OpenGL Text Rendering

I've been looking around for a way to render text in my OpenGL program. I had a look at the Red Book and found some code but it only covered the characters A-Z.

GLubyte space[] =
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00};
GLubyte letters[][13] = {
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xff, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfc, 0xce, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xce, 0xfc},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfc, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfc, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xcf, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xff, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7c, 0xee, 0xc6, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc6, 0xcc, 0xd8, 0xf0, 0xe0, 0xf0, 0xd8, 0xcc, 0xc6, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xdb, 0xff, 0xff, 0xe7, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc7, 0xc7, 0xcf, 0xcf, 0xdf, 0xdb, 0xfb, 0xf3, 0xf3, 0xe3, 0xe3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0x6e, 0xdf, 0xdb, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc6, 0xcc, 0xd8, 0xf0, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0x03, 0x03, 0x07, 0x7e, 0xe0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0xff, 0xff, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0x60, 0x30, 0x7e, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0x03, 0xff}
};

After going a little crazy, I found another site which expanded upon what I had previously found. This second site covered all 127 ASCII characters.

GLubyte rasters[][13] = {
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x36, 0x36, 0x36, 0x36},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x66, 0x66, 0xff, 0x66, 0x66, 0xff, 0x66, 0x66, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x7e, 0xff, 0x1b, 0x1f, 0x7e, 0xf8, 0xd8, 0xff, 0x7e, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x0e, 0x1b, 0xdb, 0x6e, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x76, 0xdb, 0xd8, 0x70},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7f, 0xc6, 0xcf, 0xd8, 0x70, 0x70, 0xd8, 0xcc, 0xcc, 0x6c, 0x38},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x1c, 0x0c, 0x0e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x18, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x18, 0x30},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x99, 0x5a, 0x3c, 0xff, 0x3c, 0x5a, 0x99, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0xff, 0xff, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x18, 0x1c, 0x1c, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x38, 0x38, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x60, 0x60, 0x30, 0x30, 0x18, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x06, 0x03, 0x03},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3c, 0x66, 0xc3, 0xe3, 0xf3, 0xdb, 0xcf, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x78, 0x38, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0x60, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0x03, 0x03, 0x07, 0x7e, 0x07, 0x03, 0x03, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0xff, 0xcc, 0x6c, 0x3c, 0x1c, 0x0c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0x03, 0x03, 0x07, 0xfe, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0x7f, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x38, 0x38, 0x00, 0x00, 0x38, 0x38, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x18, 0x1c, 0x1c, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1c, 0x1c, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x06, 0x0c, 0x18, 0x30, 0x60, 0xc0, 0x60, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x60, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0x06, 0x0c, 0x18, 0x30, 0x60},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0x60, 0xcf, 0xdb, 0xd3, 0xdd, 0xc3, 0x7e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xff, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfc, 0xce, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xce, 0xfc},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfc, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfc, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xcf, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xff, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7c, 0xee, 0xc6, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06, 0x06},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc6, 0xcc, 0xd8, 0xf0, 0xe0, 0xf0, 0xd8, 0xcc, 0xc6, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xdb, 0xff, 0xff, 0xe7, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc7, 0xc7, 0xcf, 0xcf, 0xdf, 0xdb, 0xfb, 0xf3, 0xf3, 0xe3, 0xe3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0x6e, 0xdf, 0xdb, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc6, 0xcc, 0xd8, 0xf0, 0xfe, 0xc7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc7, 0xfe},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0x03, 0x03, 0x07, 0x7e, 0xe0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe7, 0x7e},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xe7, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0xff, 0xff, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0x60, 0x30, 0x7e, 0x0c, 0x06, 0x03, 0x03, 0xff},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3c, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x3c},
{0x00, 0x03, 0x03, 0x06, 0x06, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x18, 0x18, 0x30, 0x30, 0x60, 0x60},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x3c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x3c},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x18},
{0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x38, 0x30, 0x70},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7f, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7f, 0x03, 0xc3, 0x7e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfe, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xfe, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xc3, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc3, 0x7e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7f, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7f, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0x03},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7f, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfe, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0xfc, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x33, 0x1e},
{0x7e, 0xc3, 0x03, 0x03, 0x7f, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xfe, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x00},
{0x38, 0x6c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x0c, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0c, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc6, 0xcc, 0xf8, 0xf0, 0xd8, 0xcc, 0xc6, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x78},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xdb, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7c, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0x7c, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xfe, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x03, 0x03, 0x03, 0x7f, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x7f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0xe0, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xfe, 0x03, 0x03, 0x7e, 0xc0, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x1c, 0x36, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0xfc, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x7e, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0xc6, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0xe7, 0xff, 0xdb, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0xc3, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xc3, 0x66, 0x3c, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x66, 0xc3, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0xc0, 0x60, 0x60, 0x30, 0x18, 0x3c, 0x66, 0x66, 0xc3, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0x60, 0x30, 0x18, 0x0c, 0x06, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x38, 0xf0, 0x38, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x0f},
{0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18},
{0x00, 0x00, 0xf0, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0x1c, 0x0f, 0x1c, 0x18, 0x18, 0x18, 0xf0},
{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x06, 0x8f, 0xf1, 0x60, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00}
};

Normally I would use GLUT to render text but the program I am working on uses Qt and I found it difficult to mix both. There are other code snippets which involve reading in a bitmap file to create a similar array but I wanted to have less code to keep things simple. There was a moment when I considered manually expanding the 26 character array to include numbers.

If you copy and paste the code from either site you may need to replace the apostrophes. In addition, to compile in Linux, use:

g++ -lGL -lglut font.c

You may also want to change

void printString(char *s)

to

void printString(const char *s)

to fix the warning messages.