CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++visual-studio-2010directx
user3742860
user3742860

Reputation: 100

directx 9 cannot find the include libraries

I wanna start learning DirectX in Visual C++ 2010, but it says that d3dx11 and d3dx9 can't be found when I include d3dx9.h, I can play games in DirectX 11 and dxdiag says my computer is running directX 11, but when I searched for DirectX 11 in C drive and my D-Drive, it couldn't find anything. So I decided to install DirectX 11 and then I got a folder after installing, but it didn't have any include or bin folders, so I couldn't go to properties and VC++ and add the include directories. Decided to try DirectX 9 instead to start with, but when I installed DirectX 9 June 2010 version, I went to C\Microsoft DirectX SDK (June 2010) there is no directories, only DirectX utilities and documentation for c++ and sample browser and Command prompt. So I don't really know what to do anymore, I have tried to install d3dx9.lib and put in in the default lib folder for VS 2010. but no success, But I have DirectX 9 2004 summer libraries and Include folders set up for visual c++, but that is such an old version so it doesn't include d3dx9.lib. I'm running Windows 8.1 64 bit OS.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2769

Answers (1)

Chuck Walbourn
Chuck Walbourn

Reputation: 41127

The DirectX SDK and all version of the D3DX libraries are both deprecated.

The 'modern' solution is to use the Windows 8.x SDK which comes with Visual Studio 2012 and Visual Studio 2013. You can install the Windows 8.1 SDK 'standalone' and use it with Visual Studio 2010 by using .props files. See MSDN and this blog post for all the details.

You can mix using the Windows 8.x SDK with the legacy DirectX SDK in order to continue to use D3DX for Win32 desktop applications--you cannot use the DirectX SDK for Windows Store apps, Windows phone, or Xbox One. See the instructions on MSDN for how to handle the include/lib path directories. If you are going to continue to use the legacy DirectX SDK, you need to be aware of a number of things:

  • The DirectX SDK (June 2010) installer has some compatibility issues with systems that have VS 2010 SP1 REDIST installed. See this post.
  • The DirectX SDK (June 2010) does not have the latest developer debug runtime for Windows 8.1. You have to install the Windows 8.1 SDK, VS 2013, or the VS 2013 remote debugging tools to get the DEBUG layers and REFERENCE device. See this post.
  • There is no support for the Direct3D 9 DEBUG device on Windows 8.1.
  • The "PIX for Windows" tool in the DirectX SDK does not work for Direct3D 10.x or Direct3D 11.x on Windows 8.1, Windows 8.0, or Windows 7 SP1 with the DirectX 11.1 Runtime installed. Use the Visual Studio 2013 Graphics Diagnostics, or Intel/AMD/NVIDIA's GPU tools.
  • If you are deploying a game that needs the legacy DLLs like D3DX, be sure to use the April 2011 refreshed version of DXSETUP and not the copy that is in the DirectX SDK (June 2010). See this post and be sure to read Not So DirectSetup.

Given all that, your life will be a lot easier if you just use Direct3D 11 and avoid the legacy DirectX SDK and D3DX entirely. You can find many Direct3D 11 replacements for D3DX that only requires the Windows 8.x SDK along with a bunch of updated samples. See Living Without D3DX, DirectX Tool Kit, and DirectX SDK Samples Catalog. You can get all that to work with VS 2010, but it's a lot easier to get Visual Studio 2013 Express for Windows Desktop (for Win32 desktop applications) and/or Visual Studio 2013 Express for Windows (for Windows Store apps and Windows phone apps).

PS: Even back when the DirectX SDK was still the supported way to get Direct3D headers for VS 2010, it was not available until you manually added the include/path directories to your project. That's why you can't include "d3dx9.h" in your project freshly created.

Upvotes: 3

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