Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 02:25:33 -0400 From: Glenn Maynard To: sdl@libsdl.org Subject: [SDL] SDL_SetVideoMode() failing and not setting an error (patch) Running an OpenGL SDL application off 1.2.7, at SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) time: Warning: Unable to initialize AAlib mouseUsing AAlib driver: Slang driver 1.0 (slang) SDL_SetVideoMode then fails; SDL_GetError() returns "". The installation problem is straightforward: X (the higher priority driver) isn't running, so SDL is falling back on aalib. However, no error is being set when aalib fails to initialize. This also happens with the svgalib driver. SDL_video.c line ~653 sets mode to NULL, since aalib didn't return an OpenGL surface. Line ~711 ("failed setting a video mode") returns NULL. The attached patch sets an error. It's a horrible, useless error message--it should really say eg. "aalib does not support OpenGL"; this should probably be done earlier in the individual drivers, too.

To compile and install SDL:

    1.  Run './configure; make; make install'

        If you are compiling for Windows using gcc, read the FAQ at:
        http://www.libsdl.org/faq.php?action=listentries&category=4#42

        If you are compiling using Visual C++ on Win32, you should read
        the file VisualC.html

    2.  Look at the example programs in ./test, and check out the HTML
        documentation in ./docs to see how to use the SDL library.

    3.  Join the SDL developer mailing list by sending E-mail to
    	sdl-request@libsdl.org
        and put "subscribe" in the subject of the message.

        Or alternatively you can use the web interface:
            http://www.libsdl.org/mailing-list.php

That's it!
Sam Lantinga <slouken@libsdl.org>