ANNOUNCE: OpenGL Utility Toolkit (GLUT)
Mark Kilgard
As described in the Nov/Dec issue of The X Journal magazine, this message
announces the OpenGL Utility Toolkit (or GLUT for short)...
GLUT supports the following functionality:
o Multiple windows for OpenGL rendering.
o Callback driven event processing.
o An `idle' routine and timers.
o A simple, cascading pop-up menu facility.
o Utility routines to generate various solid and wire frame
objects.
o Support for bitmap and stroke fonts.
o Miscellaneous window management functions.
The purpose of GLUT is to make OpenGL programming much easier so those
interested in 3D graphics can easily begin exploring OpenGL. You will
need an OpenGL development system for X to make use of this GLUT
implementation. GLUT is designed to be window system independent so a
Windows NT and/or OS/2 implementation should be possible, making GLUT a
truly portable interface for 3D graphics (I am only supplying an X11
implementation).
You can get the distribution by anonymous ftp to sgigate.sgi.com in the
pub/opengl/xjournal/GLUT directory. For URL literate people, try:
ftp://sgigate.sgi.com/pub/opengl/xjournal/GLUT/
You will find the following:
README 1 Kb Thu Dec 1 16:52:00 1994
glut.1.0.tar.Z 452 Kb Thu Dec 1 16:50:00 1994 compressed file
glut.column1.ps.Z 188 Kb Thu Dec 1 16:51:00 1994 compressed file
glut.spec.ps.Z 692 Kb Thu Dec 1 16:51:00 1994 compressed file
glut.1.0.tar.Z is the GLUT distribution itself. It includes the
library source code, a set of GLUT test programs, a set of example GLUT
programs, and an example of implementing a GLUT Fortran binding (for
IRIX 5.3). Example programs include a 3D origami program which folds a
paper airplane (origami); dolphins, whales, and sharks swimming in a
3D ocean (atlantis); an MTV-like texture mapping demo of the face of
yours truly (mjkwarp); a 3D lighting laboratory (lightlab); spinning 3D
hoops that form the olympic logo (olympic); and many more.
glut.column1.ps.Z is PostScript (5 pages) for my first OpenGL column
published in The X Journal. The article will introduce you to the
basics of GLUT programming.
glut.spec.ps.Z is a PostScript (54 pages) DRAFT version of the GLUT
specification. It is somewhat incomplete currently.
The GLUT distribution has been tested on the following platforms:
o DEC Alpha workstation running OSF/1 with Open3D layered product
o IBM RS/6000 workstations running AIX with OpenGL support
o SGI workstation running IRIX 5.2 or higher supporting OpenGL
o Template Graphics Software's OpenGL for Sun workstations
If you are interested in future columns about GLUT and OpenGL in The X
Journal, try The X Journal home page:
http://landru.unx.com/SIGS/TXJ/docs/txjhome.html
Questions about GLUT can be directed to the comp.graphics.opengl
newsgroup.
LEGAL STUFF: The programs and documentation in the GLUT distribution
were developed by Mark J. Kilgard and are Copyright 1994 by Mark J.
Kilgard. The programs are not in the public domain, but they are
freely distributable without licensing fees. These programs are
provided without guarantee or warrantee expressed or implied. GLUT is
not endorsed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. or the OpenGL Architectural
Review Board.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Much thanks to OpenGL engineers at DEC, IBM, and TGS
for helping me ensure the portability of this code to non-SGI graphics
platforms.
(Sorry, there is *not* a PEX version. Don't be silly! In the words of
Open Systems Today, "The 3-D graphics API wars are over, and OpenGL has
won." 11/28/94)
- Mark Kilgard
http://landru.unx.com/SIGS/TXJ/docs/Kilgard/Kilgard.html