FAQ
TL;DR: The new 800 × 600 default window plus SDL resize handling eliminated 100 % of viewport-offset bugs on 1920 × 1080 laptops; “OpenGL is a renderer” [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20533608]
Why it matters: smoother cross-platform builds and faster code reviews for contributors.
Quick Facts
• Default viewport: 800 × 600 after PR #780 [Elektroda, smkassist, post #20534741]
• Minimum confirmed hardware: Core i5-2 Gen, 8 GB RAM, integrated GPU runs ‘fine’ [Elektroda, smkassist, post #20536211]
• Core repos: src/sim inside OpenBK7231T_App, C++ & SDL2/OpenGL [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20947366]
• Mandatory libs: SDL2, OpenGL, FreeGLUT (x86), GLUT bitmap fonts [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20949160]
• Typical build time in VS Community: < 3 min on i7-6 Gen (user report) [Elektroda, snakesrules94, post #20949208]
Where is the current OpenBeken Simulator source code?
All active code lives in src/sim of the OpenBK7231T_App repository; entry point is win_main.c (cross-platform SDL) [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20947366]
Are pre-built Windows or Linux binaries available?
No public binaries exist yet. You must build from source or request a contributor-supplied build [Elektroda, mculibrk, #20897883; p.kaczmarek2, #20898235].
Which rendering backend does the simulator use?
It uses OpenGL for drawing shapes and textures, while SDL2 handles window, input, and events [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20533608]
Why not switch to SDL_Renderer?
OpenGL offers greater freedom, shader support, and is already abstracted behind shape classes, so changing renderers gives no user benefit [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20534239]
How do I compile the simulator in Visual Studio?
- Clone OpenBK7231T_App.
- Add SDL2, FreeGLUT, OpenGL include and x86 libs; ensure glut32.lib path is correct.
- Build the ‘sim’ target; compile time is under three minutes on i7-6 Gen [Elektroda, snakesrules94, post #20949208]
I get linker errors about glut32; what’s wrong?
You are linking the x64 library in an x86 build. Point VS to the x86 FreeGLUT library instead [Elektroda, snakesrules94, post #20949208]
How is window resizing handled now?
SDL_WINDOWEVENT_RESIZED updates WinWidth and WinHeight each event, then glViewport resets the projection every frame, removing previous offsets [Elektroda, smkassist, post #20534741]
Can I still set resolution via command line?
The window is resizable, so command-line sizing is optional; future builds may remember the last window size automatically [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, #20535574; #20535769].
What hardware is enough for smooth performance?
Even a Core i5-2 Gen with 8 GB RAM handled fullscreen rendering alongside "more than 10" Chrome tabs, experiencing only slight slowdown [Elektroda, smkassist, post #20536211]
Edge case: buttons sometimes freeze—why?
On very old PCs the GUI can lag, leaving buttons in an almost-active state; heavy CPU load is the trigger [Elektroda, smkassist, post #20537988]
Which dependencies are currently optional?
LibDevil and FreeType are unused today and can be removed; GLUT is retained for bitmap text [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20534239]
How do I contribute fixes or features?
Open a small, focused Pull Request; large diffs slow reviews and GitHub becomes laggy [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20533594]
What features are planned next?
Priority is adding device models such as a shift-register component before graphic-layer refactors [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20537267]
Is there a quick way to load example scenes?
Scene-change logic now auto-runs autoexec.bat, so examples launch instantly without manual ‘Save and Run’ clicks [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20537836]
