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Hey Everyone..... i've just finished learning c / c++. i want to progress into programming 4 windows. the problem is that i have no idea what should i learn:
1. MFC
2. Win32API
3. OpenGL
All i've got is the names but i don't know what's behind them...
Thanx...
Timer
1.MFC a set of wrapper classes, which puts a little bit of cushion between you and the API. There have been discussions on this before, just search for WIN32 vs MFC. (here it is: http://www.cprogramming.com/cboard/s...3&pagenumber=1)
2.WIN32API The actual interface between you(the programmer) and windows OS. This is where you create windows directly and handle the messages, ect. No cushion, just down and dirty windows programming.
3. OPENGL A language geared towards game development adn any kind of graphics application( I may be wrong here, but I believe its used in conjunction with either of the options above).
What to learn, depends on what you want to do.
what about DirectX?
DirectX is a set of interfaces which enable you to deal with the available hardware on the computer without having to specifically deal with each individual card. It gives you device independence and yet still allows you to interact directly with the hardware.
To make a windows program:
Win32 API or MFC
To make a game/Hardware accelerated animation:
DirectX + one of above, or OpenGL + one of the above
OpenGL also has a library called GLUT that abstracts the windows stuff so you don't have to know Win32 API or MFC.
Your original question was about programming for windows specifically and not games so throw out DirectX and OpenGL. Win32 API or MFC is your choice. My preference is Win32 API and the best book to learn from is Petzold.
o.k... so OpenGL and DirectX are used in order to control the graphics, but can i write a whole program in OpenGL? like 3Dsnake? or should i first learn Win32API / MFC and then i control extra graphics with DirectX and OpenGL?
Anyway, i've decided on Win32Api...:-)....
Thanx Everyone!
:D
Underestanding the basic API will help you later, go with that before playing with class libraries etc.
Anyone Has a good E-book or somthing like that? maybe a good site? if not i'll buy a book....:-)....
OpenGL and DirectX are more specific API's than the Win32 API. OGL and DX work with windows, not in lieu of.
i've opened a new thread but anyway, which is better? Win32Api or MFC?:confused:
None is "better", I would say. It's a matter of taste which u use. And ur second Thread was kinda unneccesary ;) ;)
... and kind of against the rules, and if I was feeling nasty I would have deleted it! In general, try to keep related topics in the same thread. If people keep creating new threads, other threads tend to dissappear off the bottom of the first page and, sad but true, many people seldom bother to go beyond the first page.