The licensing of OpenGL to many leading computer companies, including Microsoft, has made it possible for graphics programmers to learn to write stunning 3D graphics programs using the industry graphics standard on the world's most popular operating system. And OpenGL Programming for Windows 95 and Windows NT is the key to the door of opportunity for those who see the tremendous potential for programmers who can produce high-quality 3D applications on these platforms.

Using numerous examples, Microsoft's Visual C++ programming platform, the C++ programming language, and the Microsoft Foundation Classes, Fosner starts with a generic C application that can be compiled from any 32-bit C compiler and, step by step, covers the basics of creating an OpenGL program:

• Selecting the appropriate pixel format

• Arranging the device context and rendering contexts

• Enhancing OpenGL programs to achieve maximum speed

• Using display lists and texture maps

• Finding OpenGL enhancements hidden in your video driver

• Programming OpenGL's Modelview matrix to get the effects you want

• Providing rapid animation under Windows -- without bogging down the user interface.

Most important, you'll absorb this knowledge within the context of developing a Windows application that you can experiment with and actually use in your Windows programs. You will gain hands-on experience in designing, creating, programming, measuring, and optimizing a real OpenGL 3D animation program.

0201407094B04062001

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 17 Ratings

Frustrating, badly planned, and badly written. - 2000-09-25
Reviewer Rating:
I cannot express how bad this book is. In all fairness, I only got through half the book, but that's because if I continued, I would have wasted my time and tried my patience. This book is incomprehensible, convoluted, and just plain horrible.

The major problem is that this books gets worse and worse by each chapter. This is because a chapter requires that you know what happened in the previous chapter. Since this book starts off pretty bad, it gradually turns into a foreign language by chapter 7.

Another problem is that the author also has no fluidity. Compound this with the fact that this book is technical book, it makes reading one page a major chore.

Finally, the examples are just plain bad. First, it requires the reader to be very familiar with Visual C++. That's not all bad, but the examples presented rely on information that was badly presented, hardly presented, or not presented yet. Also, the examples' explanations barely explain what the code does.

If you're like me, a programmer that was curious about OpenGL, avoid this book. It's needless to say that my interest in OpenGL dwindled to nothing after trying to read this.

OpenGL for MFC Programmers - 2004-02-03
Reviewer Rating:
I found the book useful and practically the only book that shows how to use OpenGL with MFC and the Visual C++ programming environment. If you're interested in SDK c style code this is not the book for you. If you're interested in C++ and MFC this book is highly recommended. The book could use additional topics such as printer & memory DC support, however, overall it's a great introduction.

Not worth the money at all. - 2001-08-23
Reviewer Rating:
Buy the book if you want to know how NOT to design a C++ OpenGL classes for Windows. The book makes a big (and common) mistake of integrating OpenGL rendering context management into CView derived object, as if OpenGL could render to CView window only! You cant find very important Windows specific issues in the book, like rendering to DIB section and using it to integrate OpenGL rendering with Windows and GDI. Full screen rendering issues are also not covered. You also won't find any WindowsNT specific issues (like rendering to enhanced metafile).

Should have been titled OpenGL for MFC programmers - 2002-05-11
Reviewer Rating:
If you like your code wrapped in C++ classes then this might be your book. For those who prefer to learn the API and have more control, get something else. This book tries to look like the official book for programming OpenGL under MS Windows. But don't let that fool you.
If you want to do OpenGL and at the same time understand what's going on, then get the "red book"(ISBN 0201604582). Also get a windows specific OpenGL book like the OpenGL SuperBible (Highly recommended).

Too Old and Outdated... And NO source code!!! - 2006-08-29
Reviewer Rating:
It is really old and outdated. Even if it can be used to get a basic knowledge of OpenGL programing in Windows environment it does allow a complete understand of the argument. Moreover, the sources of the examples shown into the book, which should be available to be downloaded from the Web, are missing.
If you need such kind of book a better choice is "OpenGL Superbible - 3rd Edition".

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