Welcome to the official guide for setting up the DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows graphics development. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to get started with building high-performance graphics applications on the Windows platform.
Important: The DirectX SDK has been integrated into the Windows SDK. For modern Windows development, it is generally recommended to use the latest Windows SDK, which includes the necessary DirectX components. This guide provides information relevant to historical SDK versions and general setup principles.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
A compatible version of Microsoft Windows.
Microsoft Visual Studio installed. We recommend using a recent version for the best compatibility and features.
Downloading the DirectX SDK
Historically, the DirectX SDK was a separate download. While integrated now, understanding where to find it is key.
For current development, the DirectX components are part of the **Windows SDK**. You can download the Windows SDK through the Visual Studio Installer:
Open the Visual Studio Installer.
Click Modify on your installed Visual Studio instance.
Under the "Individual components" tab, search for "Windows SDK".
Select the latest version of the Windows SDK, ensuring it includes DirectX development components (this is usually the default).
Click Modify to install the selected components.
If you require a specific older version of the DirectX SDK for legacy projects, you may need to search the Microsoft archives, but this is generally not recommended for new development.
Setting Up Your Development Environment
Once the Windows SDK (containing DirectX) is installed, Visual Studio should automatically configure itself to use the installed components.
Creating a New Project
Launch Visual Studio.
Select Create a new project.
Search for "Game" or "DirectX". You will typically find templates like "Direct3D 11 Game" or "Empty DirectX 12 Project".
Choose your desired template and click Next.
Configure your project name, location, and click Create.
Verifying the Installation
To confirm that your DirectX development environment is set up correctly, you can try compiling and running a sample project or a simple "Hello World" equivalent for DirectX.
A common first step is to include the necessary headers and link to the appropriate libraries. In your project's build settings (typically under Project > Properties > VC++ Directories and Linker > Input), ensure the paths to the DirectX SDK headers and libraries are correctly configured. Visual Studio's SDK integration usually handles this automatically for new projects created from DirectX templates.
Example: Including DirectX Headers
In your C++ source file, you would typically include headers like this:
Compiler/Linker Errors: Ensure the Windows SDK is correctly installed and selected in Visual Studio. Check your project's include and library directories.
Runtime Errors: Verify that your graphics drivers are up to date. Many DirectX issues are related to driver compatibility.
Missing DLLs: For older DirectX versions, you might need to install the DirectX End-User Runtime. However, for modern Windows development, the required DLLs are typically part of the operating system or bundled with your application's dependencies.
Further Resources
Explore these resources for more in-depth information and tutorials: