Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!bacchus.pa.dec.com!deccrl!decvax.dec.com!ima!cfisun!stardent!jch From: jch@Stardent.COM (Jan Hardenbergh @stardent) Newsgroups: comp.windows.x Subject: Re: What is PEX? Message-ID: <1990Aug3.181322.1013@Stardent.COM> Date: 3 Aug 90 18:13:22 GMT Organization: Stardent Computer, Newton MA Lines: 52 <1520@shodha.dec.com> (Jim West (Stealth Contractor)) > In article <9008011637.AA05543@expo.lcs.mit.edu>, KONRAD@UCBCMSA.BITNET > >But, what *is* PEX? What is PHiGS? Where can one read more about it? > > PHIGS stands for Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System. > It is essentially a library of functions that simplifies the creation and > manipulation of 3D graphics. That's a good start. But where can you read more about it? For PEX you need to go back to an R1 or R2 tape to find the Introduction and Overview. It is quite out of date now, but still provides the best way to jump in. That would be in ...X11/mit/doc/extensions/PEX or the like. For a quick introduction to the concepts of PHIGS I would get the new Foley, vanDam, Feiner and Hughes. It has a chapter on PHIGS - but it is not the standard PHIGS. It is more like what PHIGS would have been if GKS compatability were not so important. It is published by Addison Wesley and you can get the source code for SPHIGS: the package they describe. Computer Graphics: ISBN 0-201-12110-7 SPHIGS, etc for PC ISBN 0-201-54700-7 SPHIGS, etc for Mac ISBN 0-201-54701-5 SPHIGS, etc for X11 ISBN 0-201-54702-3 There is an annotated bibliography of PHIGS in Computer Graphics Forum 8 (1989) by Toby Howard who has posted it to comp.graphics. Also, there are the specs: PEX, PHIGS88 and PHIGS-PLUS. A little daunting the first time through... ../X11R4/mit/doc/extensions/PEX Makefile cover.ms encoding.ms protocol.ms toc.hdr And PHIGS88 Computer Graphics-Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System (PHIGS) Functional Description... ANSI Standard X3.144-1988. (Language bindings are X3.144.x, where x=1 (FORTRAN), 2 (PASCAL), 3 (ADA), 4 (C).) Call ANSI in New York for ordering (212)354-3300 And PHIGS-PLUS since it is not a standard you can get the latest public review copy from Global Engineering (800)854-7179 -- -Jan "YON" Hardenbergh - jch@stardent.com uunet!stardent!jch Stardent Computer, Inc., 95 Wells Ave., Newton, MA 02159 (617)964-6228x261