Irrlicht 3D Engine
Tutorial 14: Win32 Window

This example only runs under MS Windows and demonstrates that Irrlicht can render inside a win32 window. MFC and .NET Windows.Forms windows are possible, too.

In the beginning, we create a windows window using the windows API. I'm not going to explain this code, because it is windows specific. See the MSDN or a windows book for details.

#include <irrlicht.h>
#ifndef _IRR_WINDOWS_
#error Windows only example
#else
#include <windows.h> // this example only runs with windows
#include <iostream>
#include "driverChoice.h"
using namespace irr;
#pragma comment(lib, "irrlicht.lib")
HWND hOKButton;
HWND hWnd;
static LRESULT CALLBACK CustomWndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message,
WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
switch (message)
{
case WM_COMMAND:
{
HWND hwndCtl = (HWND)lParam;
int code = HIWORD(wParam);
if (hwndCtl == hOKButton)
{
DestroyWindow(hWnd);
PostQuitMessage(0);
return 0;
}
}
break;
case WM_DESTROY:
PostQuitMessage(0);
return 0;
}
return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
}

Now ask for the driver and create the Windows specific window.

int main()
{
// ask user for driver
video::E_DRIVER_TYPE driverType=driverChoiceConsole();
if (driverType==video::EDT_COUNT)
return 1;
printf("Select the render window (some dead window may exist too):\n"\
" (a) Window with button (via CreationParam)\n"\
" (b) Window with button (via beginScene)\n"\
" (c) Own Irrlicht window (default behavior)\n"\
" (otherKey) exit\n\n");
char key;
std::cin >> key;
if (key != 'a' && key != 'b' && key != 'c')
return 1;
HINSTANCE hInstance = 0;
// create dialog
const char* Win32ClassName = "CIrrlichtWindowsTestDialog";
WNDCLASSEX wcex;
wcex.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
wcex.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
wcex.lpfnWndProc = (WNDPROC)CustomWndProc;
wcex.cbClsExtra = 0;
wcex.cbWndExtra = DLGWINDOWEXTRA;
wcex.hInstance = hInstance;
wcex.hIcon = NULL;
wcex.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
wcex.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW);
wcex.lpszMenuName = 0;
wcex.lpszClassName = Win32ClassName;
wcex.hIconSm = 0;
RegisterClassEx(&wcex);
DWORD style = WS_SYSMENU | WS_BORDER | WS_CAPTION |
WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_MAXIMIZEBOX | WS_MINIMIZEBOX | WS_SIZEBOX;
int windowWidth = 440;
int windowHeight = 380;
hWnd = CreateWindow( Win32ClassName, "Irrlicht Win32 window example",
style, 100, 100, windowWidth, windowHeight,
NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);
RECT clientRect;
GetClientRect(hWnd, &clientRect);
windowWidth = clientRect.right;
windowHeight = clientRect.bottom;
// create ok button
hOKButton = CreateWindow("BUTTON", "OK - Close", WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | BS_TEXT,
windowWidth - 160, windowHeight - 40, 150, 30, hWnd, NULL, hInstance, NULL);
// create some text
CreateWindow("STATIC", "This is Irrlicht running inside a standard Win32 window.\n"\
"Also mixing with MFC and .NET Windows.Forms is possible.",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, 20, 20, 400, 40, hWnd, NULL, hInstance, NULL);
// create window to put irrlicht in
HWND hIrrlichtWindow = CreateWindow("BUTTON", "",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | BS_OWNERDRAW,
50, 80, 320, 220, hWnd, NULL, hInstance, NULL);
video::SExposedVideoData videodata((key=='b')?hIrrlichtWindow:0);

So now that we have some window, we can create an Irrlicht device inside of it. We use Irrlicht createEx() function for this. We only need the handle (HWND) to that window, set it as windowsID parameter and start up the engine as usual. That's it.

