Does anyone know if there are some simple commands using opengl or glut so that when I run my program, a simple gui pops up with my window that I can have a button on???....that way I can push the button and have it alter variables in my program??

Try MFC

Here''s an idea. Create a normal main window with a toolbar/menu whatever and then have your openGL window as a popup child stuck in the middle. You can always resize the child window at will.

Another option would be to use overlayed images on the screen that you can treat at "windows." A sort of custom GUI. Not the easiest solution, but more cross-platform than MFC.

- sighuh?

If you are using GLUT, try GLUI

Its slightly hard to start, and it favors MDI interfaces, but it rawks with OpenGL

GLUI Page

Awesome thanks for the suggestions guys! I think I would try the overlay images but I have too many buttons and things to create....would be cleaner if I could just create another window. I''m looking into GLUT and GLUI right now. thanks so much for all of your suggestions!!