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Unit 7 Graphical Languages - CG - PU

There are two categories of graphics software: general programming packages that provide graphics functions for languages like FORTRAN and C, and special-purpose application packages designed for non-programmers. International standards organizations have developed graphics software standards to promote portability, including GKS, PHIGS, and PHIGS+ for 2D and 3D graphics, CGI for device interfaces, and CGM for archiving and transporting images. These standards provide common graphics functions, object modeling capabilities, and specifications beyond what individual packages offer.

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50 views1 page

Unit 7 Graphical Languages - CG - PU

There are two categories of graphics software: general programming packages that provide graphics functions for languages like FORTRAN and C, and special-purpose application packages designed for non-programmers. International standards organizations have developed graphics software standards to promote portability, including GKS, PHIGS, and PHIGS+ for 2D and 3D graphics, CGI for device interfaces, and CGM for archiving and transporting images. These standards provide common graphics functions, object modeling capabilities, and specifications beyond what individual packages offer.

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rupak dangi
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Unit 7

Graphical Languages
Graphics Software
There are two general categories of graphics software
▪ General programming packages:
▪ Provides extensive set of graphics functions for high level languages (FORTRAN, C etc).
▪ Basic functions include those for generating picture components (straight lines, polygons,
circles, and other figures), setting color and intensity values, selecting views, and applying
transformations.
▪ Example: GL(Graphics Library).
▪ Special-purpose application packages:
▪ Designed for nonprogrammers, so that users can generate displays without worrying about
how graphics operations work.
▪ The interface to the graphics routines in such packages allows users to communicate with the
programs in their own terms.
▪ Example: artist's painting programs and various business, medical, and CAD systems.

Software standards
Primary goal of standardized graphics software is portability. When packages are designed with standard
graphics functions, software can be moved easily from one hardware system to another and used in different
implementations and applications. International and national standards planning organizations in many
countries have cooperated in an effort to develop a generally-accepted standard for computer graphics. After
considerable effort, this work led to following standards:
▪ GKS (Graphical Kernel System): This system was adopted as the first graphics software standard
by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Although GKS was originally designed as a two-dimensional graphics package, a three-dimensional
GKS extension was subsequently developed.
▪ PHIGS (Programmer’s Hierarchical Interactive Graphics Standard): Extension to GKS,
Increased Capabilities for object modeling, color specifications, surface rendering and picture
manipulations are provided. Subsequently, an extension of PHIGS, called PHIGS+, was developed
to provide three-dimensional surface-shading capabilities which are not available in PHIGS.

Although PHIGS presents a specification for basic graphics functions, it does not provide a standard
methodology for a graphics interface to output devices (i.e. still machine dependent). Nor does it specify
methods for storing and transmitting pictures. Separate standards have been developed for these areas:
▪ CGI (Computer Graphics interface): Standardization for device interface
▪ CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile): Standards for archiving and transporting pictures

By Sagar Malla - - bit-papers.blogspot.com Page 1

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