In this class, for this quarter, we
will use:
1.
Programming Language: Java,
if you have not worked with Java before, be prepared to learn it in the first
week by yourself. By this
point, after CSS342, you should be able to pick up any modern high-level
language in a few days. I do not really know Java, that's why I am teaching
this class with Java.
2.
Graphics API: We will be working with OpenGL (version 3). In university classes, we
learn concepts, and OpenGL is a tools for learning (games) or Computer Graphics
concepts. Think, you use a Ford Mustang to learn how to drive, afterwards you
do not say I took a class to learn Ford Mustang, Right? You take this class and
we use OpenGL, and you learn Computer Graphics. For Mustang (or OpenGL) is
irrelevant. Remember that.
3.
GUI API: We will be working with the Swing library that comes Java SDK. GUI
library lets we build programs that use mouse, and button, slider bar, etc. to
interface to our users.
So, language used is Java, graphics library will be OpenGl, and user
interface will be based on Swing. Last year, this course was taught in C#, XNA,
and WinForm. I thought about C++, D3D, and WPF but that requires Windows-8
which I don't want to install. Since I don't know Java, and have not worked
with OpenGL for at least 10 years now, I have decided to on Java and OpenGL. By
the way, I don't know Swing either.
Here are the details about the
software you will need to install and some other details:
1.
Programming Language Development Toolkit
(Java SDK):
·
I am running Java
1.7: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-se-jdk-7-download-432154.html
·
What is the
difference between JDK (development toolkit) and JRE (runtime environment)?
2.
The Integrated Development Environment
(IDE): You can choose any IDE
you like, but to keep Jack and I sane, you need to submit source that can be
easily imported by Eclipse. Here is the eclipse version I work with:
·
http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
(Juno Service Release 1: 4.2).
1. Download
from the Eclipse IDE for Java and DSL
Developers
·
Unzip to get the
executable, make sure you remember where you have unzipped to. You need to
start your executable from the location you have unzipped to.
3.
You
need OpenGL for Java (JOGL): Here
are some details:
·
Download: http://jogamp.org/deployment/jogamp-current/archive/
1. JOGL is part of a larger development effort, don't
get overly concern, download and unzip: http://jogamp.org/deployment/jogamp-current/archive/jogamp-all-platforms.7z