Glut: Your Graphics Library for C++ Programs

If you have been wondering how to make your C++ programs more visually attractive, you might want to try using Glut, a library that is designed to help create graphical interfaces for C++ applications. To use Glut, it is best to make it work together with OpenGL, another dynamic graphics library that renders images in both 2D and 3D. However, if you’re new to Glut and would like to know how to install it in Visual Studio, then keep reading. We’ll guide you through the process step-by-step.

Step 1: Download Glut

The first step in the process is to download the Glut library. Visit the official website at http://freeglut.sourceforge.net/index.php#download and click the “Download Freeglut” button. Select the version that fits your system, download and extract the files to a folder on your desktop.

Step 2: Create a New Project in Visual Studio

The next step is to create a new project in Visual Studio. Select “File” -> “New” -> “Project…” and choose “Visual C++” from the list on the left-hand side. Select “Win32 Console Application” on the right-hand side and click “OK”.

Step 3: Configure the Project

Once the “Win32 Application Wizard” window pops up, choose the “Console Application” option. Then, click on “Empty Project” and press “Finish”. This will create a new project without any pre-existing files or code on it.

Step 4: Add the Glut Library

To proceed, add the Glut library to your project. Right-click on the project on the Solution Explorer, click on “Properties”. In the “Properties” window, click “VC++ Directories” and put in the “Include Directories” field where the Glut files are saved. Also, add the directory that stores the Glut libraries in the “Library Directories” field.

Step 5: Configure the Compiler

With your Glut library added to your project, it’s time to adjust the compiler, so it uses it. On the “Properties” window, select “Configuration Properties” -> “Linker” -> “Input”. In the “Additional Dependencies” field, add the following line:

“freeglut.lib”

Make sure that you take note of the quotation marks!

Step 6: Add the Glut Header File

The final step is to insert the Glut header file to your project. To do this, select “Project” -> “Add Existing Item…” on the menu. In the window that pops up, navigate to the directory where you placed the Glut files and choose the “glut.h” file. Click “Add” to add the file to your project.

With all those steps done, congratulations! You have now installed Glut in Visual Studio. To make sure you’ve done it right, you can test it by running a sample Glut program. You can use this code to test it:

#include <GL/glut.h>

void display()
{
    glClearColor(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
    glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
    glFlush();
}

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
    glutInit(&argc, argv);
    glutInitDisplayMode(GLUT_SINGLE | GLUT_RGB);
    glutInitWindowSize(500, 500);
    glutCreateWindow("Hello World");
    glutDisplayFunc(display);
    glutMainLoop();
    return 0;
}

If the blank white window shows up with the title “Hello World,” then you have managed to install and configure Glut in Visual Studio successfully. Have fun creating your graphical C++ applications!