It is possible to use windows GUI (menu bar, combobox, labels, listbox, etc) with Allegro?
I looked at the manual and I only found Shawn's old-AtariST-based-GUI, which is really ugly (btw, I think Allegro 4.2 deserves a better GUI).
I decided to use windowed mode for my level editor and I want to use Windows GUI for that, I also want to use several additional windows if were necessary.
My level editor should look like this:
http://www.freeimagelibrary.com/images/PaulPaul/ss2_3.png
I know there are a lot of free GUIs for Allegro, but I don't want to use them, most Allegro GUIs were designed for games, not for applications, and my level editor should look like a serious application.
]]>It is possible to use windows GUI (menu bar, combobox, labels, listbox, etc) with Allegro?
Yes.
You should be able to 'blit' Allegro into a picture-box (or any other widget) because they all have HWNDs/HDCs.
Obviously you'll lose that cross-platform ability - maybe someone will recommend wxwidgets or other.
]]>Off-Topic Question: If Windows uses HWNDs/HDCs what do other OSes use? If anything.
]]>I think I'll need some help:-/
Here is typical "Hellow world" windows program.
How should I add allegro in a program like this?
How can I blit something on it?
| 1 | sizeof(WNDCLASSEX); |
| 2 | // tyty.cpp : Defines the entry point for the application. |
| 3 | // |
| 4 | |
| 5 | #include "stdafx.h" |
| 6 | #include "resource.h" |
| 7 | |
| 8 | #define MAX_LOADSTRING 100 |
| 9 | |
| 10 | // Global Variables: |
| 11 | HINSTANCE hInst; // current instance |
| 12 | TCHAR szTitle[MAX_LOADSTRING]; // The title bar text |
| 13 | TCHAR szWindowClass[MAX_LOADSTRING]; // The title bar text |
| 14 | |
| 15 | // Foward declarations of functions included in this code module: |
| 16 | ATOM MyRegisterClass(HINSTANCE hInstance); |
| 17 | BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE, int); |
| 18 | LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM); |
| 19 | LRESULT CALLBACK About(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM); |
| 20 | |
| 21 | int APIENTRY WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, |
| 22 | HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, |
| 23 | LPSTR lpCmdLine, |
| 24 | int nCmdShow) |
| 25 | { |
| 26 | // TODO: Place code here. |
| 27 | MSG msg; |
| 28 | HACCEL hAccelTable; |
| 29 | |
| 30 | // Initialize global strings |
| 31 | LoadString(hInstance, IDS_APP_TITLE, szTitle, MAX_LOADSTRING); |
| 32 | LoadString(hInstance, IDC_TYTY, szWindowClass, MAX_LOADSTRING); |
| 33 | MyRegisterClass(hInstance); |
| 34 | |
| 35 | // Perform application initialization: |
| 36 | if (!InitInstance (hInstance, nCmdShow)) |
| 37 | { |
| 38 | return FALSE; |
| 39 | } |
| 40 | |
| 41 | hAccelTable = LoadAccelerators(hInstance, (LPCTSTR)IDC_TYTY); |
| 42 | |
| 43 | // Main message loop: |
| 44 | while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0)) |
| 45 | { |
| 46 | if (!TranslateAccelerator(msg.hwnd, hAccelTable, &msg)) |
| 47 | { |
| 48 | TranslateMessage(&msg); |
| 49 | DispatchMessage(&msg); |
| 50 | } |
| 51 | } |
| 52 | |
| 53 | return msg.wParam; |
| 54 | } |
| 55 | |
| 56 | |
| 57 | |
| 58 | // |
| 59 | // FUNCTION: MyRegisterClass() |
| 60 | // |
| 61 | // PURPOSE: Registers the window class. |
| 62 | // |
| 63 | // COMMENTS: |
| 64 | // |
| 65 | // This function and its usage is only necessary if you want this code |
| 66 | // to be compatible with Win32 systems prior to the 'RegisterClassEx' |
| 67 | // function that was added to Windows 95. It is important to call this function |
| 68 | // so that the application will get 'well formed' small icons associated |
| 69 | // with it. |
| 70 | // |
| 71 | ATOM MyRegisterClass(HINSTANCE hInstance) |
| 72 | { |
| 73 | WNDCLASSEX wcex; |
| 74 | |
| 75 | wcex.cbSize = |
| 76 | wcex.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW; |
| 77 | wcex.lpfnWndProc = (WNDPROC)WndProc; |
| 78 | wcex.cbClsExtra = 0; |
| 79 | wcex.cbWndExtra = 0; |
| 80 | wcex.hInstance = hInstance; |
| 81 | wcex.hIcon = LoadIcon(hInstance, (LPCTSTR)IDI_TYTY); |
| 82 | wcex.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW); |
| 83 | wcex.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW+1); |
| 84 | wcex.lpszMenuName = (LPCSTR)IDC_TYTY; |
| 85 | wcex.lpszClassName = szWindowClass; |
| 86 | wcex.hIconSm = LoadIcon(wcex.hInstance, (LPCTSTR)IDI_SMALL); |
| 87 | |
| 88 | return RegisterClassEx(&wcex); |
| 89 | } |
| 90 | |
| 91 | // |
| 92 | // FUNCTION: InitInstance(HANDLE, int) |
| 93 | // |
| 94 | // PURPOSE: Saves instance handle and creates main window |
| 95 | // |
| 96 | // COMMENTS: |
| 97 | // |
| 98 | // In this function, we save the instance handle in a global variable and |
| 99 | // create and display the main program window. |
| 100 | // |
| 101 | BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow) |
| 102 | { |
| 103 | HWND hWnd; |
| 104 | |
| 105 | hInst = hInstance; // Store instance handle in our global variable |
| 106 | |
| 107 | hWnd = CreateWindow(szWindowClass, szTitle, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, |
