Windows 32 / MSVC Notes ======================= The "freeglut" library installation package comes with MSVC 6.0 workspace and project files. The workspace has two projects: "freeglut.dsp", which creates a DLL file, and "freeglut_static.dsp", which creates a static library. Building the Libraries ====================== To build the "freeglut" libraries, open MSVC and load the "freeglut" workspace. This will load the two projects. Selecting "Build" - "Batch Build" from the menu will build both the debug and the release versions of both libraries. The libraries will be found in the following places and will have the following names: - DLL, debug version: freeglut\freeglut\Debug\freeglut.lib - DLL, release version: freeglut\freeglut\Release\freeglut.lib - Static, debug version: freeglut\freeglut\DebugStatic\freeglut_static.lib - Static, release version: freeglut\freeglut\ReleaseStatic\freeglut_static.lib Unlike the *nix release, the library names are NOT automatic replacements for the GLUT library names. You may rename them manually if you wish. Installing the Libraries ======================== To install "freeglut" on your system so that your other projects will see it, you will need to copy various files to various locations. - The header files "freeglut.h", "freeglut_ext.h", "freeglut_std.h", and "glut.h" (distributed in the directory "freeglut\freeglut\include\GL") need to be copied to a "GL" directory under the MSVC include directory. The MSVC include directory generally has a path similar to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Include" The "GL" subdirectory under that will probably already have the header files "gl.h", "glaux.h", and "glu.h". - The library file "freeglut.lib" or "freeglut_static.lib" (from the corresponding debug or release directory) needs to be copied into the MSVC library directory. This usually has a path similar to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Lib" Note that there is no "GL" subdirectory here. This directory should already have the files "opengl32.lib", "glu32.lib", and "glaux.lib". - If you are using the DLL version of "freeglut", the file "freeglut.dll" needs to be copied from the Debug or the Release directory into the DLL directory. This usually has a path similar to "C:\Windows\System32" and will probably already have the files "opengl32.dll" and "glu32.dll". If you don't have MSVC ====================== The "freeglut" developers' community discussed the possibility of distributing binaries and decided against it. If you need Windows library files, please contact John F. Fay at or put a request on the "freeglut" developers' mailing list .