Graphical console apps

Hi all,

What I know is that for graphics programming using C++ we need a library, whether that library is very strong and famous like Qt or not like FLTK. Right up to here?
I also watch the video below but really don't know is it using a library and if so what please?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4EuZI8Q8cs

And there are other console apps which have graphical countenance. Any experience in this case?
Last edited on
What I know is that for graphics programming using C++ we need a library, whether that library is very strong and famous like Qt or not like FLTK.
Qt and FLTK are meant to be used to make GUI applications. Although they can be used for graphics programming, such as for games, they contain a lot of functionality that not needed for that, so you could end up with an unnecessarily big program.

I also watch the video below but really don't know is it using a library and if so what please?
The program in the video is using SFML. SFML is a library primarily intended to make games and game engines, but is suitable for any interactive application where you need to output graphics and/or audio.

And there are other console apps which have graphical countenance. Any experience in this case?
There exist console programs that emulate graphical interfaces using special characters from the screen font. This is called "terminal user interface". For example:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yYF71glpYlA/maxresdefault.jpg
https://i.stack.imgur.com/6emu6.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/Synchronet.png
TUIs are not considered graphics.
ncurses and PDcurses can be used to make TUIs. If you're thinking about making a TUI application, consider making a GUI instead. although TUIs look cool, GUIs are more capable in every way. GUIs are also easier to make because you don't have to work around the limitations of the console.
Thank you, you hit the nail on the head by your explanations.
You sounded that you don't consider Qt appropriate for C++ games. Did you think of OpenGL rather than that?
Last edited on
It's not that I think Qt is not appropriate for games. There are cases where it makes sense to write your game with Qt. For example, if you want the game program to also serve as the level editor, it may make sense to write everything in Qt; that way the level editor can have standard-looking widgets.

If you're just writing a game, and not a game engine, OpenGL is probably too low level to be practical. Something like SDL, SFML, or even Irrlicht is probably more useful.
OpenGL is probably too low level to be practical.
Yes, you're right. E.g., look at the code below and its simple output. But I've chosen OpenGL and need it.

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#include <glad/glad.h>
#include <GLFW/glfw3.h>

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void framebuffer_size_callback(GLFWwindow* window, int width, int height);
void processInput(GLFWwindow *window);

// settings
const unsigned int SCR_WIDTH = 800;
const unsigned int SCR_HEIGHT = 600;

const char *vertexShaderSource = "#version 330 core\n"
"layout (location = 0) in vec3 aPos;\n"
"void main()\n"
"{\n"
"   gl_Position = vec4(aPos.x, aPos.y, aPos.z, 1.0);\n"
"}\0";
const char *fragmentShaderSource = "#version 330 core\n"
"out vec4 FragColor;\n"
"void main()\n"
"{\n"
"   FragColor = vec4(1.0f, 0.5f, 0.2f, 1.0f);\n"
"}\n\0";

int main()
{
	// glfw: initialize and configure
	// ------------------------------
	glfwInit();
	glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MAJOR, 3);
	glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MINOR, 3);
	glfwWindowHint(GLFW_OPENGL_PROFILE, GLFW_OPENGL_CORE_PROFILE);

#ifdef __APPLE__
	glfwWindowHint(GLFW_OPENGL_FORWARD_COMPAT, GL_TRUE); // uncomment this statement to fix compilation on OS X
#endif

 // glfw window creation
// --------------------
	GLFWwindow* window = glfwCreateWindow(SCR_WIDTH, SCR_HEIGHT, "LearnOpenGL", NULL, NULL);
	if (window == NULL)
	{
		cout << "Failed to create GLFW window" << endl;
		glfwTerminate();
		return -1;
	}
	glfwMakeContextCurrent(window);
	glfwSetFramebufferSizeCallback(window, framebuffer_size_callback);

	// glad: load all OpenGL function pointers
	// ---------------------------------------
	if (!gladLoadGLLoader((GLADloadproc)glfwGetProcAddress))
	{
		cout << "Failed to initialize GLAD" << endl;
		return -1;
	}


	// build and compile our shader program
	// ------------------------------------
	// vertex shader
	int vertexShader = glCreateShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER);
	glShaderSource(vertexShader, 1, &vertexShaderSource, NULL);
	glCompileShader(vertexShader);

	// check for shader compile errors
	int success;
	char infoLog[512];
	glGetShaderiv(vertexShader, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &success);
	if (!success)
	{
		glGetShaderInfoLog(vertexShader, 512, NULL, infoLog);
		cout << "ERROR::SHADER::VERTEX::COMPILATION_FAILED\n" << infoLog << endl;
	}

	// fragment shader
	int fragmentShader = glCreateShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER);
	glShaderSource(fragmentShader, 1, &fragmentShaderSource, NULL);
	glCompileShader(fragmentShader);

