Yet again openFrameworks lets me down

mingw (windows)
#1

Hello,
I’m a heavy user of Processing to create interactive video installations using webcams microphones kinect etc…but about once every two years I need to make a program go faster - so over I come and have another go at getting openFrameworks to run. This time I wanted to have a go at some Flow addons.

This time I install - code::blocks 12.11 and OF 8.4 (because “Note: download WITH MinGW. Code::Blocks version 12.11 works well with openFrameworks 0.7.4+.”) from page http://www.openframeworks.cc/setup/codeblocks/

then i try and run the videograbber example and after taking about 5 minutes to compile the program runs and all that come up is a white window where the video should be. The video camera is OK i checked in Processing.

I add an addons library into the addons folder (I assume that where it is supposed to be - there is no clear instructions i could see)
I try using the projectGenerator and when i press on addons it crashes. I try copying the emptyExample and then changing the src files - that didn’t work - maybe i need a different version i think.

So then more fun begins - i try the same process with OF 7.4, OF 8.2 and also the same process with Code::Blocks 10.05 - each time different stuff happens - sometimes it compiles and exits straight away - sometimes it doesn’t compile with about 19 warnings and errors. Sometimes the white window appears. Even just running the emptyExample app crashes.

I’m running windows XP - is my system too old for these latest versions?
It used to work about 2 years ago which was the last time i tried it. videoGrabber was fine back then.

I hope and pray for the day when openFrameworks just works out of the box - kind of like Processing does.

Is there any advice you have?

Thanks - frustrated.

#2

it is likely your problems are related to running windows xp. even microsoft doesn’t support xp anymore. try running it in a newer OS and see if that solves your problem.

i hope and pray for world peace, but praying won’t accomplish very much. help us make it work out of the box.

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#3

I doubt it will run on Windows XP (I don’t have access to any computers that old at this time), but ofSketch (watch the vid) is an attempt to work that way. I make no guarantee that it won’t “let you down” though. Like openFramworks, it still hasn’t event made it to version 1.0, but many people are using it successfully.

Also, just a tip – if you’re looking for people to help you with your project, I’d recommend not using titles like “yet again openFrameworks lets me down”. There are a lot of people that work really hard on this stuff that might just take that as an insult and ignore you.

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#4

Also, switching from win xp to linux is a good option, it won’t hit your machine performance and pocket :stuck_out_tongue:

Mine cmake-based openframeworks repo works out of the box - just clone it, install dependencies with one script, download / extract libs folder to cloned repo and you’re ready to compile any openframeworks application under linux.

You can choose Ubuntu 14.04 or Elementary OS Freya, these are have drivers for most of the hardware out of the box.

#5

Ease of use is part of the overhead calculation when comparing two different technology stacks.

In reality it isn’t OpenFrameworks that is, yet again, letting you down, but a combination of software libraries interacting with your host OS.

C++ is incredibly fickle, and this type of problem is just the tip of the iceberg. At least your program compiled.

Given your strong requirements of zero configuration, maybe you need to just stick with Processing.

#6

Try Ubuntu 14.04, it works great with OF.
(altough we still stick with 12.04 here to not break something :smile: )

#7

Thanks,
some interesting suggestions.
I do a installations with a load of old computers so windows XP and OSX snow leopard mac minis - so it’s great to sometimes have some extra speed beyond Processing. OF 0.06 used to work OK but not the later versions. To develop oF needs Xcode on the Macs which needs OSX 10.9 and I think I have something with that on so I will try again with that Mac.

ofSketch didn’t work on XP. But I really like the look of that program - I think that’s exactly how I’d like to use oF without having to learn loads about MinGW and dependencies. Good luck with developing it. I’ll upgrade a laptop to Windows 7 - that might work too.

Linux scares me but I might have a go.

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