SFML camelCase

Just a quick heads up. SFML has undergone some name changes. Class members are now named in camelCase. This just means that the first word of each member’s name is no longer capitalised. For example

sf::Window::IsOpen();

has become

sf::Window::isOpen();

If with new versions of SFML, you’ve been getting lots of errors like

XXX is not a member of class YYY

then this is probably why! I know it might be a pain to refactor all your code, but unfortunately if you want to keep up to date with SFML (and you should ) then you have no choice.

More Restructuring

Okay, a quick update on the site’s pending rearrangement.  Firstly, tutorials are in fact going to stay as posts, not pages. I decided I didn’t want a static front page, but I don’t want general “blog” content on the front page either, so thing’s will have to stay as they are. Secondly, I’m finding more and more as I write tutorials that I have to bother going into detail about which software to install and so on and so forth. This is not only time consuming for me, but also probably annoying for the majority of you who have the software already. But I have a solution: I’m going to write a few new posts about setting up “development environments” on Windows and Unix. Then, when I do a tutorial, I’ll just assume you’ve done all the setup in the other post. In fact, I’m thinking I might more generally put a little “prerequisites” and “recommended reading” section at the top of each tutorial. That way, we can focus on the new stuff, but all the background material is easily available to those who need it.

Summary of Content

Naturally there’ll be one for Windows and one for Linux/Unix, each with various subsections. Now, I don’t want to spend too long writing these setup tutorials, but I do want to keep everyone happy So here’s a quick list of what I’ll cover in each one – lot me know if there’s anything you really want added!

Windows

• Visual C++
• MinGW
• Code::Blocks
• MSYS

Linux/Unix

• GCC
• Code::Blocks
• Text editor (e.g. vim)

Generic

• CMake
• Doxygen
• Git
• Subversion

These last few will be covered in both tutorials, although the specifics will be a little different of course.

Plans

Hi all! I’m currently enjoying my Easter break so – although there’s still a lot of work to do – I am more free than I have been for a while. Now, I would have liked to be uploading videos by now, but unfortunately that won’t be possible. Due to an annoying problem with my motherboard (it won’t detect the graphics card), I’m stuck with the awful integrated chip. Consequently, everything’s running really slowly. I certainly don’t want to try screen capture or 3D graphics (that’s right, I’m finally going to give my videos an intro sequence!).

Anyway, the replacement motherboard has arrived, as has my new budget CPU cooler, but I’m still waiting on the Arctic Silver thermal paste and solvents from Amazon… Don’t judge my choice of mainboard, by the way. I didn’t want to let my socket 775 Core 2 Quad (4  x 2.83Ghz stock) go just yet, so I had little choice. I got it really cheap, so it hardly matters anyway. But I digress… the upshot is, it’ll only be a few more days’ delay, hopefully.

In the mean time, I’ve decided the site needs a little overhaul. I think tutorials should be put up as pages not posts, so they don’t get lost behind random links and stuff that I post. So I’ll have a play around with settings and see what works. (I also realised recently that the menus at the top of the site no longer work because of the search box – I’ll see to that as well…)

From now on, the only things I’ll put in posts will be items which really class as “blog” material. Short tips, tech news, pointers to cool websites and videos, and so on. But obviously you do want to keep up with tutorials here at SFMLCoder too so when I release a new tutorial, I’ll make a post as well, but it’ll just provide a summary and link to the full tutorial. Yet another reason to subscribe by email – you’ll get tutorial summaries straight to your inbox!

sf::Window::IsOpen()

Previously, we always checked if our SFML window was open using sf::Window::IsOpened(), which returned bool. Well, the function has recently been renamed to IsOpen(), although it appears otherwise unchanged (externally at least). So bear in mind that if you’re using a very up to date SFML snapshot, you may need to use sf::Window::IsOpen() rather than the old sf::Window::IsOpened().

Related articles

• SFML 2.0 Builds (sfmlcoder.wordpress.com)

SFML 2.0 Builds

It’s like Christmas come early! Well on time anyway… I’ve finally been able to compile some more SFML binaries for Windows – for Visual C++ 2008, Visual C++ 2010 and MinGW. There’s also optional documentation, and all the official example programs, compiled with MinGW and linked to dynamic release SFML binaries.

The best bit is, it’s not a messy archive any more. It’s a full installer now, so everything should be much smoother for you. Just pick the components you want, and it’ll install them to program files, or wherever else you want them put. Just remember – you still have to add compiler and linker search directories in your IDE.

By default all the files will be installed to C:\Program Files\SFML (or C:\Program Files (x86)\SFML), but you can change this. You’ll still need to add compiler and linker search paths in your IDE of choice and to provide the appropriate DLLs in your project directory.