	// check for shader compile errors
	glGetShaderiv(fragmentShader, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, &success);
	if (!success)
	{
		glGetShaderInfoLog(fragmentShader, 512, NULL, infoLog);
		cout << "ERROR::SHADER::FRAGMENT::COMPILATION_FAILED\n" << infoLog << endl;
	}

	// link shaders
	int shaderProgram = glCreateProgram();
	glAttachShader(shaderProgram, vertexShader);
	glAttachShader(shaderProgram, fragmentShader);
	glLinkProgram(shaderProgram);

	// check for linking errors
	glGetProgramiv(shaderProgram, GL_LINK_STATUS, &success);
	if (!success) {
		glGetProgramInfoLog(shaderProgram, 512, NULL, infoLog);
		cout << "ERROR::SHADER::PROGRAM::LINKING_FAILED\n" << infoLog << endl;
	}
	glDeleteShader(vertexShader);
	glDeleteShader(fragmentShader);

	// set up vertex data (and buffer(s)) and configure vertex attributes
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------
	float vertices[] = {
		0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f,  // top right
		0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f,  // bottom right
		-0.5f, -0.5f, 0.0f,  // bottom left
		-0.5f,  0.5f, 0.0f   // top left 
	};
	unsigned int indices[] = {  // note that we start from 0!
		0, 1, 3,  // first Triangle
		1, 2, 3   // second Triangle
	};
	unsigned int VBO, VAO, EBO;
	glGenVertexArrays(1, &VAO);
	glGenBuffers(1, &VBO);
	glGenBuffers(1, &EBO);

	// bind the Vertex Array Object first, then bind and set vertex buffer(s), 
	//and then configure vertex attributes(s).
	glBindVertexArray(VAO);

	glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, VBO);
	glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, sizeof(vertices), vertices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

	glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, EBO);
	glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, sizeof(indices), indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);

	glVertexAttribPointer(0, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 3 * sizeof(float), (void*)0);
	glEnableVertexAttribArray(0);

	// note that this is allowed, the call to glVertexAttribPointer registered VBO 
	//as the vertex attribute's bound vertex buffer object so afterwards we can safely unbind
	glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);

	// remember: do NOT unbind the EBO while a VAO is active as the bound element buffer 
	//	object IS stored in the VAO; keep the EBO bound.
	//glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);

	// You can unbind the VAO afterwards so other VAO calls won't accidentally modify 
	//this VAO, but this rarely happens. Modifying other
	// VAOs requires a call to glBindVertexArray anyways so we generally don't 
	//unbind VAOs (nor VBOs) when it's not directly necessary.
	glBindVertexArray(0);


	// uncomment this call to draw in wireframe polygons.
	//glPolygonMode(GL_FRONT_AND_BACK, GL_LINE);

	// render loop
	// -----------
	while (!glfwWindowShouldClose(window))
	{
		// input
		// -----
		processInput(window);

		// render
		// ------
		glClearColor(0.2f, 0.3f, 0.3f, 1.0f);
		glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);

		// draw our first triangle
		glUseProgram(shaderProgram);
		glBindVertexArray(VAO); // seeing as we only have a single VAO there's
		//no need to bind it every time, but we'll do so to keep things a bit more organized
		//glDrawArrays(GL_TRIANGLES, 0, 6);
		glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, 6, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, 0);
		// glBindVertexArray(0); // no need to unbind it every time 

		// glfw: swap buffers and poll IO events (keys pressed/released, mouse moved etc.)
		// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
		glfwSwapBuffers(window);
		glfwPollEvents();
	}

	// optional: de-allocate all resources once they've outlived their purpose:
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------
	glDeleteVertexArrays(1, &VAO);
	glDeleteBuffers(1, &VBO);
	glDeleteBuffers(1, &EBO);

	// glfw: terminate, clearing all previously allocated GLFW resources.
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------
	glfwTerminate();
	return 0;
}

// process all input: query GLFW whether relevant keys are pressed/released this 
//frame and react accordingly

// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
void processInput(GLFWwindow *window)
{
	if (glfwGetKey(window, GLFW_KEY_ESCAPE) == GLFW_PRESS)
		glfwSetWindowShouldClose(window, true);
}

// glfw: whenever the window size changed (by OS or user resize) this callback 
//function executes ----------------------------------------------------------
void framebuffer_size_callback(GLFWwindow* window, int width, int height)
{
	// make sure the viewport matches the new window dimensions; note that width and 
	// height will be significantly larger than specified on retina displays.
	glViewport(0, 0, width, height);
}


The output: https://s1.postimg.org/90bcpvqjrz/Capture.png
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