Text in a 3d environment

[Iconate]

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.

...
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

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.

[VirtualAce]

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.

[Iconate]

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?