VIZA 652
Fall 1997
MW 2:00-3:30pm, Architecture C 412, 4 credits
Last Update - 9/23/97
Visualization Lab, phone: 5-3465, email: parke@viz.tamu.edu
Office hours: MW 1-2pm; TR 3-4pm
Visualization Lab, phone: 5-6716, email: kimross@viz.tamu.edu
Office hours: TBA
Introduction
Introduction to digital computing environments as used in visualization
practice and research. The human-computer interface, operating system tools,
and programming for graphics.
This is the first of two courses primarily intended for those Visualization
students whose technical backgrounds have not prepared them for core courses
in The Digital Image (VIZA 654) and Visualization Systems (VIZA 656). It
is also intended as a course for other graduate students, especially in
the College of Architecture, who wish to develop an understanding of the
use and programming of visualization workstations. The course will be challenging,
and fast paced, and will involve considerable project work.
Texts
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Bronson and Menconi, First Book of ANSI C, 2nd Edition, West Publishing
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Todino, Strang and Peek, Learning the UNIX Operating System, O'Reilly
Associates
Course Objectives
This course will begin the preparation of students to work efficiently
in a typical visualization workstation environment. Students will learn
how to customize their environment, and use operating system tools to enhance
work efficiency. They will become familiar with a variety of tools such
as network browsers, electronic mail, remote file transfer and login, and
text editors. Most importantly, students will develop proficiency as programmers,
first writing shell scripts in Unix and later using the C programming language.
Many of the assignments will involve a strong graphical component, allowing
the student to develop programming skills within a visual context.
Prerequisite
Graduate student status in Visualization or permission of the instructor.
The course is intended for students with little background in programming
and graphics computing. It will be barred to students who already have
similar computer experience.
Course Schedule
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Introduction to Unix
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Networking
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C Shell Scripting and AWK
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Introduction to C Programming and OpenGL Graphics
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Procedures, Functions, and Parameters
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Interactive OpenGL
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Strings, Arrays and Enumerations
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Structures and other Complex Types
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Recursion
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Files
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Pointers and Dynamic Allocation
Grading
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Homework Projects: 50%
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Midterm Examination: 20%
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Final Examination; 20%
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Class Participation: 10%
Late homework projects will be penalized 20% for being one class period
late, with an additional 10% penalty for each additional class period late.
The class participation grade is the instructor's qualitative evaluation
of a variety of subjective factors including class attendance, and preparation
as evidenced by informed classroom discussion.
Reference Reading Material
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Anderson & Anderson, The UNIX C Shell Field Guide, Prentice-Hall,
1986
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Neider, Davis & Woo, OpenGL Programming Guide, Addison-Wesley,
1993
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Aho, Kernighan & Weinberger, The AWK Programming Language, Addison-Wesley,
1988
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination
statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons
with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all
students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides
for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you
have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Office
of Support Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Student
Services Building. The phone number is 845-1637.