GRAPHICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF ATLAS

1.1   About Computer Graphics

            The term computer graphics has been used in a broad sense to describe "almost everything on computers that is not text or sound". Typically, the term computer graphics refers to several different things:

• the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer
• the various technologies used to create and manipulate images
• the sub-field of computer science which studies methods for digitally synthesizing and manipulating visual content, see study of computer graphics

Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image developments in computer graphics have had a profound impact on many types of media and have revolutionized animation, movies and the video game industry.

1.2 IMAGE TYPES        

 

2D computer graphics are the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models, such as 2D geometric models, text, and digital images, and by techniques specific to them Pixel art

Pixel art is a form of digital art, created through the use of raster graphics software, where images are edited on the pixel level. Graphics in most old (or relatively limited) computer and video games, graphing calculator games, and many mobile phone games are mostly pixel art.

Vector graphics formats are complementary to raster graphics. Raster graphics is the representation of images as an array of pixels and is typically used for the representation of photographic images.  Vector graphics consists in encoding information about shapes and colors that comprise the image, which can allow for 3D computer graphics in contrast to 2D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. Such images may be for later display or for real-time viewing’s more flexibility in rendering.

1.3   Open GL

OpenGL is the premier environment for developing portable, interactive 2D and 3D graphics applications. Since its introduction in 1992, OpenGL has become the industry's most widely used and supported 2D and 3D graphics application programming interface (API), bringing thousands of applications to a wide variety of computer platforms. OpenGL fosters innovation and speeds application development by incorporating a broad set of rendering, texture mapping, special effects, and other powerful visualization functions. Developers can leverage the power of OpenGL across all popular desktop and workstation platforms, ensuring wide application deployment.

OpenGl runs on every major operating system including Mac OS, OS/2, UNIX, Win32/64, Linux, OPEN Step and BeOS as well as embedded real time Oss and game consoles. It is callable from Ada, C, C++, FORTRAN, and java and offers complete independence from network protocols and topologies.

1.4   About Project 

            This mini project “ATLAS” provides us with the information   about countries, their capitals and flags.  It can be considered a subset of a real life atlas.  It is an interactive project, since it allows the user to pick the country of his/her choice and know all about it.  The user first of all arrives at a main screen after which he can select a continent of his/her choice. Further he will be led to a set of countries which are present in the selected continent. Amongst the set provided the user can select a country. The name, capital and flag of the country will be displayed on screen.. He/she can traverse through the countries and their flags with help of suitable menus provided. 

   Design

            The complete overview of the project is shown in the block diagram; it shows how it will perform actions through out its execution.

The design depicted in the figure 3.1 specifies that initially the user is provided with a menu of continents. Amongst these the user selects one using the mouse interface. Further the Sub-menu of countries within the selected  continent is displayed. Amongst these the user again selects one country  using the mouse. Finally the flag of the county is displayed along with the county’s name and its capital.

3.2 Algorithm

Step 1: Start

Step 2:  Initialize and specify the size, position and creates the output window.

Step 3:Specify the view volume

Step 4: Create a menu for users

Step 5:Create an interaction for the user to select from the menu

Step 6:Create the respective flags.

Step 7: Stop