Direct 3D

[The_Fog]

can you ppl recommend any good beginners book about Direct 3D programming from VB. I'm going to make an app. in Direct 3D, and I'm going to write it in msvc++, but I thought I'd be a good start to learn it in vb, and then move on to c++..
Do you agree?

Help plz.. :-)

Thanks!

//Benny

[Zaei]

It depends on how well you know C++. If you are a bit shaky on your C++, you should start in VB, but if you know the basics of Windows API programming, go straight for C++. Some things in VB are a bit different then in C++ (VertexBuffers and IndexBuffers come to mind). If you dont know pointers, start with VB.

There are many good tutorials at http://www.vbexplorer.com/directx4vb . If you start with VB, and plan to move on to C++, just remember that there are differences, and when you move on, remember that. The best advice I can give you though, is to start at the beginning, and work your way up to where you want to be. You will not learn this stuff over night, and probably not in a few months. Just stick with it, and dont get ahead of yourself, or you will get quite lost, and lose all interest in it. Dont get frusterated when something goes wrong. And, if you do work your way up, then Ill be here to help you out with just about anything =).

Z.

[The_Fog]

I know "some" c++.. The thing is that we studied c++ in school for about a year, but we didn't have any new computers (or programs), so we coded c++ using borlands Turbo c++ 4.1 or something like that..
So I've never programmed (at least almost never) any c++ in windows. But I know a bit more then the basics of c++. Do you know any good tutorial about windows api programming from c++?

When it comes to choose between vb and c++.. I will code the app. in vb at first, since I and the one that makes the graphics has got a lot of ideas floating around in our heads right now, and I think it's easier and faster to try different approches in vb. But when we have decided the interface, graphics, and so on, I plan to rewrite it in c++ to get some decent performance. :-)

Thanks for the DirectX4VB link.. :-) And you can be sure that'll I'll be back in a few days/weeks to terrorize you with a bunch of D3D questions.. ;-)

anyway.. thanks man!

[Zaei]

Good =). It gets boring around here with all of these BitBlt questions =P.

Anyway, If you want to learn a whole lot about C++ WinApi Programming, hang around the C++ forums here. Although, you really only need to know how to create a window, which is easy, and covered in the DirectX8 SDK tutorials for C++.

As for being faster to implement in VB, i cant really say you will see much of a difference, except that implementing in VB might be slower, although I agree that is where to start. Since you are pretty much starting from scratch, you dont get to just drop controls on a form and go, you actually have to program the form and the controls =). Anyway, just remember to work from the gorund up, and youll be fine.

Z.