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General / Re: Custom Window With SFML
« on: October 13, 2015, 03:24:36 pm »This is a non-trivial advanced topic. As easy as "attaching itself to a game window" sounds, it is quite complex.
In order to do that you need to work with whatever API the game is using, so you'll have to write both a DirectX and OpenGL solution. Then you need to hook into the game itself which is often done through DLL injection, etc.
Try googling "opengl/directx hook" and "DLL injection" to learn more about these topics.
Personally I suggest you just pick an existing solution - there are quite a few out there.
So, no SFML won't help you for your task in any way.
My MO so far has been to inject myself in as a DLL, then create an Overlay Window (made transparent using DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea), then to complete this I draw on the overlay. However my application of directX is not drawing anything. I think I have to go back to basics in DirectX, then re-apply this to my overlay.
Existing solutions don't have the features I'd like, which is why I opted to make my own. Don't get me wrong I didn't expect it to be easy, I'll just go back to my DirectX tutorials and start over, until I solve this.
Best bet for you - and probably easiest as well - would be just drawing your overlay/chat to a normal SFML window and merging everything in your streaming app (like OpenBroadcaster). This is far easier and saves you the trouble of having to hook up multiple libraries (you'd have to provide interfaces for DirectX 9, DirectX 11, and OpenGL at least).
I had thought of this initially, but I don't want the people in the stream to see the messages. They already see them in the side panel on Twitch. I want to be able to see them myself over my game without disturbing their view. So sadly this won't help me.