SharpDevelop + OpenTK Tutorial
Part 1: Basic Set Up Sorry about the lack of presentation - I'll improve the look and update the HTML when I have finished the main content of this tutorial.
I'm in C# mode, not standards compliant HTML 5 mode.
Pre-requisits
This tutorial is written for those who can install programs with confidence, and for those with at least a simple grasp of programming concepts. If you don't know what a variable is, you may be confused by this tutorial later on, but I'll try to make this so easy that even somebody with a degree in computer science from the 1980's can understand. **COUGH** PETE! **COUGH**
First you'll need to install SharpDevelop and OpenTK. Make a note of exactly where you install or save the OpenTK binaries, as you'll need this information later.
Stage 1 - Create a Project
First you'll need to open SharpDevelop (SD) using one of the shortcuts you created during the SD installation. Then click on the "New solution" button to create a new program.
Stage 2 - Name Your Project
Select "Windows Application" from the options, and then give your program a name. For this example, I'll be calling the program "Graphic_Demo_0", but you can name your program anything you like.
Change the location to make the program easy to find if you wish. Then click on the "Create" button.
Stage 3 - Gaze Upon Your Creation
Click on the "Design" tab if you can see several lines of code. If not, skip to Stage 4. In the new pane, you can see what your awesome-super-cool program will look like. It's not much yet, but when we finish working through Part 3, you'll have an impressive black rectangle to gaze upon.
Stage 4 - Project Settings
Click on the "Projects" tab near the bottom left.
Stage 5 - Good References
Click on the "+" symbol next to the name of your program. Then right-click on the "References" section to open the next window.
Stage 6 - Add The Assemblies
Click on the ".NET Assembly Browser" tab, then click on the "Browse" button.
Stage 7 - Locate OpenTK
Do you still have the location of the OpenTK binaries to hand? Navigate to where you installed or saved them. Go to Location_Of_OpenTK\OpenTK\1.0\Binaries\OpenTK\Release\, then select the "OpenTK.Compatibility.dll", "OpenTK.dll" and "OpenTK.GLControl.dll" files, and click on the "Open" button. Then click on the "OK" button.
If you are reading this in the distant future, you may have a different version number to mine. 1.0 is the best I can find right now.
Stage 8 - Preview to Refresh
Due to a bug in the current version of SharpDevelop (4.2.0.8783), you'll need to either close SharpDevelop and re-open it, or preview your program before you can use the GLControl component. Press the F5 key to view a program similar to the one below. Newer versions may have had this fixed, but just in case they've not fixed it, do this anyway. Now close the new window to return to SharpDevelop.
Stage 9 - New Tools
Click on the "Tools" tab near the bottom left.
Stage 10 - GLControl Enabled
Congratulations - GLControl objects are now available. But how do you use them? Press CTRL + S to save your project, and we'll go further into how to use this rather cool object in Part 2.
