GLUT API based on SDL?

SDL Development
1

Hi all,

I’m a developer with the OpenGLUT project.
www.openglut.org

OpenGLUT aims to provide a fully open-source
replacement for the GLUT library, as well some
additional new features and refinements.

I’ve been toying with the idea of using SDL
for back-end platform specifics and event-loop:
turning OpenGLUT into a thin layer on top of
SDL.

I can see some major advantages in taking
this approach, including the portability,
stability and (relatively) large existing
user base. I also like the idea of being
able to bolt SDL libraries onto existing
GLUT applications without too much porting.

I’m floating this out to the SDL list in
case people here know of previous efforts
or potential issues. I’m yet to do the
basic check-list of feature-for-feature
matching such as multiple windows and
pop-up menus.

Regards,

Nigel Stewart

2

This is already the major issue (considering GLUT-compatibility):
SDL does not provide multiple window support.

Regards,
Johannes

< http://libufo.sourceforge.net > The OpenGL GUI ToolkitAm Mittwoch 22 Dezember 2004 04:34 schrieb Nigel Stewart:

I’m floating this out to the SDL list in
case people here know of previous efforts
or potential issues. I’m yet to do the
basic check-list of feature-for-feature
matching such as multiple windows and
pop-up menus.

3

Johannes Schmidt wrote:

I’m floating this out to the SDL list in
case people here know of previous efforts
or potential issues. I’m yet to do the
basic check-list of feature-for-feature
matching such as multiple windows and
pop-up menus.

This is already the major issue (considering GLUT-compatibility):
SDL does not provide multiple window support.

Pro: This will be implemented “sometime” ™ in the future.

Con: Minor other point that comes to mind: there’s the issue of code
bloat (comparing my debian server .so files, libglut < libSDL by circa
170k, and that’s with only 1.2.4 and the base lib - I’m sure 1.2.8,
especially if you factor in some of the secondary libs, is even bigger).
This increases the size of total dependancies… not sure if it has any
effect on the standard lazy importing, although I’m guessing it would be
trivial…

Pro: Then again, I’ve had SDL set up OGL be hardware accelerated on a
system (RH9 off ISOs) where game mode GLUT hasn’t, which is the main
reason I got into SDL in the first place. I believe that was due to a
very FUBARed installation of the nVidia drivers and probably dosn’t
occur often… but what do I know?

There’s also the option of creating two branches - keeping the current
OpenGLUT code in place, and having… OpenGLUTOnSDL. I don’t imagine
there would be much mantinence needed once written.

  • Mike> Am Mittwoch 22 Dezember 2004 04:34 schrieb Nigel Stewart:

Regards,
Johannes

< http://libufo.sourceforge.net > The OpenGL GUI Toolkit

SDL mailing list
SDL at libsdl.org
http://www.libsdl.org/mailman/listinfo/sdl

4

Hi all,

I’m a developer with the OpenGLUT project.
www.openglut.org

OpenGLUT aims to provide a fully open-source
replacement for the GLUT library, as well some
additional new features and refinements.

A few months ago I was looking for a portable backend for a project I
have been thinking about. I have a fair amount of experience with SDL
and GLUT. My project requires multi-window support. After looking
carefully at all three (SDL, OpenGlut, and FreeGlut) I decided it would
be better to add multiwindow support to SDL than to try to use any
version of GLUT.

But, that does raise the main problem that SDL does not currently have
multiwindow support. Once it is in place, then building GLUT as a thin
layer on top of SDL would be simple and would make a lot of sense.

I’ll happily talk to you about the problems of adding multiple window
support to SDL, email me at @Bob_Pendleton. But, don’t expect a quick
reply between now and 1/3/2005 :slight_smile:

The key thing to remember is that even when they are working on a couple
of platforms, the drivers for every other platform will have to be
modified to also support them. This process will take some time. I can’t
estimate how long. SDL supports a huge number of different platforms.

	Bob PendletonOn Tue, 2004-12-21 at 21:34, Nigel Stewart wrote:

I’ve been toying with the idea of using SDL
for back-end platform specifics and event-loop:
turning OpenGLUT into a thin layer on top of
SDL.

I can see some major advantages in taking
this approach, including the portability,
stability and (relatively) large existing
user base. I also like the idea of being
able to bolt SDL libraries onto existing
GLUT applications without too much porting.

I’m floating this out to the SDL list in
case people here know of previous efforts
or potential issues. I’m yet to do the
basic check-list of feature-for-feature
matching such as multiple windows and
pop-up menus.

Regards,

Nigel Stewart

SDL mailing list
SDL at libsdl.org
http://www.libsdl.org/mailman/listinfo/sdl
–
±-------------------------------------+