🚀 go-pugleaf

Jon Raymond wrote:

<snip>
> : I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
> : isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
> : you.
> 
> I'm doing exactly the same thing, except under X-Windows. The main reason
> being that I can run my program in one X-Window, debug from another
> (Using Xddd) then just change the start-up code for DOS once it's
> finished, slap it through djgpp and the thing works fine. I love it :)
> 
> I *strongly* recommend developing under X-Windows. The viewport is handled
> just like DOS's mode13h (using MIT-SHM or just straight XImages) and is
> *very* fast. The conversion rate is approx 200fps on my P5-100 running a
> Mach64 X-server. This time includes rotating 24 points and clearing the
> screen buffer (coded in 100% C).
<snip>

Where can I get example code on how to do this mode13h line graphics with
MIT-SHM or XImages? Some sample source code or list of APIs that can be
used would be good.

Prasanth
pak@best.com

Jason Collins wrote:
: Hi all,

: I have been learning a bit of C graphics programming lately, and was
: just wondering if there were many people using Linux for graphics
: programming? (Not X)  I am trying to eventually use Linux for
: everything, and have found that a lot of things I used to do in that
: other O/S (do I have to say it?) are much better (and more fun!) with
: Linux.

I agree. For development, UNIX based systems are just superb (imho). I also
learnt quite a bit about the system from actually setting it up. It's kinda
satisfying once it's up and running and you've overcome the challenges!

: I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
: isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
: you.

I'm doing exactly the same thing, except under X-Windows. The main reason
being that I can run my program in one X-Window, debug from another
(Using Xddd) then just change the start-up code for DOS once it's
finished, slap it through djgpp and the thing works fine. I love it :)

I *strongly* recommend developing under X-Windows. The viewport is handled
just like DOS's mode13h (using MIT-SHM or just straight XImages) and is
*very* fast. The conversion rate is approx 200fps on my P5-100 running a
Mach64 X-server. This time includes rotating 24 points and clearing the
screen buffer (coded in 100% C).

: Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: or graphics libraries that would be great.

Sorry, I don't use them. Also, most of the existing ones require X (I think),
and you're (most likely) using svgalib. You need something like Mesa or
OpenGL. These are well supported and OpenGL is pratically standard. There's
also a guy here on r.g.p that has knocked up a library called Free3D.

Hope this helps,
Jon.
-- 
Email: jon@neurodne.demon.co.uk
Linux/X11 3D programmer

Jason Collins (jason@iimage.com.au) wrote:
: Hi all,

[snip]

: I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
: isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
: you.

: Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: or graphics libraries that would be great.

: Thanks

	Jason,

	You might like to look at Mesa - a 3D graphics library which 
	has an API pretty much identical to OpenGL (originally developed
	by SGI). Any OpenGL program should compile with the Mesa library
	without any problems. 

	You can find out more about Mesa from the Mesa home page:

	http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~brianp/Mesa.html

	You can download the Mesa source from this page and compile
	it on Linux (needs X Windows libs) - quite a few demo programs
	are included showing many different 3D effects. The distribution
	apart from containing code that will work on most Unix/X11 
	systems also has code for the Amiga, NeXT and even Windows.
	Note that for the moment there is no hardware accelerated 3D
	graphics - it is a purely software based implementation.

	I've been using Mesa on Linux and on IRIX (as well as 
	as SGI's OpenGL on an Onyx), quite happily for a while now
	and I would recommend it, if you are interested in 3D graphics
	programming. 

	Instead of reinventing the wheel by writing your own graphics
	library (unless you feel like a challenge), going with something
	like Mesa is a good choice because OpenGL is pretty much becoming
	a 3D graphics standard - it is supported by SGI, DEC, IBM,
	Microsoft and other smaller companies like Metro-Link,
	Evans & Sutherland and X-Inside. The last three I believe, all
	sell commercial OpenGL implementations for Linux.

	For information on OpenGL, you might like to try the following
	web pages:

	WWW Center:   http://www.sgi.com/Technology/openGL/
  	Man pages:    http://www.digital.com:80/pub/doc/opengl/
  	Spec doc:     http://www.sgi.com/Technology/openGL/glspec/glspec.html

	Hope this helps.

	Michael Papasimeon
	michp@ecr.mu.oz.au

	

: Jason Collins (jason@iimage.com.au) wrote:
: : Hi all,

: [snip]

: : I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
: : isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
: : you.

: : Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: : or graphics libraries that would be great.

You (or anyone else) are welcome to use my C++ version of Free3d as
"starter code" for your graphics engine, under the terms of the GNU
Library Public License.  I'm not developing that code base anymore.
It's good for what it does, but I know how to do much better now, and
I'm working on an i486 assembly version with significantly different
internal algorithms.  At any rate, Free3d has got things like fixed
point, vector math, a portable framebuffer interface, and extensive
auto-configuration.  It's not a complete 3d library by any means, but
the base components are in good shape.  Check out my web pages for
details.

Cheers,
-- 
Brandon J. Van Every   |  Check out Free3d, my 100% efficient, 100% portable
                       |  3d lib, at <http://www.blarg.net/~vanevery>.
3d Computer Graphics   |
C++  UNIX  X11  WinNT  |  E-mail: vanevery@blarg.net

Prasanth Kumar wrote:

: Where can I get example code on how to do this mode13h line graphics with
: MIT-SHM or XImages? Some sample source code or list of APIs that can be
: used would be good.

I've just knocked up a simple demo showing how to use MIT-SHM, setup the
colourmap and display to the screen. It's nothing fancy, I just unbolted my
texture mapping engine and slapped in some code for a bouncing square thing.

If enough people want it and if no-one objects, I could post the source here.
The file is about 150 lines long and is unfortunately uncommented.

Cheers,
Jon.
-- 
Email: jon@neurodne.demon.co.uk
Linux/X11 3D programmer

Jon Raymond (jon@neurodne.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: Jason Collins wrote:
: : Hi all,

: : Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: : or graphics libraries that would be great.

: Sorry, I don't use them. Also, most of the existing ones require X (I think),
: and you're (most likely) using svgalib. You need something like Mesa or
: OpenGL. These are well supported and OpenGL is pratically standard. There's
: also a guy here on r.g.p that has knocked up a library called Free3D.

That guy would be me.  Free3d is certainly not a complete 3d rendering
library (it hardly renders 1 polygon!) but it's got some very solid
C++ support libraries.  One of the features of Free3d, is that the 3d
rendering code has no idea what X11 or SVGA or any of that is.  It
writes to a "plain jane" raw memory interface.  The portable
framebuffer library takes an arbitrary GUI and makes it look like a
raw memory interface.  Thus, doing a port to SVGAlib would be trivial.
In fact, somebody once proved the "triviality" of such ports as
proof-of-concept... this guy knocked up a Win95 version in 1 day's
time.  Free3d was designed from the ground up to be ported to all
CPU/OS platforms at no loss of efficiency.

As I said elsewhere in this thread, anyone is welcome to use Free3d as
C++ starter code for their projects, under the terms of the GNU
Library Public License.

Cheers,
-- 
Brandon J. Van Every   |  Check out Free3d, my 100% efficient, 100% portable
                       |  3d lib, at <http://www.blarg.net/~vanevery>.
3d Computer Graphics   |
C++  UNIX  X11  WinNT  |  E-mail: vanevery@blarg.net

Jon Raymond (jon@neurodne.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: Prasanth Kumar wrote:

: : Where can I get example code on how to do this mode13h line graphics with
: : MIT-SHM or XImages? Some sample source code or list of APIs that can be
: : used would be good.

: I've just knocked up a simple demo showing how to use MIT-SHM, setup the
: colourmap and display to the screen. It's nothing fancy, I just unbolted my
: texture mapping engine and slapped in some code for a bouncing square thing.

: If enough people want it and if no-one objects, I could post the source here.
: The file is about 150 lines long and is unfortunately uncommented.

If you want to see a complete, working example of an MIT-SHM C++ class
library, designed with portability to different non-X11 operating
systems in mind, check out Free3d.  You can use it under the terms of
the GNU Library Public License.

In this thread, I probably sound like a broken record.  But I don't
necessarily spell out all at once what Free3d has to offer, and if I
see something that I know Free3d is strong in, I'm inclined to post
something specific about that.  I'm not trying to toodle my own horn,
so much as point out a specific piece of genuinely useful code.


Cheers,
-- 
Brandon J. Van Every   |  Check out Free3d, my 100% efficient, 100% portable
                       |  3d lib, at <http://www.blarg.net/~vanevery>.
3d Computer Graphics   |
C++  UNIX  X11  WinNT  |  E-mail: vanevery@blarg.net

Brandon J. Van Every wrote:
: If you want to see a complete, working example of an MIT-SHM C++ class
: library, designed with portability to different non-X11 operating
: systems in mind, check out Free3d.  You can use it under the terms of
: the GNU Library Public License.

