llw@corwin.eng.yale.edu (Louis L. Whitcomb) (02/23/91)
Greetings:
I am in need of a device-independent (Sun, SGI, postscript) 3-D
graphics package for rendering and animating the movement of solid
rigid-body objects. I would prefer to avoid writing non-portable code
for proprietary interfaces such as SGI's GL.
My (naive) understanding is that the PHIGS standard offers to
standardize 3-D graphics in much the same way that X has privides a
standardized 2-D graphics interface --- and that some PHIGS
implementations are built on top of X. I have the following
questions:
1. Where can I get hard info on the PHIGS standard?
2. I have seen DEC PHIGS. It is real. Can anyone confirm the rumor
that both SUN and SGI will soon offer their own versions?
Price?
3. How does PEX fit in the picture? I understand it to be a new
X-protocol which includes 3-D primitives. References?
4. Any favorite alternatives?
A previous poster's summary of non-PHIGS 3-D packages was helpful,
and suggested free packages such as VOGLE, but I would really prefer
to work with (1) more powerful and (2) supported software.
I will summarize and post all replies.
The Best,
Louis
--
Louis L. Whitcomb llw@corwin.eng.yale.edu ph: (203) 432-4237
Yale Robotics Laboratory fx: (203) 432-7481
Department of Electrical Engineering, 1968 Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520pmartz@undies.dsd.es.com (Paul Martz) (02/24/91)
In article <LLW.91Feb22110248@corwin.eng.yale.edu>, llw@corwin.eng.yale.edu (Louis L. Whitcomb) writes: > > Greetings: > > I am in need of a device-independent (Sun, SGI, postscript) 3-D > graphics package for rendering and animating the movement of solid > rigid-body objects. I would prefer to avoid writing non-portable code > for proprietary interfaces such as SGI's GL. > > My (naive) understanding is that the PHIGS standard offers to > standardize 3-D graphics in much the same way that X has privides a > standardized 2-D graphics interface --- and that some PHIGS > implementations are built on top of X. I have the following > questions: > > 1. Where can I get hard info on the PHIGS standard? PHIGS is an ISO standard -- ISO/TEC 9592-1:1988(E) is the magic number up in the corner of my copy of the PHIGS funtional description, though there might be a later edition out by now. Note that this fully describes the funtionality and philosophy of PHIGS; there are several language bindings (though FORTRAN is the only one currently approved). > 2. I have seen DEC PHIGS. It is real. Can anyone confirm the rumor > that both SUN and SGI will soon offer their own versions? > Price? Rumor? I thought SunPhigs had been on the market for a long time already... Also, Template Graphics produces Figaro, IBM produces graPHIGS, etc. > 3. How does PEX fit in the picture? I understand it to be a new > X-protocol which includes 3-D primitives. References? Right. Sun Microsystems was contracted by MIT to produce a PEX sample implementation and C-language PHIGS binding to ride on top of it. They have completed this effort, and MIT will be releasing the PEX-SI code on the X11R5 tape for public consumption. However, there are already X/PEX servers on the market: DEC has a PEX-based PHIGS, as does the company I work for, Evans & Sutherland. There will be a 'Connectathon' at the end of March at which all PEX-based PHIGS vendors will get together and show that their PHIGS applications are device dependant. > 4. Any favorite alternatives? As far as high-performance, complete, device-independant, network-transparent 3D graphics systems go? I don't believe there ARE any alternatives to PEX-based PHIGS. > Louis > -- > Louis L. Whitcomb llw@corwin.eng.yale.edu ph: (203) 432-4237 > Yale Robotics Laboratory fx: (203) 432-7481 > Department of Electrical Engineering, 1968 Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520 -- -paul pmartz@dsd.es.com
rthomson@mesa.dsd.es.com (Rich Thomson) (02/26/91)
In article <LLW.91Feb22110248@corwin.eng.yale.edu> llw@corwin.eng.yale.edu (Louis L. Whitcomb) writes: >I am in need of a device-independent [...] 3-D graphics package for >rendering and animating the movement of solid rigid-body objects. [...] > 1. Where can I get hard info on the PHIGS standard? From the frequently asked questions posting: 12) How to order standards documents. The American National Standards Institute sells ANSI standards, and also ISO (international) standards. Their sales office is at (212) 642-4900, mailing address is 1430 Broadway, NY NY 10018. It helps if you have the complete name and number. Some useful numbers to know: CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) is ANSI X3.122-1986. GKS (Graphical Kernel System) is ANSI X3.124-1985. PHIGS (Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System) is ANSI X3.144-1988. IGES is ASME/ANSI Y14.26M-1987. Language bindings are often separate but related numbers; for example, the GKS FORTRAN binding is X3.124.1-1985. Standards-in-progress are made available at key milestones to solicit comments from the graphical public (this includes you!). ANSI can let you know where to order them; most are available from Global Engineering at 800/854-7179. > 2. I have seen DEC PHIGS. It is real. Can anyone confirm the rumor > that both SUN and SGI will soon offer their own versions? > Price? Sun already has PHIGS on their platform. I don't know the price. Since the sample implementation team for PEX was at Sun, I imagine they will have PEX soon as well. SGI supports PHIGS through a third-party source product called `Figaro' and has talked about introducing PEX in 1992. Several companies are offering PEX right now, including DEC, Evans & Sutherland, and Stardent to name a few. > 3. How does PEX fit in the picture? I understand it to be a new > X-protocol which includes 3-D primitives. References? PEX extends the X protocol for client-side or server-side structure store and encompasses the PHIGS standard and the draft PHIGS+ standard (lighting, shading, more primitives). -- Rich -- ``Read my MIPS -- no new VAXes!!'' -- George Bush after sniffing freon Disclaimer: I speak for myself, except as noted. UUCP: ...!uunet!dsd.es.com!rthomson Rich Thomson ARPA: rthomson@dsd.es.com PEXt Programmer