Thread: Learning DirectX 6.1. Still Good...?

  1. #1
    Ecologist
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    Aug 2001
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    Utah.
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    Learning DirectX 6.1. Still Good...?

    I recently got a new computer with Windows XP. I
    guess Windows XP comes with DirectX 8.0. I'm
    about ready to start learning how to program
    Windows Games. I have Lamothe's Tricks of the
    Windows game Programming Gurus
    book, but that
    focuses on, I think, DirectX 6.1.

    Would I be able to use the DirectX 6.1 SDK with
    Microsoft Visual C++ .NET and Windows XP? I mean,
    since Windows XP has DirectX 8, will it still run
    the programs I write that use the DX6 SDK? Or
    do I need to install DX6?
    Code:
    /************************************************
    *Warning: The Following questions are Off Topic.*
    *I'm sorry about that. It's just that I didn't  *
    *get much sleep last night, and I am too tired  *
    *and/or lazy to walk all the way over to an     *
    *entirely different board to ask these. Mods, if*
    *this is a huge problem, feel free to discipline*
    *me. I would understand. Honest.                *
    ************************************************/
    Also, I might as well ask this, too. Can programs
    that are compiled with .NET run on Windows 98/ME?
    I know I need XP/2000 to use .NET, but... Should
    I stick with the introductory edition of MSCVC++
    6.0? I would really like a new compiler; one that
    allows me to distribute things I make.

    Thanks.
    Sorry if my questions make no sense. I don't really
    know a whole lot about this stuff.
    Staying away from General.

  2. #2
    Used Registerer jdinger's Avatar
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    Yep. DirectX is based on COM so it's backward compatible. You can use stuff like DirectDraw etc. (even though it's not part of DX 8). Is use DirectDraw (DX 7) and I have the DX 8.1 SDK installed on my system.

    As far as the .NET compiles working on Win98, etc. I would assume they would. Write a simple, small window's app and post a zip of the *.exe here and I'll try it on my Win98 machine.

  3. #3
    Ecologist
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    So I don't need the DX6.1 SDK? If I downloaded
    the DX8 SDK, I would still be able to work with
    all the code that is in the Tricks...Gurus book?

    Well, if my program compiles when I #include
    ddraw.h (and I have the DX8 SDK), what do people
    mean when they say that DirectDraw was eliminated
    from DirectX 8?

  4. #4
    . Driveway's Avatar
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    It wasn't eliminated, they just stopped updatind DirectDraw at 7.0

  5. #5
    Registered User
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    You can run .NET apps on win98 if you download the tiny (reaaalllly small) .Net framework.

  6. #6
    Christian
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
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    612
    As stated above you will be able to use directx 6 infact you might be able to use directx 3 if you wanted. There might be a few issuses that arise if the compiler tries to use the the latest version of dx instead of 6. That can be over come easly thought I forgot how someone said to do it.

    Second your programs will run on 98/Me as your not developing a .net application.

    Also you must likly will not have to download the sdk because the compiler should come with it.
    I shall call egypt the harmless dragon

    -Isaiah 30.7

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