Thread: OpenGL .dll vs video card dll

  1. #1
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    OpenGL .dll vs video card dll

    I'm going to have to at least touch upon the relationship between the .dlls required to install OpenGL and the .dlls required to for your video card. I'm going to explain what I 'know' and I need someone to critique me.


    In order for a piece of hardware to work, a programmer must write the instructions for it to follow. These instructions are saved in libraries and installed on your computer. When you updated your video card, for example, you are updating the latest implementation for the libraries of your video card. The quality of a video device usually depends on the quality of the library that drives the hardware. In order to write your own programs that utilize your graphics hardware using OpenGL, you must install the OpenGL libraries. OpenGL acts as a specification, the OpenGL implemented on one video card should contain the same basic functionality as OpenGL implemented on another video card. Some video card manufacturers implement what are called OpenGL extensions. An OpenGL extension is functionality that lies outside the specification of the OpenGL architecture. Anyway when you write a program using OpenGL, you make calls to the OpenGL .dlls installed on your system. Those .dlls then make calls to the OpenGL enabled hardware currently installed in your system.


    I think for the most part that explanation is complete, but I want to know more about the actual linking between the opengl .dlls and the video card .dlls, I don't know how they 'interface' to each other. Any questions comments, shoot.
    Last edited by Silvercord; 02-11-2003 at 07:55 AM.

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    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    Just wanted to note this may end up making a very nice FAQ thread, good idea man.

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    Just wanted to note this may end up making a very nice FAQ thread, good idea man.
    Thanks RoD, that would be pretty cool if it turned into a sticky. Are you a moderator or something now? Anyways this is actually for a presentation at school, and unless I find out more I'm just using what I have posted, but I'm afraid I described something incorrectly. Oh well.

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    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    No, not a moderator. We need a FAQ specific to Game Programming i think, being its such a specific section and we got alot of repition it seems. Perhaps if you, myself, and travis (among others if they wish to help) can accumulate some good strong FAQ topics from different FAQ's and this forum we could convince the higher-ups to take up the idea.

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    I agree this forum needs to get some new breath-o-live.

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    Well I dunno, the sticky you posted seems to have a wealth of information already. We could just keep referring to those for newbies for the time being (we would be doing the same thing with the FAQ).

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    OpenGL acts as a specification
    I'd say: OpenGL is a specification, or OpenGL acts as a middle-man.
    Edit: Do you still use ICQ?

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    I'd say: OpenGL is a specification, or OpenGL acts as a middle-man.
    Yeah I guess I could change that part, that could make it more clear. No I don't really go on icq anymore, or any chat progs, distracting, but i'll go on soon if you wanna chat.

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    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    Well we got webmasters permission to compile a seperate FAQ for game programming if we wish too.

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    Originally posted by RoD
    Well we got webmasters permission to compile a seperate FAQ for game programming if we wish too.
    Well, I'm sure whe'd all like a FAQ covering the basics, Now how
    on earth are we to accomplish that? Any idea hoe wide-ranged
    the 'game programming' is? Very.

  11. #11
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    We read others FAQ's, and read through this forum section and compile the top coverd topics, may it be 10 or 500, and we assemble a FAQ. I'll do it myself if no-one wants in, i just figured i'd make a suggestion.

    I'm not saying we solve every problem here.

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    What other board faq's are you talking about exactly? The only
    thing is see is the READ THIS FIRST! threads.

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    i mean totally other forums, such as bits and pieces from opengl.org and other game programming sites. We could do a BASIC introduction to general programming and answer alot of faq's based on those others.

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    Hmm, tough answer. Every person I know that knows OpenGL learned it through a lot of time spent focusing. That said, I think it's perfectly acceptable to say 'We've put a bunch of links for you to poke through, OpenGL is hard, we'll answer questions if we can/when you need, good luck". I don't mean to be insensitive, but OpenGL is a very extensive api (well, I guess every api is extensive) and if you aren't willing to look through the list of good sites RoD compiled then I kinda doubt you'd be willing to spend the time actually learning the api.

    Just to clear my name, I don't fit what i'm describing 100%, but I do think everything I've learned was because I did it on my own without making too many stupid threads. Do you see what I'm trying to say here?

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    Yea, make a good point.

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