OpenGL++: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:20, 28 February 2011

Revision as of 12:14, 3 April 2011

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'''OpenGL++''' was intended to be a powerful layer above the [[OpenGL]] 3D graphics system written in [[C++]] that supported [[object-oriented]] data structures. The project started as the result of a partnership between [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]], [[IBM]] and [[Intel]] (and later [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] as well) to provide a higher level [[API]] than the "bare metal" support of OpenGL, as well as being an implementation for [[Java3D]].<ref>[http://www.sdsc.edu/~nadeau/Talks/NASA_EOSDIS/3djava4.htm 3D Java APIs, OpenGL++]</ref>. Work on OpenGL++ ended when SGI decided to partner with [[Microsoft]] instead, leading to the [[Fahrenheit graphics API|Fahrenheit]] project, which also died.

==Development==

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During this period SGI started work on their [[Cosmo3D]] suite, which was a marketing name for a wide variety of semi-related products. Much of the effort revolved around the [[VRML]] standard, which would live on beyond the Cosmo3D project. In order to make VRML something more than a paper standard, SGI also provided the Cosmo products that use VRML natively, including a scene graph system that read and wrote VRML and rendered it using a custom OpenGL stack, CosmoGL. A CAD/"Large Model Visualization" layer of functionality called OpenGL Optimizer was implemented on Cosmo3D and released as a product. Other "front end" packages like, Cosmo Code, a VRML authoring tool, were produced by a different division and did not use the Cosmo scene graph at all.

Cosmo's scene graph was by no means a unique solution at the time, and a number of other graphics companies were working on similar ideas at about this time. At the August 20-2120–21, 1996 meeting of the [[OpenGL Architecture Review Board]] (ARB) SGI floated the idea of a new standardized scene graph similar to Cosmo3D but with the express intent of being based on "standard" OpenGL. There was some interest in the concept, so at the December 9-109–10, 1996 meeting the group presented the first draft of the OpenGL++ concept.<ref name=ARB/> A follow-up meeting in February 1997 demonstrated that there was considerable interest from most parties, with the exception of Microsoft and Sun, although there were concerns as to whether or not the ARB was the right body to support such an effort without diluting their primary job of supporting OpenGL.<ref>[http://www.mrpowers.com/Papers/OpenGLPlus/OGLARB.htm Meeting Notes, February 17-19, 1997]</ref> Development continued throughout 1997 including several distributions of the [[API]]. However, the ARB notes "There's been lots of work, but relatively little communication."<ref>[http://www.opengl.org/about/arb/meeting_notes/notes/OpenGL++_notes_6-3-97.html OpenGL ++ ARB Interest Subcomittee Meeting Notes]</ref>

While the work on OpenGL++ continued, Sun and SGI had also been working on a 3D standard suitable for Java. These efforts eventually broke down, and Sun went on to release Java3D. SGI suggested their Cosmo work was a sample Java3D implementation, and as this work evolved into OpenGL++ these plans moved with it. During the definition of OpenGL++, Sun stated that they were not interested in working on the effort as they were focussed on their Java3D work.<ref name=ARB/> Comparatively, Java3D spans two layers of the 3D stack, the scene graph and the visual interface and its widgets.

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* [http://www.mrpowers.com/Papers/OpenGLPlus/Layers/layers.html OpenGL++ (OpenGLPlus) Possible Layers]

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[[Category:OpenGL]]

[[Category:3D scenegraph APIs]]