);
     }
}

glPushMatrix();
setOrthographicProjection();
glLoadIdentity();
renderBitmapString(30,30,0,(void *)font,"Hello World ");
resetPerspectiveProjection();
glPopMatrix();

This draws text on the screen which follows the camera, if I call

Code:

renderBitmapString(5,3,7,(void *)font,"Hello World ");

at some random coordinate, it isnt displayed in my 3d world. I have a feeling i am missing some matrix multiplication, which I admit I am not quite sure what is needed here.

As well I want this text to face the player, or in a particular direction...but one issue at a time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You should not use a projection matrix unless you are trying to do world-based text - as in the case of displaying information next to an object in your world in world space. For HUDs you should be using ortho matrices.

Originally Posted by Bubba

You should not use a projection matrix unless you are trying to do world-based text - as in the case of displaying information next to an object in your world in world space. For HUDs you should be using ortho matrices.

Are you saying I have to change glMatrixMode to GL_PROJECTION then before I try to put the text in the world?