What is your experience with JOGL?

[Mitch]

Hi.

I have an assignment for a graphics class that requires the use of
openGL. The lecturer has assumed that everyone will use the C libraries
for it, and I've used C before so that wouldn't be too bad, but I know
that JOGL (And others if you have recommendations) exists and would be
more inclined to use Java than C. Mainly because Its due very soon and
re-learning C seems pointless when I'm short on time, and have just
finished a massive (for me) Java project.
So a long story short, have any of you used it and would you recommend
it? There are reports that it is flaky, but most of these come from
~2003 and the google groups cache on it is slim. Its not a huge
assignment, make a dude ride a unicycle and be able to change the camera
angles etc., so its hardly pushing the boundaries of openGL either, so I
assume JOGL will be able to handle it. I suppose I'm just looking for
any warnings before I continue

Thanks for your time

Mitch.

 

[Mitch]

Hi.

I have an assignment for a graphics class that requires the use of
openGL. The lecturer has assumed that everyone will use the C libraries
for it, and I've used C before so that wouldn't be too bad, but I know
that JOGL (And others if you have recommendations) exists and would be
more inclined to use Java than C. Mainly because Its due very soon and
re-learning C seems pointless when I'm short on time, and have just
finished a massive (for me) Java project.
So a long story short, have any of you used it and would you
recommend it? There are reports that it is flaky, but most of these
come from ~2003 and the google groups cache on it is slim. Its not a
huge assignment, make a dude ride a unicycle and be able to change the
camera angles etc., so its hardly pushing the boundaries of openGL
either, so I assume JOGL will be able to handle it. I suppose I'm just
looking for any warnings before I continue

Thanks for your time

Mitch.

Well the lecturer got back to me (Typically only after I had posted
this) and as he doesn't want to install any extra libraries he wants me
to do it in C. I would still be open to any advice on JOGL, but it's
not needed any more.

Thanks anyway!

Mitch.

 

[Chris Uppal]

[...] I
assume JOGL will be able to handle it. I suppose I'm just looking for
any warnings before I continue

If your teacher will be running it on his/her own machine, then I suggest that
you check that JOGL will run on that machine before committing too much time to
it. Alternatively, check that the powers-that-be will accept "it works fine on
my machine, let me demonstrate".

OTOH, and if I remember correctly (not too likely in this case because I've
only ever glanced over it), JOGL's a pretty thin wrapper for OGL, rather than a
graphics library which happens to use OGL as its lowest layer. If so then the
JOBL bindings will not be wildly different from the C bindings and changing
horses in mid-stream should be quite easy. Especially if you concentrate on
the OGL stuff to start with, rather than the more Java-specific stuff like
window handling, etc.

-- chris

 

[Mitch]

I'm in two minds.

The lecturers reply was


/////

Hi,



Is this for your EE3F2 assignment?



If it is you should be use the C binding. I need to be able to execute
the program and do not have time to install additional libraries.



Regards,



DP

/////

I really want to email him with the argument that he wouldn't need to
include any other libraries and that I could provide a suitable
executable.

I have posted this on the javagames.org forum:

///////

Hi.

I am required for a graphics course to use openGL, however the lecturer
is familiar with the C bindings / api / library et al. I would very
much like to do my project in Java (as C is the spawn of Satan),
however I have a few questions before I approach him with it.

My first is the most important, without a yes to this I cant continue.

To expand on that, he requires a standalone executable. He has (I
assume) the libraries required to run openGL from Visual Studio in C,
but If i were to give him a file (perhaps a .jar) could I include all
the libraries etc he would require in one place so that he wouldn't
have to install anything extra, and he could just run my program.

Basically my two main concerns are A) I need the lecturer to have ne
excuses to give me as to why he cant accept it in Java (He does program
in Java anyway) and B) Is it significantly different to warrant the
extra effort using JOGL and creating an application that he can assess.


Thank you for your time.

Mitch

////////

Waiting responses. If any of you kind folk have any opinions on the
above I would be grateful.

Thanks again

Mitch.

 

[andrewthommo]

[...] I
assume JOGL will be able to handle it. I suppose I'm just looking for
any warnings before I continue

If your teacher will be running it on his/her own machine, then I suggest that
you check that JOGL will run on that machine before committing too much time to
it.

JOGL projects can be launched using JWS.

If the instructor has Java 1.3+ and internet, they
should be set.

Andrew T.

 

[Mitch]

[...] I
assume JOGL will be able to handle it. I suppose I'm just looking for
any warnings before I continue

If your teacher will be running it on his/her own machine, then I suggest that
you check that JOGL will run on that machine before committing too much time to
it.

JOGL projects can be launched using JWS.

If the instructor has Java 1.3+ and internet, they
should be set.

Andrew T.

Thanks, but the assignment specified the program had to be run from a
disc I had to hand in (if it were internet based I would be able to
change the code after the deadline).

It's finished now, had to be done in C, turns out it wasn't as bad as I
thought - though not being able to separate the 1793 lines of code into
classes drove me crazy.

Thanks for all your comments though