The questions is in the subject. What kind of IDE and c++ compiler should I use under windows? Actually I use Visual C, but I don''t like it too much, so I would like to change. I''ve also tried Dev-C++ but it doesn''t work for me with openIL( uses glext.h, which isn''t included in the dev-c++ package, and if I copy it into the /include it just doesn''t work). VIDE is simply not for me. Could you advise me a good IDE(like visual c) which uses mingw (it is better than others, isn''t it?) and don''t need any special settings for compiling? Thx

I use codewarrior. It works very well, and if you get the student''s edition, which compiles a little slower and has fewer features (you prob. don''t need ''em, I know I don''t) for a very reasonable price. I believe my copy was around 50 US Dollars. I''m not sure, seeing as I haven''t tried, but you should have no problems compiling a program using openIL. I believe I have used something that used glext.h, so I''m betting it would work.

Alex Broadwin
A-Tronic Software & Design
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"if you fail in life, you were destined to fail. If you suceed in life, call me."
"The answer is out there."
"Please help, I''m using Windows!"

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I''ve also tried Dev-C++ but it doesn''t work for me with openIL( uses glext.h, which isn''t included in the dev-c++ package, and if I copy it into the /include it just doesn''t work).

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What do you mean "it just doesn''t work". What errors do you get? It doesn''t sound like it should be so hard to get OpenIL to compile.

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Could you advise me a good IDE(like visual c) which uses mingw
(it is better than others, isn''t it?) and don''t need any
special settings for compiling?

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Whether MinGW/GCC is better than other compilers is of course a matter of opinion; and special settings may be needed for any compiler. It all depends on what you want it to do.

Visual C++ is fine and powerful, and what about Visual Studio .NET, Borland C++, C++ Builder, or CodeWarrior? Whatever you like? But Microsoft must have some things optimizatied for their developing tools. At least I think.

VC++ is good, and you can be sure it will work. Codewarrior is a little harder to use sometimes, but I like it''s design a lot more. It''s all personal preference.

Alex Broadwin
A-Tronic Software & Design
-----
"if you fail in life, you were destined to fail. If you suceed in life, call me."
"The answer is out there."
"Please help, I''m using Windows!"

Hi, you guys, I am using VC++ now. But I am interested in CodeWarrior, I can''t find a snapshot of it. Could you email me one copy of its snapshot? Thanks in advance.

baojia@yahoo.com

Just my 2 cents but I would recommend sticking to MSVC++.

Try going to sourceforge.net and doing a search for Glimmer. I dabble in Linux and this is pretty much the best programming IDE I found.

Course you could always use notepad *g* It''s by no means impossible! Let''s face it - what does an IDE do for a games programmer? It allows you to organise your project somewhat (And you have the bonus of lots of things being automated for you) - in fact MSVC or C++ Builder even helps you write actual applications! But for the -serious- hardcore diehard i-used-to-program-using-punchcards programmers, notepad is the ultimate *g*

Personally, I love MSVC! It does what it does efficiently, and gives you that nice shiny Micro$hite interface. Easy to use, and you can bet your pet hamsters left testicle that if you got an API festering somewhere on your HDD, MSVC can use it I''ve tried BCB but it just didn''t have the library support I needed. DX8 came out and I wanted to play -then- not later, had I have kept it on my HDD I would have had to wait as I couldn''t convert the libraries myself.

I''ve heard nothing but good things about CodeWarrior however I have not had the opportunity to play with that yet.

Whatever you choose though, just stick with it - it''ll grow on you *g*

Notepad nah, PFE is where it''s at

Thank you for your answers.
Btw. I could fix the problem with OpenIL(I hope, but I don''t have time to think about such problems...


-- tSG --

Don''t mock notepad... I use Code Genie, which essentially is Notepad with color coding and smarter window management (MDI windows). And has a customizable menu in which you could add commands for your compiler,linker etc.. It can also capture the ouput from these programs. For debuging I use Borland Turbo debugger (the free version) which is quite dated but it works and I use Borland 5.5 compiler (free console version).
It might sound like I am some kind of retro-programmer but it actually works fine, you just have to get used to it.