// create irrlicht device in the button window
param.DriverType = driverType;
if (key=='a')
param.WindowId = reinterpret_cast<void*>(hIrrlichtWindow);
if (!device)
return 1;
// setup a simple 3d scene
video::IVideoDriver* driver = device->getVideoDriver();
if (driverType==video::EDT_OPENGL)
{
HDC HDc=GetDC(hIrrlichtWindow);
PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR pfd={0};
pfd.nSize=sizeof(PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR);
int pf = GetPixelFormat(HDc);
DescribePixelFormat(HDc, pf, sizeof(PIXELFORMATDESCRIPTOR), &pfd);
pfd.dwFlags |= PFD_DOUBLEBUFFER | PFD_SUPPORT_OPENGL | PFD_DRAW_TO_WINDOW;
pfd.cDepthBits=16;
pf = ChoosePixelFormat(HDc, &pfd);
SetPixelFormat(HDc, pf, &pfd);
videodata.OpenGLWin32.HDc = HDc;
videodata.OpenGLWin32.HRc=wglCreateContext(HDc);
wglShareLists((HGLRC)driver->getExposedVideoData().OpenGLWin32.HRc, (HGLRC)videodata.OpenGLWin32.HRc);
}
scene::ICameraSceneNode* cam = smgr->addCameraSceneNode();
scene::ISceneNodeAnimator* anim =
cam->addAnimator(anim);
anim->drop();
scene::ISceneNode* cube = smgr->addCubeSceneNode(20);
cube->setMaterialTexture(0, driver->getTexture("../../media/wall.bmp"));
cube->setMaterialTexture(1, driver->getTexture("../../media/water.jpg"));
cube->setMaterialFlag( video::EMF_LIGHTING, false );
cube->setMaterialType( video::EMT_REFLECTION_2_LAYER );
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_up.jpg"),
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_dn.jpg"),
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_lf.jpg"),
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_rt.jpg"),
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_ft.jpg"),
driver->getTexture("../../media/irrlicht2_bk.jpg"));
// show and execute dialog
ShowWindow(hWnd , SW_SHOW);
UpdateWindow(hWnd);
// do message queue

Now the only thing missing is the drawing loop using IrrlichtDevice::run(). We do this as usual. But instead of this, there is another possibility: You can also simply use your own message loop using GetMessage, DispatchMessage and whatever. Calling Device->run() will cause Irrlicht to dispatch messages internally too. You need not call Device->run() if you want to do your own message dispatching loop, but Irrlicht will not be able to fetch user input then and you have to do it on your own using the window messages, DirectInput, or whatever.

while (device->run())
{
driver->beginScene(true, true, 0, videodata);
smgr->drawAll();
driver->endScene();
}

The alternative, own message dispatching loop without Device->run() would look like this:

MSG msg; while (true) { if (PeekMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0, PM_REMOVE)) { TranslateMessage(&msg); DispatchMessage(&msg);

if (msg.message == WM_QUIT) break; }

advance virtual time device->getTimer()->tick();

draw engine picture driver->beginScene(true, true, 0, (key=='c')?hIrrlichtWindow:0); smgr->drawAll(); driver->endScene(); }

device->closeDevice();
device->drop();
return 0;
}
#endif // if windows

That's it, Irrlicht now runs in your own windows window.

