A Generic 3D Graphics Kernel (V1.5)

Current graphic systems (traditional or object-oriented) offer a certain amount of functionality but also prescribe a lot of impli- cations, constraints and may not fit a given task. The result is that in many cases people start from scratch, implement the basic graphics stuff again and again.

The objective of the announced project is to develop a generic 3D graphics kernel "G" that may be used to implement an own system by deriving the generic one. By aggregation and inheritance the interfaces and implementations of the generic kernel may be used. The generic kernel shall offer a wide functionality consisting of unrelated classes that may adaptively be integrated into a specialized system without run-time and memory overhead.

The principal functionality of the system will be [is]:

basic parametric aggregates and related operators [parametric fix-sized vector, dl list, dynamic list, for-each iterators]
elementary graphical data types: vector (2D, 3D, generic), matrices, colors, vertex, etc. and related operators [2D, 3D, nD Vector, 4x4, nxn Matrix, "Phong" Surface, RGB color, different vertex types]
essential scene collections (DAG, tree, binary tree, linear list)
basic graphical design patterns such as PHIGS' CSS, or a CGRM environment with its components
basic topological classes with covariant extensibility [1D, 2D, Polyhedron, parametric curve and surface]
abstract and concrete rendering classes (rendering interfaces, camera models, specific rendering primitives, i.e., Quadric for ray-tracing) [ray-tracing and shading interface, perspectivic and orthographic camera model, shader, ray-tracer, quadric, polygon, shading and ray-tracing iterators to be used for cameras and composites, to be platform-independent, the specific shading stuff is encapsulated in a "device driver" with following realizations until now:
- OpenGL and X11 R4 - R6
- OpenGL and Tk 3.6 - 4.1 (both UNIX and Windows/NT)
NOTE: OpenGL compatible public domain library Mesa has been tested successfully as replacement for OpenGL]
pixel-based output devices [Pixmap, ImageFile]
rendering-independent mathematical stuff, e.g., Splines and free form surfaces [solid textures, bump mappings, interpolated spline curves and surfaces]
basic interaction classes (abstract and concrete, e.g., low-level event types) [2D mouse and spaceball events, socket encapsulation, pixmap update event, callbacks, abstract input device featuring feedback access and hierarchical organization, input server, timer and file input devices]
utility classes (identification, file formats, user interface integration, generic format converters) [string, SGI-, Targa-, RGBA-file format, Tcl language binding (optional), interpretative class system, generic DeltaBlue constraint solver]

The generic kernel is provided with all sources and documentation, and may be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects without restrictions. For papers discussing the concepts of the G kernel see

The generic kernel itself is available via ftp:

Derived kernels until now are:

GX - an extended ray-tracing kernel by Nguyen Duc Cuong
GT - an NFF compatible ray-tracing kernel for test purposes basing on GX
GG - a prototype GIS kernel by AED Graphics GmbH
EGR GF - an object-oriented commercial semantic kernel for European furniture industry
EGR MAF - a distributed Multimedia application framework
EGR TIGER - an interpretative OpenGL environment including Motif-like GUI functionality and hi-level OpenGL-based kernel for education

Kernels in work:

GY - a reimplementation of former 3D graphics kernel YART
PRIMA - a sample implementation of ISO PREMO by DIN

To join the G mailing list send a mail with subject "subscribe GENERIC mailing list".

Special thx goes to Nguyen Duc Cuong (TU Dresden, Germany), Frank Wicht, Jochen Pohl, Michael Bauroth, Heiko Fischer, Mario Ruebsam, Christian Martin (all EasternGraphics, Germany), Pavol Michalik, Thomas Petzke (both TU Ilmenau), Malte Zoeckler, Roland Wunderling (both ZIB Berlin) and EasternGraphics GmbH.

Comments, extensions and discussions are always welcome.