| 108 | CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL); |
| 109 | |
| 110 | if (!hWnd) |
| 111 | { |
| 112 | return FALSE; |
| 113 | } |
| 114 | |
| 115 | ShowWindow(hWnd, nCmdShow); |
| 116 | UpdateWindow(hWnd); |
| 117 | |
| 118 | return TRUE; |
| 119 | } |
| 120 | |
| 121 | // |
| 122 | // FUNCTION: WndProc(HWND, unsigned, WORD, LONG) |
| 123 | // |
| 124 | // PURPOSE: Processes messages for the main window. |
| 125 | // |
| 126 | // WM_COMMAND - process the application menu |
| 127 | // WM_PAINT - Paint the main window |
| 128 | // WM_DESTROY - post a quit message and return |
| 129 | // |
| 130 | // |
| 131 | LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) |
| 132 | { |
| 133 | int wmId, wmEvent; |
| 134 | PAINTSTRUCT ps; |
| 135 | HDC hdc; |
| 136 | TCHAR szHello[MAX_LOADSTRING]; |
| 137 | LoadString(hInst, IDS_HELLO, szHello, MAX_LOADSTRING); |
| 138 | |
| 139 | switch (message) |
| 140 | { |
| 141 | case WM_COMMAND: |
| 142 | wmId = LOWORD(wParam); |
| 143 | wmEvent = HIWORD(wParam); |
| 144 | // Parse the menu selections: |
| 145 | switch (wmId) |
| 146 | { |
| 147 | case IDM_ABOUT: |
| 148 | DialogBox(hInst, (LPCTSTR)IDD_ABOUTBOX, hWnd, (DLGPROC)About); |
| 149 | break; |
| 150 | case IDM_EXIT: |
| 151 | DestroyWindow(hWnd); |
| 152 | break; |
| 153 | default: |
| 154 | return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam); |
| 155 | } |
| 156 | break; |
| 157 | case WM_PAINT: |
| 158 | hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps); |
| 159 | // TODO: Add any drawing code here... |
| 160 | RECT rt; |
| 161 | GetClientRect(hWnd, &rt); |
| 162 | DrawText(hdc, szHello, strlen(szHello), &rt, DT_CENTER); |
| 163 | EndPaint(hWnd, &ps); |
| 164 | break; |
| 165 | case WM_DESTROY: |
| 166 | PostQuitMessage(0); |
| 167 | break; |
| 168 | default: |
| 169 | return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam); |
| 170 | } |
| 171 | return 0; |
| 172 | } |
| 173 | |
| 174 | // Mesage handler for about box. |
| 175 | LRESULT CALLBACK About(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) |
| 176 | { |
| 177 | switch (message) |
| 178 | { |
| 179 | case WM_INITDIALOG: |
| 180 | return TRUE; |
| 181 | |
| 182 | case WM_COMMAND: |
| 183 | if (LOWORD(wParam) == IDOK || LOWORD(wParam) == IDCANCEL) |
| 184 | { |
| 185 | EndDialog(hDlg, LOWORD(wParam)); |
| 186 | return TRUE; |
| 187 | } |
| 188 | break; |
| 189 | } |
| 190 | return FALSE; |
| 191 | } |
Obviously you'll lose that cross-platform ability
Yes, I am working only on Windows at the moment.
]]>I don't know WIN32 API. I tried learning it with DirectX 6 but it was a mistake at my level. I learnt most of the Windows programming stuff via Visual Basic 6.
Look at these functions (and others) described in the Allegro Manual:
win_set_window(HWND wnd); blit_to_hdc(BITMAP *bitmap, HDC dc, int sx, sy, dx, dy, w, h);
]]>
It would be possible to write a wrapper for this purpose instead? so I can keep my code 100% allegro-friendly:D, those win32 code lines hurts my eyes badly every time I see them:(
]]>It would be possible to write a wrapper for this purpose instead?
Just a question, are you going to be using the WIN32 widgets only for a map editor? If so, I personally would have just have used C# or VB.NET which is almost as easy as VB6 to do form based applications.
]]>Just a question, are you going to be using the WIN32 widgets only for a map editor?
A "map editor" is not what I have in mind, a complex level editor instead, you know (tiles, objects placement, enemies, AI, mission creation, routes, story, etc).
Now I am open to suggestions about which allegro GUI should I try for my level editor (it has to allow comercial usage).
I won't give up so easily;), but now I am working in a prototype and I think it would be stupid to waste my time in such silly details.
I personally would have just have used C# or VB.NET which is almost as easy as VB6
I want to make my level editor interactive, so the game "engine" has to be running inside the level editor
]]>Why not use QT4 Open Source for Mingw? GUI for all OSes and skinnable too?
]]>Can you give me a link?
Also I am thinking to change from MSVC6 to MingW, but I don't know where to start:-/
Can you give me some advice to install Mingw with Dev-c?
[EDIT]
It seems that QT is something more than a GUI, and it is expensive!
]]>It seems that QT is something more than a GUI
So is Win32.
and it is expensive!
Expensive, IF you dont want to use the GPL version. Othwerwise its free for linux, osx, and windows.
]]>
Also I am thinking to change from MSVC6 to MingW, but I don't know where to start:-/
Can you give me some advice to install Mingw with Dev-c?
Dev-C++ would come with MinGW unless you get the one that says "IDE only" or "compiler not included".
It's so simple that I did it 
Look in /allegro/tests/win for some examples that use regular windows programming stuff along with allegro.
]]>That's exactly what I wanted!, a true win32-allegro hybrid program.
It seems dibsound.c is the first program featuring resizable windows and a system menu bar using allegro... and win32
Thanks guys!