Hi! Just a simple question: What´s the difference between a book that explains how to work with a graphical Api (OpenGl or DirectX)and other that explains about general graphics programming? Thanks!

Um well.... one explains the api and one explains general graphics programming. I suppose to be more specific, API books are generally more geared towards application, that is how do you use the API to get something on the screen. Graphics books are often more theoretical, explaining the math and theory behind 3d graphics. They often cover topics that the API books would not, such as things that lie beneath the API, like line rasterization and the math behind texture mapping, polygon clipping, etc. They can also be very light on the implementation, so its often up to you to get from theory and pseudocode to something on the screen. All of this depends on the individual book and author, of course.

Oh, I see. Thanks, I didn´t know that. One more thing: Are Michael Abrash´s books still useful for learning graphics programming? Because I´ve seen that The Zen of Graphics Programming is on sale near home and I still don´t know if it is going to be worth to buy it or not.

quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster
Oh, I see. Thanks, I didn´t know that. One more thing: Are Michael Abrash´s books still useful for learning graphics programming? Because I´ve seen that The Zen of Graphics Programming is on sale near home and I still don´t know if it is going to be worth to buy it or not.

Well this book is a little dated(1995)
here is the preface to Zen of Graphics programming
This book is for intermediate to advanced PC programmers in c, c++, and assembly language who want to learn the techniques of fast graphics programming and animatioin including 3d animation

Back side:
Provides high-performance c and assembly language source code for all areas of graphics programming from low-level vga support to 3d solid modeling and animation.

Don''t be deceive by the hype there really isn''t the much 3d theory in this book. This book also does not have any c++ code in it. Most of is implemented in assembly with a little bit C to interface with the assembly more cleanly.

Also this book will not tell how to program in svga, but it does give you alot hardware tricks to programming vga adapter.

This book also teaches you how make you own quick line drawing functions and line drawing thoery using vga. The Keyword here is everything in this book is about the vga adapter and low level hardware operation about the vga adapter.

Is this book still useful. Yes it useful if you don''t want to use openGL or DirectX for graphics. The only downside to programming your own graphics library is that you wouldn''t be able take advantage of newer video card and yes that everything that was made since vga was popular. But on the other hand every new video graphic card on the market now has a vga adapter built into it.

Oh there is only one thing I want to mention and that is it would take a lot time to built up your own graphics library and keep in mind if you get this book it would only be for the vga adapter. If you want to program some svga cards you would have to find the sdk for them and that could be hard since I don''t know where to get them myself.

You see when you use openGL and DirectX. The API gives you the ability of make graphics for possibly every video card on the market assuming that openGL and DirectX drivers are continuelly updated.

So it would be almost crazy to make your own library when there already API like openGL and DirectX that already do this better then you probably could. Not to mention they have been around for years and develope by professional programmers. Think how long it would take to make something like DirectX yourself.

But if you make the trip at least you would have a better grip on how DirectX and OpenGl would work with the hardware interface then most people.

Definetely much more clear now! Thanks a lot! Yeah, I think you´re right. I´m about to finish Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus and I tought it would be a good idea to learn something about graphics programming theory. I think I´m going to learn a 3D Api first and get another book later like Foley and Van Dam´s Graphics Programming Principles or a similar one. Thanks again, your answer has been quite interesting!

By the way. I´m the anonymous poster.