Object-oriented Graphics: From GKS and PHIGS to Object-Oriented Systems (Symbolic computation, computer graphics - systems & applications) - Hardcover

Wisskirchen, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 3540528598 ISBN 13: 9783540528593

Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K, 1990

Synopsis

At present, object-oriented programming is emerging from the research labora- tories and invading into the field of industrial applications. More and more products have been implemented with the aid of object-oriented programming techniques and tools, usually as extensions of traditional languages in hybrid development systems. Some of the better known examples are OSF-Motif, News, Objective-C on the NeXT computer, the C extension C++, and CLOS an object- oriented extension of LISP. All of these developments incorporate interactive graphics. Effective object-oriented systems in combination with a graphics kernel- does it mean that the field of computer graphics has now become merely an aspect of the object-oriented world? We do not think so. In spite of interesting individual developments, there are still no sound object-oriented graphics sys- tems available. If it is desired to develop a complex graphics application embed- ded in a window-oriented system then it is still necessary to work with elemen- tary tools. What is to be displayed and interactively modified inside a window must be specified with a set of graphics primitives at a low level, or has to be written with a standardized graphics kernel system such as GKS or PHIGS, i. e. , by kernels specified and implemented in a non-object-oriented style. With the terms GKS and PHIGS we enter the world of international graphics standards. GKS and PHIGS constitute systems, not mere collections of graphics primitives.

About this title

Synopsis

This text covers computer graphics programming on the basis of an object-orientated philosophy and uses the object-orientated programming paradigm. It shows how a thorough investigation of object-orientated techniques leads to very powerful and flexible graphics systems, which are in sharp contrast to traditional systems such as GKS and PHIGS. An object-orientated multi-level system GEO++ with full editing capabilities is defined as a basis for detailed examples using the Smalltalk-80 language. New ways of integrating geometric modelling aspects and defining new output primitives into a prefabricated kernel are demonstrated. Prerequisites for adding rules and constraints are discussed, and requirements for a new object-orientated standard are formulated. A significant part of the book is devoted to detailed examples, showing the progress which can be achieved with a consistent object-orientated approach. Rather than reviewing all different object-orientated approaches and prototypical developments, the book builds a bridge between traditional graphics programming systems and the object-orientated approach.

It is designed for computer scientists and programmers seeking to become familiar with graphics systems and object-orientated programming.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3540528598
• ISBN 13: 9783540528593
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 249