And remember, this program is provided for your convenience only. It comes with no warranty of any kind and I cannot be held responsible for its suitability for purpose, nor can I be held liable for any damages caused by it, even if I was advised of such. You get the idea…

Well, have fun with the binaries. Here’s the link:
http://bit.ly/rCDGTn
(There is, of course, an updated link on the Downloads page too.)

And, of course, HAPPY CHRISTMAS from SFML Coder!

Renewed SFML 2.0 Builds

Remember all that time ago when I promised regular SFML 2.0 builds to blog subscribers, plus occasional builds for everyone else, as well? I sent out an initial build, but that was it. Anyway, I’m going to try and get that underway again. So, all current email subscribers will be emailed it – drop me an email if you want to opt out. And if you’re not yet subscribed by email, but would like to get the new builds as soon as possible, then please do subscribe now. But don’t worry if you really don’t want to give your email; I’ll provide a link to the build on the downloads page shortly as well.

Initially, the binaries will just be for VC++ 2008, VC++ 2010 and MinGW as before. I do want to provide Unix binaries as well, but it’s a little tricky with dependencies and stuff so I’ve go to decide how best to go about it. Ultimately I think I’ll try and create a Debian package for users of Debian, Ubuntu and Mint; otherwise it’ll probably have to be binaries without dependencies provided (you’d have to go to your package manager and find them yourself). As for MacOS, I’d like to provide binaries there too, just for the sake of completeness, but it’s not an OS I have – or ever into to have – access to, so I’d have to look into cross compiling it from Linux or Windows.

So anyway, you can look forward to updated Windows binaries this afternoon, and I’ll let you know when I can get some build for other platforms. Just remember than while I will keep you up to date with posts and the downloads page, the quickest and easiest way to hear about updates (and new posts) is to subscribe. So go ahead and do it! You’ll get your binaries soon

PS: I’m providing these files for convenience (and to make the site more popular ), but it’s still a great learning experience to build them yourself at least once. So check out my building SFML tutorials, for Windows/MinGW, Windows/VC or Linux/GCC. Oh, and just so you know, they’ll be updated with some new information soon too!

Plans

Hi everyone! It’s been a while… again So it’s the Christmas break and I’ll have a little more time on my hands, in just a matter of days. I’m going to start by tidying things up a little. I’m going to try and design a logo. I’m also going to rerecord and reupload some of my videos, with new information, new methods and new titles.

So videos are going to be the focus for a bit, though I might go back through my old posts on here. Bring out any half written drafts. Apply corrections to articles, and repost them where necessary. So yeah. The upshot is SFMLCoder is having a bit of an overhall. You probably won’t notice huge differences, but they’ll be there. And hopefully then things will be in order for the new tutorials to start trickling out again.

In other news, I’m currently getting ready to install Gentoo Linux. Details will come later, but basically I have two hard drives: 750Gb and 2000Gb. The 2Tb is going to be my /home directory, for two Linux installs – Gentoo and Mint. As for the 750, just under half is going to Windows and the rest split between Gentoo and Mint installs – and maybe FreeBSD if there’s some space at the end of the disk. I’ll let you know how I get on! Oh, and don’t worry about Gentoo based tutorials that are no use to any of you regular Ubuntu users and such! I’ll be recording videos from Linux Mint so that Ubuntu, Debian and Mint users can benefit. I’ll also still provide Windows videos where I think it’s necessary.

Until next time,
Xander

Donations!

I’ve just added a donations button to the site. You’ll see it in the top right hand corner, and you can also find one on the donations page. I understand that most of you probably can’t spare any cash – especially right now in the midst of the economic crisis – but if you can, donations would be appreciated. I want to get more tutorials up and coming again, but it does take a lot of time and time costs money…

Thanks everyone!

Update

Hi there. Haven’t posted in a while, and I just wanted to let you all know I’m still here. It’s been really busy and will unfortunately stay that way as I’m back at school from next week. Nonetheless, I’ll try and write some more tutorials soon, and record more videos as well. I also know I owe you updated versions of the SFML 2.0 binaries – I’ll try and do that as soon as possible too.

Anyway, the point is, bear with me and hopefully things will pick up again soon. In the mean time, I’ve still got enough free time to answer any small queries, so if you have any questions or suggestions, email me, or use the Q & A page. And, of course, if you want to be the first no know when I start making posts and videos again soon, then subscribe to the blog here, and to my channel on YouTube. Oh yes, and do share any tutorial ideas you have here.

Until next time.
Xander

Technical Problems

In case you’ve already tried to watch my video in the previous post, sorry. For some reason it broke during the upload so the picture was lost. I’m about to reupload it now, hopefully with better results. As soon as it’s on, I’ll update the previous post with the new video.