Specifications

Portable and Interoperable Application Support
2.6 Industry Standard 2D and 3D Graphics Support
graphics options on OpenVMS AXP systems and is required for performing any
3D graphics operations on such systems.
2.6.1 DEC Open3D (AXP Only)
AXP
DEC Open3D for OpenVMS AXP provides support for the PXG family of graphic
accelerators on Digital’s Alpha AXP workstations. It also provides an extensive
set of programming libraries for use by developers of new applications.
DEC Open3D is required to support any of the graphics options that are available
for OpenVMS AXP, as shown in the following list:
• PXG
• ZLX-M1
• ZLX-M2 (also known as PixelVision)
• ZLX-E1 (also known as HX
+
)
The ZLX-E1 is a 2D graphics option. Beginning with OpenVMS AXP Version
6.1, support for this graphics option will be included with the operating
system, and DEC Open3D will no longer be required for 2D operations.
In conjunction with DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS AXP, DEC Open3D for
OpenVMS AXP provides a complete run-time environment for 2D and 3D
applications. DEC Open3D supports the MIT X Window System client/server
model for network transparent graphics and windowing. The X11 DECwindows
server provided with DEC Open3D will display output from client 2D applications
supporting the MIT X Window System Version 11 Release 5 (X11R5) and client
3D applications supporting the PEX 3D extension to the X Window System.
In addition to providing an X and PEX compliant server for PXG series graphics
accelerators, DEC Open3D includes Digital’s implementation of PEXlib, a low-
level programming interface to the PEX protocol. PEXlib enables programmers
to develop and run applications on any platform supported by DEC Open3D
and display the results on graphics devices which support the PEX Version 5.1
protocol.
Together, DECwindows Motif and DEC Open3D provide a robust environment
for developers creating interactive applications that require both 2D and 3D
graphics.♦
2.6.2 DEC PHIGS
DEC PHIGS for OpenVMS VAX and DEC PHIGS for OpenVMS AXP are 3D
graphics support systems that control the definition, modification, and display
of hierarchical graphics data. They manage the organization and display of
graphical data stored in a conceptually centralized database.
DEC PHIGS for OpenVMS VAX and DEC PHIGS for OpenVMS AXP are device
independent. That is, a program developed with one of these products can
generate graphical output on different devices without modification to the source
code. These products are Digital’s implementations of the 1988 ANSI/ISO PHIGS
standard for 3D device-independent graphics.
AXP
On OpenVMS AXP systems, DEC Open3D is required for using DEC PHIGS.♦
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