Managed DirectX Tutorials: Part 1 - Setting Up DirectX

• Download demo project - 2.72 Kb
• Download source - 7.18 Kb

Introduction

This is the first in a series of tutorials which will allow you to create your own game engine (from initialization, to a fully rotatable, height mapped 3D world!).

Although this particular edition is quite simple, it explains many of the key concepts to writing a DirectX application. Even if you have some experience with this API, I would advise you to at least skim read through this document before attempting other tutorials.

Please note that DirectX is not a good subject for beginners to programming or managed code - it makes full use of many features such as event handling etc. This tutorial will assume that you are familiar with the managed environment, C#, and Visual Studio.

Background

The code from these tutorials is taken from my own game engine: MAGEngine.NET, at different stages in development.

Using the code

You may use all of the code I provide as how you see fit, except to create another tutorial. You can use it as a sturdy(ish ;)) framework for your own applications, or print loads of copies off so that when I'm rich and famous you can sell them for $100 each ;)

Prerequisites

To do this series of tutorials, you will need:

• C# Compiler (preferably Visual C# 2005 Express)
• Managed DirectX 9.0 October SDK

What Is DirectX?

DirectX is an API designed to give you (the programmer) a set of functions to access the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of a computer. Managed DirectX is split into multiple sections:

• DirectX Graphics
• DirectX Sound
• DirectX Input

The First Steps

Before you can go ahead and make Doom IV, you need to slow down and take a few simple steps. First, download and install the DirectX SDK. Then install it to your hard drive. Now, in Visual C#, create a new Windows application called �DirectX Project�. To use the DirectX API, you need to tell the compiler to add certain references � just as in any other managed application. To do this, go to the Solution Explorer, and right click on the References folder. Click �Add Reference�. From there, choose the following references to add to your project:

• Microsoft.DirectX
• Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D

Now, all you need to do is add using statements for these namespaces to the top of your code files. Now, when you make a new Windows application, Visual Studio generates more code than you need for a DirectX application. So, delete the �Designer� file for your window class, as we do not need this.

When you have done this, save your work and move onto Tutorial 2: Initializing Direct3D!

Contact

Please send all emails to xpyder@magclan.cwhnetworks.com. I do have MSN Messenger, my email address for this is jamespraveen@aol.com.

History

• 19/01/06: Submitted tutorials 1-3 to CodeProject.