This course introduces the student to computer applications for the visualization of information. Algorithms, data structures, graphics primitives, and graphics standards are discussed in addition to hardware aspects of interactive computer graphics. Topics such as two- and three-dimensional transformations, graphics databases, and clipping algorithms are presented. Laboratory exercises using workstations and industry-standard graphics packages provide opportunities for students to develop interactive graphics algorithms and applications. (prereq: CS-285) (3-3-4)

Objectives

On successful completion of this course, the student will:

• Understand computer graphics hardware, algorithms, and applications;
• Understand the design of graphical user interfaces;
• Understand the importance of standards such as the X Window System and Motif;
• Understand and be able to apply concepts of object-oriented programming, inheritance, polymorphism, and event-driven systems;
• Be able apply data structures to the management of computer graphics entities;
• Be able to use reference materials to gain knowledge of an unfamiliar software system (e.g., X Window System);
• Be able to implement multi-module software systems incorporating components developed by others;
• Be able to clarify and document software requirements when specifications are initially incomplete or ambiguous;
• Understand the need for extensive internal software documentation, and be able to provide it.

Textbook

Computer Graphics C Version, 2nd Ed., by Donald Hearn and M. Pauline Baker, Prentice-Hall, 1997.

Recommended Reading

The Definitive Guide to the X Window System Vol. 2, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1992.

The X Window System in a Nutshell, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1992. (out of print)

Reference

Building OSF/Motif Applications: A Practical Introduction, M. Sebern, Prentice Hall, 1994.

The Definitive Guide to the X Window System Vols. 1-10, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1992.

Web resources

• X Windows -- A Concise Description (Tim Love)
• Lots of X links
• Motif FAQ
• XFree86 man pages
• Starting Programmin with the X Windows System
• X Windows Guide -- Jeff Pitchers
• Introduction to X Windows -- R.B. Rodger

My Schedule

Oral Presentation

Each student will be required to give one five minute oral presentation.

Laboratory

Each student must submit an individually written report for each laboratory assignment. Laboratory reports should include software code written as part of the lab project and should conform to the specified documentation standards. There is a 10% per business day late penalty for lab reports submitted after the scheduled due date. No reports will be accepted after 4:30pm, November 12, 1999. The lowest attempted one-week lab will be dropped. If the lowest attempted lab is a two-week lab, only half of the lab grade will be dropped.

Exams

There will be a mid-term exam and a comprehensive final in this course. It is your responsibility to be present for both exams. Please contact me in advance if you have a valid conflict with a scheduled exam.

Grading

Attendance

Attendance in lab is mandatory. Students who miss lab or leave early will only be eligible for 50% of the possible points for that lab assignment. Attendance in class and lab is expected. If you decide to drop out of the course, it is your responsibility to notify the registrar. I will not drop you for missing class. If you stop coming to class without notifying the registrar that you are dropping the course, it is likely that you will receive an "F" grade.

Professionalism

Students are expected to act in a professional manner in dealing with all matters pertaining to this course. In particular, deceptive practices of any sort are unacceptable (e.g., submitting source code that does not run correctly without clearly identifying the problems with it). Note that copying is not necessarily unprofessional; engineers copy good ideas from many sources all the time (subject to ethical and legal constraints). If you do copy something, you must give explicit credit to the source (e.g., article, book, web URL); also, be sure you understand anything that you copy, as I may choose to quiz you orally over that material.

Lab projects are to be your own work. This does not mean that you cannot discuss ideas and approaches with other students or faculty, but the final product must be yours alone. At times it may be difficult to know where to draw the line between beneficial cooperation and parasitic freeloading. For this course, it is not legitimate to collaborate to the extent of sharing source code for all or part of a particular lab project. In particular, you should never be in possession of a copy (in any form) of all or part of another student's source code. (This includes students from other sections and students who previously took this course.) If you have any question as to what types of cooperation are acceptable, please talk to me.

Announcements

You are responsible for assignments and announcements made in class or lab. In addition, you should periodically check your email account and the Web pages for this course.

Special Needs

If you have special educational needs, it is your responsibility to meet with me in my office in the first three weeks of the quarter to discuss them.

Feedback Wanted

I am interested in your feedback on how I can improve this course. Please feel free to stop by my office, send me email, or drop an anonymous note in my departmental mailbox with suggestions on how I can make this a better class for you. Don't wait until evaluation time because I won't see those comments until the quarter is over.

Electronic Submission Procedure

All laboratory reports for this course must be submitted electronically. You are responsible for ensuring that each report is emailed to me. In particular, it is your responsibility to make sure you type in the correct email address, etc... If you do not receive a message confirming that I received your submission, you should assume that I didn't receive it.

All reports will be graded and returned to you by email. The graded reports will be in Adobe Acrobat's Portable Document Format (PDF).

• Electronic Submission Guidelines
• Example graded assignment (PDF)
• Original submitted text for example assignment
• The Adobe Acrobat Reader may be freely downloaded

Tentative Schedule