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I find myself in the unique position of having to find a suitable 2D graphics engine (or 3D with easy-to-use support for 2D interfaces) for the creation of a simple, full-screen retail sales tool for my business. I have been considering the use of the SDL library after briefly reviewing its features. It seems fairly easy to grasp, and I have used it before long long ago, but before I begin my project I felt the need to consult with the greater community to make sure I was making the right (read: easiest) decision. One concern I have about the aptitude of SDL is its lack of native support for GUIs.

This is a major concern since my project hinges on the ability to implement some sleek radial menus and other custom widgetry (this is now a word) to ensure easy of use. This software will be running on a kiosk in my store and will serve as a sleek way to browse stock, even that stock which is only available online, and place orders. Am I headed the right way by using SDL or is there a better engine, or perhaps even language, that would be a more perfect fit? Speaking of, I know C++, Python and Perl so an engine or library native to one of those languages would be perfect. I chose SDL because of its hardware independence and C++ nativity. I would consider the use of Java but the system the application will be running on is restricted by corporate and cannot have JRE installed. This would be fairly easy to rectify if Java would truly be the best bet for this kind of application. Thanks in advance for all the help and please feel free to add personal experiences and opinions as much as possible.

tshepang
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DaveStance
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1 Answers1

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Instead of SDL, go for QT. It is more feature rich and you can do the same (and much more) as in SDL.

This answer explains how to create full-screen windows, so that partially answers your question.

Another part of the answer to your question is this : you can create an opengl widget, in which you can do 2d/3d graphics, the same way you would do in an SDL window. For example like this

Community
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BЈовић
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  • Hey, thanks for the response. I had considered using QT as I've used it before (rather PerlQT) but thought it was only useful for creating stock interfaces and windowed applications. Does it support full-screen applications and will I have the ability to create custom interface elements like the radial menu I described? Again, thanks for the input appreciate the expertise. – DaveStance Feb 18 '11 at 17:52
  • @DaveStance I think the extended answer is what you are looking for. – BЈовић Feb 18 '11 at 18:01
  • thanks for the update to the original answer, wish I had the ability to up-vote you. Really appreciate the help, looks like I will be going with Qt though the OpenGL widget is slightly confusing to me but I should be able to get the hang of it after a while. Thanks again! – DaveStance Feb 18 '11 at 19:29