SDL_WINDOWEVENT_CLOSE vs SDL_QUIT

While SDL_WINDOWEVENT_CLOSE and SDL_QUIT are both related to closing windows, they serve different purposes.

SDL_WINDOWEVENT_CLOSE

This event is specific to an individual SDL window. It occurs when the user attempts to close a window (e.g., by clicking the close button). The event contains the windowID, allowing you to determine which window the action applies to.

1if (event.type == SDL_WINDOWEVENT &&
2    event.window.event == SDL_WINDOWEVENT_CLOSE) {
3  std::cout << "User attempted to close window ID: "
4            << event.window.windowID << '\n';
5}

SDL_QUIT

This event is more general and signals the application should terminate. It typically occurs when:

• The last window is closed.
• The user sends a termination signal (e.g., pressing Ctrl+C in the console).

1if (event.type == SDL_QUIT) {
2  std::cout << "Application quit signal received\n";
3}

Key Differences

• SDL_WINDOWEVENT_CLOSE is window-specific, while SDL_QUIT affects the entire application.
• If you close all SDL windows, SDL usually triggers SDL_QUIT.

Understanding this distinction helps in multi-window applications where closing one window doesn’t necessarily mean quitting the app.