: In this thread, I probably sound like a broken record.  But I don't
: necessarily spell out all at once what Free3d has to offer, and if I
: see something that I know Free3d is strong in, I'm inclined to post
: something specific about that.  I'm not trying to toodle my own horn,
: so much as point out a specific piece of genuinely useful code.

Worry not. I agree, especially when it comes down to promoting UNIX/X11
based systems for development. I'll download your Free3D package tonight
and check it out :)

Cheers,
Jon.
-- 
Email: jon@neurodne.demon.co.uk
Linux/X11 3D programmer

Jason Collins (jason@iimage.com.au) wrote:
: Hi all,

: I have been learning a bit of C graphics programming lately, and was
: just wondering if there were many people using Linux for graphics
: programming? (Not X)  I am trying to eventually use Linux for
: everything, and have found that a lot of things I used to do in that
: other O/S (do I have to say it?) are much better (and more fun!) with
: Linux.

: I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
: isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
: you.

: Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: or graphics libraries that would be great.

Mesa has been suggested by others, try also 'vtk1.1' another library
which uses Mesa for a much higher level interface to 3D programming libs.
I'm still sorting through it and so cannot praise/trash it. Look at the Mesa 
home page for a link to the ftp site.

>
>: I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
>: isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
>: you.

There is a 3d graphics engine listed in the LSM,  I wish I knew the name
offhand.  You might want to take a look at it to get some ideas

-- 

Tony Smolar

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
asmolar@fast.net                    home email
tonys@nscs.fast.net                 work email
http://www.users.fast.net/~smol     homepage

> Jason Collins (jason@iimage.com.au) wrote: : Hi all,

> : I have been learning a bit of C graphics programming lately, and
> was : just wondering if there were many people using Linux for
> graphics : programming? (Not X) I am trying to eventually use Linux
> for : everything, and have found that a lot of things I used to do
> in that : other O/S (do I have to say it?) are much better (and more
> fun!) with : Linux.

> : I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics
> programmer : isn't) so if you have done something similar I would
> love to hear from : you.

> : Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing
> code : or graphics libraries that would be great.

I'm also working on a project (a classic arcade port) with svgalib and
the graphics library it comes with.  I've had good results so far.
There's a 3d demo file that comes with the svgalib package, so it's
certainly possible to do one.  I seem to recall seeing an engine
called 'wc' -- I haven't actually looked at it, but you might take a
look at the source code.  It's probably at sunsite.unc.edu at
/pub/linux/games/, but might be in a subdirectory somewhere.
 
Hope this helps.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesse Smith, Esq.			      "Don't spend the rest 
At SUNY Geneseo - where angels fear to tread    of your life
jds97@cs.geneseo.edu			         wondering..." 
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.          - They Might Be Giants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ndaglis@acs.itd.uts.edu.au (ndaglis@itd.uts.edu.au) wrote:
: Jason Collins (jason@iimage.com.au) wrote:
: : Hi all,

: : I have been learning a bit of C graphics programming lately, and was
: : just wondering if there were many people using Linux for graphics
: : programming? (Not X)  I am trying to eventually use Linux for
: : everything, and have found that a lot of things I used to do in that
: : other O/S (do I have to say it?) are much better (and more fun!) with
: : Linux.

: : I am trying to create a 3d graphics engine (what graphics programmer
: : isn't) so if you have done something similar I would love to hear from
: : you.

: : Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any existing code
: : or graphics libraries that would be great.

: Mesa has been suggested by others, try also 'vtk1.1' another library
: which uses Mesa for a much higher level interface to 3D programming libs.
: I'm still sorting through it and so cannot praise/trash it. Look at the Mesa 
: home page for a link to the ftp site.

Try also Free3d as base code.  It's not a complete 3d rendering
library... you're welcome to use it under the terms of the GNU Library
Public License.


Cheers,
-- 
Brandon J. Van Every   |  Check out Free3d, my 100% efficient, 100% portable
                       |  3d lib, at <http://www.blarg.net/~vanevery>.
3d Computer Graphics   |
C++  UNIX  X11  WinNT  |  E-mail: vanevery@blarg.net