Introduction

Based on posts that I saw in the help and discussion forums for the Irrlicht Engine, asking for help using Irrlicht with Dev-C++, I decided that a tutorial on the subject was needed.  After chatting briefly with Niko, I wrote this tutorial to help people get started. 

I'll try to be as detailed as possible and I have included a number of screen shots to help people along  This tutorial was written around developers using Dev-C++ on the Windows OS (because that's what I am using).  Based on comments, I believe that Dev-C++ setup on other platforms should be pretty similar.  If I get around to it, maybe I'll try this on my Linux machine, and add some additional comments at a later date.

NOTE:  This tutorial assumes that you have already downloaded and installed Dev-C++.  You can download it here, if you have not.

Listed below are the basic steps we'll follow in the tutorial:

1. Download and uncompress Irrlicht
2. Start a new project in Dev-C++
3. Configure Dev-C++ to find the Irrlicht headers it needs.
4. Configure your Dev-C++ project to find the Irrlicht libraries / objects it needs.
5. Configure your Dev-C++ project to use the Irrlicht DLL at runtime.
6. Write, compile, and execute the "Hello World" application, using Dev-C++

In all of my work, I try to follow the KISS approach: Keep It Simple Stupid!  I find this to be especially helpful since a lot of us do our programming at 2am, while loaded on a 6-pack of Mountain Dew 8-).  For this reason, in an effort to reduce errors and make life easierI don't use a lot of shortcuts in my code, or my tutorials, and I comment a lot.  So, if this tutorial appears overly detailed, that's why!

Step 1 -- Download and Uncompress Irrlicht

Download the latest version of Irrlicht here.  Once you've downloaded the archive, simply uncompress it to a location you'll remember.  For example, I use "irrlicht-0.3" right now.  This will give us a constant location to access the required libraries, headers, etc.

Step 2 -- Start a new Dev-C++ Project

Now, we're ready to begin setting up a project in Dev-C++, that we'll use with the Irrlicht Engine.  Dev-C++ gives us a lot of flexibility.  We can organize our files into directories and sub-directories, we can dump them all in one place, we can use CVS, etc.  For this tutorial, we'll name our project, and create a new directory of the same name, to keep it simple.

After starting Dev-C++, click on the "File" menu; then click "New"; then click "Project".  The "New project" window will show up, like the screenshot below.

Dev-C++ gives you some options, depending on the type of project you are creating.  If you are creating a DLL or Library to ride on top of the engine, you can select those, and it will create a project outline for you.  Beware -- Dev-C++ is a work in progress, and there are still some bugs.  For example, I'm using Dev-C++ version 4.9.8.0, and there are some issues with the DLL project (it does not set some compiler options, etc).  I recommend visiting the Dev-C++ forums, for info on this stuff. 

For the tutorial, we can select "Empty Project", and then provide a name.  I used "Irrdemo" for this example.

When you complete that step, and click OK, a file dialog will appear, asking you where to save the project.  You can put it almost anywhere.  Again, to keep it simple, I recommend a directory that matches the project name.  I used the dialog to create a new directory, "irrdemo", and chose that.

Now, we have an empty project to work with.

Step 3 -- Add the Irrlicht Headers

AT this point, we have an empty project that doesn't do anything.  Pretty boring.  For our next trick, we are going to tell the Dev-C++ project where the Irrliccht "include" directory is.  To do this, click on "Project" then "Project Options".  A dialog similar to that shown below will open up.  Click on the "Directories" tab, then the "Include Directories" sub-tab.

In order to add the directory which includes the Irrlicht headers (you really only need "irrlicht.h", but it's easier to just add the directory) you can type is into the text field, and click "Add".  Or, you can use the file dialog to browse for it.  Do browse, click the button with the ".." on it (circled in red in the left image, below), navigate to the Irrlicht "include" directory (for me, this is c:\irrlicht-0.3\include").  Press okay in the file dialog and then "Add", and the directory will be added (see right image, below).

Step 4 -- Add the Irrlicht Libraries

Step 5 -- Using the Irrlicht DLL at Runtime

In order to run your applications from within Dev-C++, for debugging, or just for the sake of not having to go outside the IDE to run them, the "irrlicht.dll" supplied with Irrlicht must be in your PATH.  With Windows, there are two simple ways to do this:

1. Add the "irrlicht-0.3\bin" directory from Step 1 to your PATH.
2. Copy "irrlicht.dll" to your windows\system32 directory, which is in the PATH by default.

I'm not sure that any one method is better than the other -- I use the first one in my programs, but both work.

Step 6 -- "Hello World" with Dev-C++

This is a simplified version of the "Hello World" tutorial that Niko wrote.  This is just a little something to display a window with some text.  If you can write this, compile, and run, then you'll know that you've set up your Dev-C++ project correctly!

// HelloUniverse.cpp
// Include the Irrlicht header
#include "irrlicht.h"

// Irrlicht Namespaces
using namespace irr;
using namespace core;
using namespace scene;
using namespace video;
using namespace io;
using namespace gui;


int main()
{
    IrrlichtDevice *irrDevice = createDevice(EDT_SOFTWARE,
                                          dimension2d<s32>(512, 384),
                                          16,
                                          false,
                                          false,
                                          0);
                                          
    irrDevice->setWindowCaption(L"Dev-C++ and the Irrlicht Engine!");
    
    IVideoDriver* irrDriver = irrDevice->getVideoDriver();
    ISceneManager* irrSceneMgr = irrDevice->getSceneManager();
    IGUIEnvironment* irrGUIEnv = irrDevice->getGUIEnvironment();

    irrGUIEnv->addStaticText(
            L"Hello World! This is the Irrlicht software engine!",
	        rect<int>(10,10,200,30), true, true, 0, -1);
    
    while(irrDevice->run())
    { 
        irrDriver->beginScene(true, true, SColor(0,192,192,192));
                
                irrSceneMgr->drawAll();
                irrGUIEnv->drawAll();
                
	    irrDriver->endScene();
	}
 
    irrDevice->drop();

    return(0);
}

If all went according to plan, you should see something like this, when you run the program.