Hello Instance Rendering

This is a small project created for the purpose of practicing what I've learned in LearnOpenGL. It showcases the rendering of 1 million instanced cubes.

Build Instructions for Hello Instance Rendering

Step 1. Install Dependencies

Before building, ensure you have the required dependencies:

• CMake (version 3.30 or newer)
• C++ Compiler (GCC, Clang, MSVC, or MinGW)
• Git (to clone the repository)

Window:

• Install CMake
• Install Visual Studio with the C++ Development Tools OR Install MinGW-w64 for MinGW builds

MacOS (Using Homebrew):

brew install cmake ninja

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian-based):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cmake g++ make clang git

Step 2. Clone the Repository (With Submodules)

Since the project uses submodules (e.g., GLFW, GLM), make sure to clone it with the --recursive flag:

git clone --recursive https://github.com/PsionicAlch/hello-instance-rendering.git

If you already cloned the repository without --recursive, you can manually initialize submodules with:

cd hello-instance-rendering
git submodule update --init --recursive

Step 3. Create a Build Directory

Navigate to the project directory and create a separate build folder:

cd hello-instance-rendering
mkdir -p build
cd build

Step 4. Configure the Project with CMake

Run cmake to generate the build files.

Windows (Visual Studio)

cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

You can also use "MinGW Makefiles" if using MinGW.

MacOS/Linux

cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

Step 5. Build the Project

Now, compile the project using the generated build system.

Windows (Visual Studio)

cmake --build . --config Release

MacOS/Linux

cmake --build . -- -j$(nproc)  # Use all CPU cores for faster builds

Step 6. Run the Executable

After a successful build, the compiled executable can be found in:

build/output/HelloInstanceRendering

Run the Application

Windows

cd output
HelloInstanceRendering.exe

MacOS/Linux

cd output
./HelloInstanceRendering

Step 7. Keeping the Repository Updated

To update your local copy, pull the latest changes and update submodules:

git pull --recurse-submodules
git submodule update --recursive --remote

Troubleshooting

CMake Not Found?

Ensure CMake is installed and available in your system’s PATH. Try running:

cmake --version

If it doesn’t work, reinstall CMake or add it to your PATH.

Build Errors?

• Ensure you have the correct dependencies installed.
• Try deleting the build folder and reconfiguring:

rm -rf build  # macOS/Linux
rmdir /s /q build  # Windows (PowerShell)
mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build .