Irrlicht Engine

Is it nessicary to know windows programming to use Irrlicht?

As in "MS Windows" programming? or as windows-like environment programming?
You don't really need to know either.

You know, I mean, its all C++, but no there is nothing Windows specific that you need to know in getting into this.
I think you'll find several non-programmers (myself included) who are essentially learning to program with Irrlicht as we make our own projects.

You'll be glad to hear that the general consensus is that Irrlicht's API is pretty straight forward and easier to pick up on, versus other engines and SDKs.

HOWEVER, if you've done little to no programing before, the one thing I would recommend (from experience) that you have above all else, is a nice, solid, hardwood desk for banging your head on

YAY I HAVE A DESK!

Actully I do have prior C++ expieriance and C#.

What I mean is somethign like

/* Trim fat from windows*/
#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
#pragma comment(linker, "/subsystem:windows")
/* Pre-processor directives*/
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <windows.h>
/* Windows Procedure Event Handler*/
LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
PAINTSTRUCT paintStruct;
/* Device Context*/
HDC hDC;
/* Text for display*/
char string[] = "Hello, World!";
/* Switch message, condition that is met will execute*/
switch(message)
{
/* Window is being created*/
case WM_CREATE:
return 0;
break;
/* Window is closing*/
case WM_CLOSE:
PostQuitMessage(0);
return 0;
break;
/* Window needs update*/
case WM_PAINT:
hDC = BeginPaint(hwnd,&paintStruct);
/* Set txt color to blue*/
SetTextColor(hDC, COLORREF(0x00FF0000));
/* Display text in middle of window*/
TextOut(hDC,150,150,string,sizeof(string)-1);
EndPaint(hwnd, &paintStruct);
return 0;
break;
default:
break;
}
return (DefWindowProc(hwnd,message,wParam,lParam));
}
/* Main function*/
int APIENTRY WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance,
HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
LPSTR lpCmdLine,
int nCmdShow)
{
WNDCLASSEX windowClass; //window class
HWND hwnd; //window handle
MSG msg; //message
bool done; //flag saying when app is complete
/* Fill out the window class structure*/
windowClass.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
windowClass.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
windowClass.lpfnWndProc = WndProc;
windowClass.cbClsExtra = 0;
windowClass.cbWndExtra = 0;
windowClass.hInstance = hInstance;
windowClass.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
windowClass.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
windowClass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);
windowClass.lpszMenuName = NULL;
windowClass.lpszClassName = "MyClass";
windowClass.hIconSm = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_WINLOGO);
/* Register window class*/
if (!RegisterClassEx(&windowClass))
{
return 0;
}
/* Class registerd, so now create window*/
hwnd = CreateWindowEx(NULL, //extended style
"MyClass", //class name
"A Real Win App", //app name
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | //window style
WS_VISIBLE |
WS_SYSMENU,
100,100, //x/y coords
400,400, //width,height
NULL, //handle to parent
NULL, //handle to menu
hInstance, //application instance
NULL); //no extra parameter's
/* Check if window creation failed*/
if (!hwnd)
return 0;
done = false; //initialize loop condition variable
/* main message loop*/
while(!done)
{
PeekMessage(&msg,hwnd,NULL,NULL,PM_REMOVE);
if (msg.message == WM_QUIT) //check for a quit message
{
done = true; //if found, quit app
}
else
{
/* Translate and dispatch to event queue*/
TranslateMessage(&msg);
DispatchMessage(&msg);
}
}
return msg.wParam;
}

Do I need to understand that? lol

Not really

WOOTNESS TO THE 10th POWER!

you don't even need windows, how about that....

YAY!

windows sucks...