VISUALIB (c) Graphics Library

Visualib is a comprehensive state-of-the-art graphics library for Microsoft
Windows environment. It contains powerful and efficient functions packaged
in a dynamic linking library (DLL) to render both 2D and 3D graphic objects.
Visualib can be used with virtually any compilers that support Windows,
such as Microsoft C/C++, Borland C/C++,  and Microsoft Visual Basic.
With Visualib, the application developer can produce high quality graphics
output on screen, printer, and image files with minimum programming effort.

Main features of Visualib includes:

<< 2D and 3D Graphics Viewing Systems >>
User can establish virtually unlimited number of independent 2D and 3D 
viewers. In each viewer, user can select various parameters such as the
viewport, eye position, perspective or orthogonal projections, view volume,
etc. Visualib provides a sophisticated transformation mechanism to support
virtually all types of graphics transformations. Visualib maintain a
transformation stack which can be used in conjunction with the transformation
functions to achieve flexible and efficient graphic effects.

<< Sophisticated Rendering Methods >>
There are five rendering methods available for a 3D object: wire frame, 
solid fill, flat shading, Gouraud shading, and Phong shading. Unlimited 
numbers of sophisticated light sources and materials can be defined 
and used. For instance, a light can be defined as a distant light, point
light, or spot light. The position can be in the world coordinate, camera 
coordinate or the object coordinate.  A material can have different ambient, 
diffuse, specular, and emission colors. There is a number of shading options
available, such as z-buffering, back face removal, local light, local viewer,
in addition to the five rendering methods.

<< Advanced Geometry >>
A complete set of NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) based 2D and 
3D curve primitives as well as the surface primitives are provided for easy
composition of complicated geometric objects. All the geometry is presented
with homogeneous coordinates that means a position can be defined at infinite.
All common graphic transformations including translation, scaling, rotation, 
stretching, and shearing are supported in both 2D and 3D.  Unlimited 
number of level transformation matrix stacks are supported to implement 
hierarchical geometry.

<< Solid Texture and Image Mapping >>
Visualib has a few built in solid texture shaders, such as wood, marble, and 
granite.  The feature of the solid texture is that the texture is continuous 
with any shape of the geometry.  For the advanced developer, Visualib 
allows them to build their own shaders to do the rendering perturbation:  
material, geometry, and pixel perturbations. An image in Microsoft Windows
bitmap format or Run Length E (RLE) format can also be mapped to any
four-sided 2D or 3D polygon.

<< Solid Text With TrueType Fonts >>
Text can be rendered in 2D and 3D space either flat or solid using any
truetype fonts available on the computer. Text is defined in Visualib world
coordinate system in floating point numbers. The basic text alignment is
supported.

Visualib is the only graphics package for the Windows that delivers the
power of high-end graphics work stations. For everyone interested in using
graphics in the Windows, Visualib is an indispensable tool.
Whether you are developing a CAD application or simply drawing
a nice business char, you will find that Visualib can save your time and
money. Visualib will free the user from writing highly sophisticated and
tedious graphics routines and obtain beautiful 2D and 3D graphics with ease.

Visualib disk contains the following files:

README.1ST   - this file
REGISTER.TXT - ASCII registration form
VISUALIB.DLL - dynamic link library file
VISUALIB.LIB - import library file
VISUALIB.H   - header file
VISUALIB.HLP - on-line Windows help of Visualib
VISUALIB.BAS - Visual Basic declaration module
VISUALIB.TXT - ASCII form of Visual Basic declarations
VLIBDEMO.C   - Visualib demo program source code
VLIBDEMO.EXE - Visualib demo program executable
VLIBDEMO.FRM - Visual Basic demo program source
VLIBDEMO.MAK - Visual Basic demo program makefile
VLIBVB.EXE   - Visual Basic demo program executable

The best place to start your Visualib programming is the demo program VLIBDEMO
included in the distribution disk. The executable file is ready to run in
Windows. Try it and enjoy the show!

The source code VLIBDEMO.C illustrated the application of Visualib library to
create beautiful graphics applications. It uses many features on Visualib and
may serve as a template on using Visualib.

VLIBDEMO.FRM is a simple Visual Basic program that illustrates use of Visualib
in Visual Basic.

VISUALIB.HLP is the on-line reference of Visualib. It is in Windows Help
format. You may read it by running WinHelp or access it from the demo program
VLIBDEMO.

You may try Visualib free of charge for 45 days. After the free trial period,
you must register it with Visual Tech if you decide to continue using
Visualib. See REGISTER.TXT for more information.

Visual Tech Co.
P.O. Box 8735
Fort Wayne, IN 46898
(219)489-0235