DirectX Components

DirectX is made up of the following components:

• The DirectX Graphics component combines the Direct3D 9 component and the D3DX 9 utility library, which simplifies many graphics programming tasks (see DirectX Graphics). The newest graphics and utility components, Direct3D 10, and D3DX 10, are documented separately.
• The DirectInput component supports for a variety of input devices, including full support for force-feedback technology. DirectInput will maintain its current status until new technology in these areas is made available (see DirectInput).
• The DirectSound component can be used in the development of high-performance audio applications that play and capture waveform audio. DirectSound will maintain its current status until new technology in these areas is made available (see DirectSound).

Older Components

• Use of DirectDraw is no longer recommended. With the release of Direct3D 9.0, all two-dimensional functionality is contained within Direct3D and its associated helper functions in D3DX. However, the DirectDraw documentation is still available and can be viewed on MSDN at DirectDraw.
• DirectMusic will maintain its current status until new technology in these areas is made available. DirectMusic documentation can be found at: (SDK Root)\Documentation\DirectX9.
• DirectPlay is deprecated, and Microsoft strongly recommends against using it to develop new applications. Game developers should use Windows Sockets (see Windows Sockets) and the Windows Firewall APIs (see Games and Firewalls).
• DirectShow is no longer recommended for game development. All of the DirectShow components (headers, libraries, utilities, tools, and samples) were removed from the DirectX SDK in the April 2005 release. DirectShow is available in the latest Platform SDK Install.