irrlicht.h
Main header file of the irrlicht, the only file needed to include.
irr::video::EDT_OPENGL
@ EDT_OPENGL
OpenGL device, available on most platforms.
Definition: EDriverTypes.h:53
irr::scene::ISceneManager::drawAll
virtual void drawAll()=0
Draws all the scene nodes.
irr::SIrrlichtCreationParameters::DriverType
video::E_DRIVER_TYPE DriverType
Type of video driver used to render graphics.
Definition: SIrrCreationParameters.h:100
irr::scene::ISceneManager::addCameraSceneNode
virtual ICameraSceneNode * addCameraSceneNode(ISceneNode *parent=0, const core::vector3df &position=core::vector3df(0, 0, 0), const core::vector3df &lookat=core::vector3df(0, 0, 100), s32 id=-1, bool makeActive=true)=0
Adds a camera scene node to the scene graph and sets it as active camera.
irr::scene::ISceneNode::setMaterialTexture
void setMaterialTexture(u32 textureLayer, video::ITexture *texture)
Sets the texture of the specified layer in all materials of this scene node to the new texture.
Definition: ISceneNode.h:436
irr::IReferenceCounted::drop
bool drop() const
Drops the object. Decrements the reference counter by one.
Definition: IReferenceCounted.h:116
irr::scene::ICameraSceneNode::setTarget
virtual void setTarget(const core::vector3df &pos)=0
Sets the look at target of the camera.
irr::scene::ISceneManager::addCubeSceneNode
virtual IMeshSceneNode * addCubeSceneNode(f32 size=10.0f, ISceneNode *parent=0, s32 id=-1, const core::vector3df &position=core::vector3df(0, 0, 0), const core::vector3df &rotation=core::vector3df(0, 0, 0), const core::vector3df &scale=core::vector3df(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f))=0
Adds a cube scene node.
irr::video::EDT_COUNT
@ EDT_COUNT
No driver, just for counting the elements.
Definition: EDriverTypes.h:56
irr::IrrlichtDevice
The Irrlicht device. You can create it with createDevice() or createDeviceEx().
Definition: IrrlichtDevice.h:43
irr::scene::ISceneManager::createFlyCircleAnimator
virtual ISceneNodeAnimator * createFlyCircleAnimator(const core::vector3df &center=core::vector3df(0.f, 0.f, 0.f), f32 radius=100.f, f32 speed=0.001f, const core::vector3df &direction=core::vector3df(0.f, 1.f, 0.f), f32 startPosition=0.f, f32 radiusEllipsoid=0.f)=0
Creates a fly circle animator, which lets the attached scene node fly around a center.
irr::SIrrlichtCreationParameters
Structure for holding Irrlicht Device creation parameters.
Definition: SIrrCreationParameters.h:19
irr::scene::ISceneManager::addSkyBoxSceneNode
virtual ISceneNode * addSkyBoxSceneNode(video::ITexture *top, video::ITexture *bottom, video::ITexture *left, video::ITexture *right, video::ITexture *front, video::ITexture *back, ISceneNode *parent=0, s32 id=-1)=0
Adds a skybox scene node to the scene graph.
irr::createDeviceEx
IRRLICHT_API IrrlichtDevice *IRRCALLCONV createDeviceEx(const SIrrlichtCreationParameters &parameters)
Creates an Irrlicht device with the option to specify advanced parameters.
irr::IrrlichtDevice::getSceneManager
virtual scene::ISceneManager * getSceneManager()=0
Provides access to the scene manager.
irr::IrrlichtDevice::getVideoDriver
virtual video::IVideoDriver * getVideoDriver()=0
Provides access to the video driver for drawing 3d and 2d geometry.
irr::SIrrlichtCreationParameters::WindowId
void * WindowId
Window Id.
Definition: SIrrCreationParameters.h:259
irr::IrrlichtDevice::closeDevice
virtual void closeDevice()=0
Notifies the device that it should close itself.
irr
Everything in the Irrlicht Engine can be found in this namespace.
Definition: aabbox3d.h:12
driverChoice.h
irr::video::EMF_LIGHTING
@ EMF_LIGHTING
Will this material be lighted? Default: true.
Definition: EMaterialFlags.h:26
irr::video::E_DRIVER_TYPE
E_DRIVER_TYPE
An enum for all types of drivers the Irrlicht Engine supports.
Definition: EDriverTypes.h:14
irr::scene::ISceneManager
The Scene Manager manages scene nodes, mesh recources, cameras and all the other stuff.
Definition: ISceneManager.h:150
irr::core::vector3df
vector3d< f32 > vector3df
Typedef for a f32 3d vector.
Definition: vector3d.h:445
irr::video::EMT_REFLECTION_2_LAYER
@ EMT_REFLECTION_2_LAYER
A reflecting material with an optional non reflecting texture layer.
Definition: EMaterialTypes.h:77
irr::IrrlichtDevice::run
virtual bool run()=0
Runs the device.