Future of OpenGL package (Was: OpenGL ? Re: gcc 3.3.1: include problem solved)

[Andre Bleau]

Brian Ford wrote:

>These questions are mainly directed at Andre Bleau (Cygwin's OpenGL
>maintainer).
>
>I am glad that the ambiguity in gcc include search paths has been
>resolved.  However, the OpenGL includes in w32api/GL are from Mesa, and
>are thus more complete and up-to-date.

Well, I hope that Earnie Boyd, maintainer for the w32api package, will join 
this discussion.


>What are the long term plans, if any, for reconciling these two
>implementations?  It seems silly to have two copies of esstially the same
>thing.

I agree. Maybe it's time to break-up the OpenGL package into several parts:

API to native Windows OpenGL implementation, accessible through M$'s 
opengl32.dll could be in the w32api package, as it is now. The GL include 
directory could be in /usr/include/w32api exclusively, without need for 
another in /usr/include.

API to GLUT could be in a GLUT package, while the GLUT32.dll could be in a 
GLUT-runtime package.

API to GLUI and GLUIX could be in a GLUI package. There is no dll for both 
of these. They are C++ static libraries that would need to be repackaged 
each time that the C++ interface changes, as has been the case between g++ 
2.95, 3.2, and now 3.3. I hope that this interface will remain stable for a 
while now.


>Are there any plans to update Cygwin's OpenGL headers to include 1.3 or
>1.4 support?  Be it via using the w32api Mesa ones, or by other means.

Let that be clear: headers alone will not provide access to OpenGL 1.2+ 
functionnality. You will still have to program the loading of OpenGL 
extensions, if they are available from the graphic card driver. Maybe 
something like extgl (http://www.levp.de/3d/index.html) could be packaged 
for Cygwin to make that easier.


>Are there any plans to update Cygwin's glut to the current Nate Robins
>version?

Could be done; however, it is nearly 2 years old and provides no new 
functionnality. It is sad, but GLUT is dead. There is a project in 
sourceforge for a replacement: freeglut 
(http://freeglut.sourceforge.net/fg/), but is still IMO too buggy for prime 
time. However, it is actively developped and debugged, and a stable release 
is supposed to come "real soon".


>Thanks.
>
>BTW, I'm more than willing to help here.  But since your the maintainer, I
>need to know how you want to proceed.

Good to hear that. Lets discuss the issues above. Anybody interested in GL 
programming in the Cygwin environment? Please join in.





André Bleau, Cygwin's OpenGL package maintainer.

Please address all questions and problem reports about Cygwin's OpenGL 
package to cygwin@cygwin.com . 


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