In this section, we discuss what the OpenGL API (Application Programming Interface) is, and some of its capabilities. As OpenGL is platform independent, we need some way to integrate OpenGL into each windowing system. Every windowing system where OpenGL is supported has additional API calls for managing OpenGL windows, colormaps, and other features. | OpenGL Overview 10/13/2016 1 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 1 OpenGL and GLUT Overview What is OpenGL & what can it do for me? OpenGL in windowing systems Why GLUT A GLUT program template 10/13/2016 2 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 2 In this section, we discuss what the OpenGL API (Application Programming Interface) is, and some of its capabilities. As OpenGL is platform independent, we need some way to integrate OpenGL into each windowing system. Every windowing system where OpenGL is supported has additional API calls for managing OpenGL windows, colormaps, and other features. These additional APIs are platform dependent. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll use an additional freeware library for simplifying interacting with windowing systems, GLUT. GLUT, the OpenGL Utility Toolkit is a library to make writing OpenGL programs regardless of windowing systems much easier. It’ll be the base of all of our examples in the class. We conclude the section | OpenGL Overview 10/13/2016 1 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 1 OpenGL and GLUT Overview What is OpenGL & what can it do for me? OpenGL in windowing systems Why GLUT A GLUT program template 10/13/2016 2 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 2 In this section, we discuss what the OpenGL API (Application Programming Interface) is, and some of its capabilities. As OpenGL is platform independent, we need some way to integrate OpenGL into each windowing system. Every windowing system where OpenGL is supported has additional API calls for managing OpenGL windows, colormaps, and other features. These additional APIs are platform dependent. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll use an additional freeware library for simplifying interacting with windowing systems, GLUT. GLUT, the OpenGL Utility Toolkit is a library to make writing OpenGL programs regardless of windowing systems much easier. It’ll be the base of all of our examples in the class. We conclude the section with a basic program template for an OpenGL program using GLUT. What Is OpenGL? Graphics rendering API a cross-platform API high-quality color images composed of geometric and image primitives widely used in CAD, virtual reality, scientific visualization, information visualization and video game development 10/13/2016 3 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 3 OpenGL is a library for doing computer graphics. By using it, you can create interactive applications which render high-quality color images composed of 3D geometric objects and images. OpenGL is window and operating system independent. As such, the part of your application which does rendering is platform independent. However, in order for OpenGL to be able to render, it needs a window to draw into. Generally, this is controlled by the windowing system on whatever platform you’re working on. OpenGL Architecture 10/13/2016 4 An Interactive Introduction to OpenGL Programming 4 This is the most important diagram you will
