Applications of Computer Graphics Software Tools

Low-level Graphics Libraries

Name
Platforms
References
OpenGL Multiple http://www.opengl.org/

Mason Woo, Jackie Neider, and Tom Davis, OpenGL Programming Guide, 2nd Ed., Addison Wesley Pub. Co., 1997.

Direct3D Win9x/NT http://www.microsoft.com

Peter J. Kovach, The Awosome Power of Direct3D/DirectX, Manning Pub. Co., 1997.

PHIGS UNIX http://web.ansi.org/

Joseph E. Kasper and David Arns, Graphics Programming With Phigs and Phigs Plus, Addison Wesley Pub. Co., 1993.

GKS-3D UNIX/DOS http://web.ansi.org/

Peter R. Bono, PC Graphics With Gks : Introduction to Graphics Standards (Gks, Gks-3D, Phigs, Cgi, and Cgm and to Graphics Programming), Prentice Hall, 1990.

Visualization Tools

Name
Function
Platforms
Price range
References
AVS Multiple Multiple http://www.avs.com/
IRIS Explorer Multiple Multiple http://www.nag.co.uk/Welcome_IEC.html
IBM's DX Multiple Multiple $5,900+ http://www.ibm.com/dx
Matlab Multiple Multiple http://www.mathworks.com/
PV-WAVE Multiple Multiple http://www.vni.com/products/wave/index.html
Khoros Multiple Multiple http://www.khoral.com/
VTK Multiple Multiple http://www.kitware.com/vtk.html
Volumizer 3D imaging Multiple http://www.sgi.com/software/volumizer/
Inventor 3D imaging Multiple http://www.sgi.com/Technology/Inventor/
3DVIEWNIX 3D imaging UNIX http://www.mipg.upenn.edu/~Vnews/index.html
ANALYZE 3D imaging Multiple http://www.mayo.edu/bir/home.html
VolVis 3D Rendering UNIX http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~vislab/projects/volvis/features.html
STAR-CD CFD UNIX http://www.adapco.com/
FAST CFD UNIX http://science.nas.nasa.gov/Software/FAST/fast.html
pV3 CFD UNIX http://raphael.mit.edu/pv3/pv3.html
FIELDVIEW CFD UNIX http://www.ilight.com/fv.htm
EnSight CFD UNIX $9500+ http://www.ceintl.com/
Visual3 CFD Multiple Free http://raphael.mit.edu/visual3/visual3.html
NCAR 3D grid data UNIX $750+ http://ngwww.ucar.edu/
Vis5D 3D grid &vars UNIX Free http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~billh/vis5d.html
FERRET 3D grid data Multiple Free http://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/Ferret/
Gnuplot Curve & surface Multiple Free http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/gnuplot_info.html
SciAn 3D grid data Unix Free http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~lyons/scian/
NCSA Tools Multiple Free ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu
GVLware Multiple ftp.arc.umn.edu
IDL Multiple $1500+ info@rsinc.com

Modeling and Rendering Tools

Name
Function
Platform
Price range
Reference
MultigenPro 3D obj., terrain Multiple http://www.multigen.com/
AutoCAD CAD PC http://www.autodesk.com
MicroStation CAD Multiple http://www.bentley.com
Rhino3D Curve surfaces Win95/NT $500+ http://www.rhino3d.com
RenderMan Visual effects UNIX $8,000+ http://www.pixar.com/products/renderman
POVRay Ray-tracing Multiple Free http://www.povray.org
LightScape Radiosity Win95/NT $495 http://www.lightscape.com
Rayshade Ray-tracing Multiple Free http://www-graphics.stanford.edu/~cek/rayshade
Radiance Lighting UNIX Free http://radsite.lbl.gov/radiance/HOME.html
BMRT Ray-tracing Multiple Free http://www.bmrt.org/

Multipurpose Modeling and Rendering tools

Name
Function
Platform
Price range
Reference
AW Studio Multiple Multiple http://www.aw.sgi.com
Maya 3D character Multiple http://www.aw.sgi.com/entertainment/solutions/about_maya/index.html
SoftImage3D Multiple Multiple http://www.softimage.com
3DStudioMax Multiple PC/Mac http://www.ktx.com
LightWave Multiple Multiple $1700+ http://www.newtek.com
TrueSpace Multiple Win95/NT $500+ http://www.caligari.com

Animation and Simulation Tools

Name
Function
Platform
Price range
Reference
Performer Simulation SGI http://www.sgi.com/software/performer/overview.html
Vega Multiple Multiple http://www.multigen.com/
20-sim Dynamic sys. Multiple $8,000+ http://www.rt.el.utwente.nl/
VisSim/comm Communication Win95/NT http://www.vissim.com/
SIMUL8 Discrete event Multiple $495 http://www.SIMUL8.com/
Mathematica Math Multiple http://www.mathematica.com/

Virtual-reality Software Tools

Name
Function
Platform
Price range
Reference
WorldToolKit Multiple Multiple $6000+ http://www.sense8.com
VrTool Multiple SGI Free http://www.lincom-asg.com/VrTool/vrtool.html
MR Toolkit VR tools UNIX http://web.cs.ualberta.ca/~graphics/MRToolkit.html
Vega Multiple Multiple http://www.multigen.com/
ActiveWorlds Networked env. Win9x/NT Free http://www.activeworlds.com
DIVE Networked env. Multiple Free http://www.sics.se/dive/dive.html
Alice Multiple Win9x/NT Free http://www.alice.org

3D File-format Converters

Name
Function
Platform
Price range
Reference
PolyTrans 3D file formats Multiple $395+ http://www.okino.com/
Crossroads 3D file formats Win95/NT http://www.europa.com/~keithr/crossroads/
3DWin 3D file formats Win95/NT Free http://www.stmuc.com/thbaier/
InterChange 3D file formats Multiple $495+ http://www.viewpoint.com/interchange/
Amapi3D Multiple Win, Mac $399+ http://www.tgs.com/
PolyForm 3D file formats Win95/NT Voice: 800.962.7659; Fax: 414.641.0524
VIEW3D 3D file formats Multiple http://www.cyberramp.net/~fdavid/
Materialize3D 3D file formats Win95/NT $79 http://www.indotek.com/material.html

 

Other Related Links