Managed DirectX (MDX) is

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's deprecated API for

DirectX Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with "Direct" ...

programming on .NET Framework. MDX can be used from any language on .NET Framework (via the

Common Language Runtime The Common Language Runtime (CLR), the virtual machine component of Microsoft .NET Framework, manages the execution of .NET programs. Just-in-time compilation converts the managed code (compiled intermediate language code) into machine instr ...

). MDX can be used to develop multimedia and interactive applications (e.g. games, compiled only to

x86 x86 (also known as 80x86 or the 8086 family) is a family of complex instruction set computer (CISC) instruction set architectures initially developed by Intel, based on the 8086 microprocessor and its 8-bit-external-bus variant, the 8088. Th ...

), enabling high performance graphical representation and enabling the programmer to make use of modern graphical hardware while working inside the .NET Framework.

Overview

Managed DirectX was first released in 2002 to allow less complicated access to the DirectX API through the .NET framework. The Managed DirectX SDK allows developers access to numerous classes which allow the rendering of 3D graphics (

Direct3D Direct3D is a graphics application programming interface (API) for Microsoft Windows. Part of DirectX, Direct3D is used to render three-dimensional graphics in applications where performance is important, such as games. Direct3D uses hardware ...

) and the other DirectX API's in a much easier, object-oriented manner. MDX, however, does not support the newer APIs such as Direct3D 10, XInput, and XAudio 2. MDX is deprecated in favor of XNA Game Studio Express. It is, however, possible to use some other, more direct APIs to the DirectX framework such as the open-source SlimDX and SharpDX project.

Versions

MDX 1.1

* This was the first version available and still is the current stable version. * Can be used under .NET Framework versions 1.1 and 2.0. * Provides an object-oriented API that implements functionality very similar to DirectX 9.

MDX 2.0 beta

* Was canceled while still in beta. Is no longer available. * MDX 2.0 was replaced by

Microsoft XNA Microsoft XNA (a recursive acronym for XNA's not acronymed) is a freeware set of tools with a Managed code, managed Runtime system, runtime environment that Microsoft Gaming developed to facilitate video game game development, development. XNA is ...

(DirectX New Architecture). * The API differed from MDX 1.1 in a number of places.

External links

Microsoft Development Centre DirectX
{{Microsoft APIs Video game development software DirectX Microsoft development tools 2002 software