Best OpenGL Software Programming
OpenGL® SuperBible, Seventh Edition, is the definitive programmer’s guide, tutorial, and reference for OpenGL 4.5, the world’s leading 3D API for real-time computer graphics. The authors explain what OpenGL does, how it connects to the graphics pipeline, and how it manages huge datasets to deliver compelling experiences. This revised and updated edition introduces many new OpenGL 4.5 features, including important ARB and KHR extensions that are now part of the standard. It thoroughly covers the latest Approaching Zero Driver Overhead (AZDO) performance features, and demonstrates key enhancements with new example applications. Richard S. Wright, Jr., Senior Software Engineer for Software Bisque, developed multimedia astronomy and planetarium software using OpenGL.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you are a beginner to Opengl, there's going to be some frustration getting through this book, but you will eventually learn the ins and outs of Opengl."
"So complaints about having to learn the framework instead of OpenGL are unfounded."
"OpenGL is hard - no [existing] book is going to get you up to speed."
"If you run into a problem where you can't get the single point to show up, you might need to just move onto an example that actually feeds vertex data to the shader. So if you've struggled for hours trying to get a stupid little dot to show up on your screen and it just doesn't work, just move onto an example where you feed vertices to shader program."
"Can serve as a reference book too."
"Chapters 4 through 6 deal with a lot of concepts and background things, but were mostly necessary to cover. I personally believe that Chapter 5 should have come later in the book because it deals with atomic operations and memory barriers."
"Almost all of the new content in this edition requires features introduced with OpenGL 4.4 or 4.5, or recent OpenGL extensions -- none of which were supported by OS X at the time of writing. 7th ed: OpenGL 4.5. 6th ed: OpenGL 4.3. 5th ed: OpenGL 3.3. 4th ed: OpenGL 2.1. 3rd ed: OpenGL 2.0 and 1.5. 2nd ed: OpenGL 1.2, 1.1."
"As others have said, many figures in the printed version are nigh-on useless (directed at the printer/publisher rather than at the authors)."
This introduction to 3D computer graphics emphasizes fundamentals and the mathematics underlying computer graphics, while also covering programming techniques using OpenGL, a platform-independent graphics programming environment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It makes you learn OpenGL by practicing a lot so that you are be able to be familiar with those concepts like modelview, transformation and projection. This book filled in that gap, it provide a clear and concise explanation from Dr. Samuel which help readers follows the material without questioning how this glxxx command works."
"My son borrowed this book from a friend and just had to get his own copy."
"This is great book, I just did not give it 5 starts because I would like Buss to update this book!"
"I have several graphics books and I find two are indespensible: The OpenGL Programming Guide and Dr. Buss' book."
"Great service!"
From geometric primitives to animation to 3D modeling to lighting, shading, and texturing, Computer Graphics Through OpenGL ® : From Theory to Experiments, Second Edition presents a comprehensive introduction to computer graphics that uses an active learning style to teach key concepts. Equally emphasizing theory and practice, the book provides an understanding not only of the principles of 3D computer graphics, but also the use of the OpenGL ® Application Programming Interface (API) to code 3D scenes and animation, including games and movies. " Computer Graphics Through OpenGL provides a great introduction to the basics of computer graphics accompanied with working knowledge on topics ranging from transformations, animation, and lighting to more advanced topics in modeling, all by using the latest from modern OpenGL.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The best CG book for beginners!"
"In some rare cases where things are less clear, especially in the first chapters, the author provide a lot of code examples that remove any doubts and often the same content is taken up again a few chapters later for a better explanation. - it forces you to fiddle with the code examples."
"Trigonometry, polynomials, calculus (differential, integral), matrices, linear algebra summation.... Link: http://sumantaguha.com/files/materials/subjectAndProgramIndex.pdf. Cons: 1. difficult time. a. reading sections in various parts: Some are: calculus, radiosity, splines, sphere mapping. At times, I needed to do further research. He also has a Suggested Course Outlines section - see Preface pg xxvii. b. understanding how the code works in some of the programs. 2. no compute shaders, particles. 3. The Teaching Approach Used: Till the last chapters, you use pre-shader legacy opengl to do many graphical tasks. The book uses glm (opengl mathematics) with opengl4.3 This library as pg 764 mentions: 1. simulates glsl math. 2. provides replacements for discarded functions like glTranslate (), glRotate(), etc. Organized Well. See also Preface: pg vii TOC. pg xxiv Capsule Chapter Descriptions. Conclusion: The author needs to make improvements on the book to make it easier to read it entirely which I did & the book should have a correct index in it. Despite the difficulties encountered, I progressed in learning opengl, computer graphics & the math used. ERRATA. Code. pg136 clown3.cpp -some helix values possibly incorrect. QuadraticSplineCurve.cpp, CubicSplineCurve2.cpp - in comment. says shift but it's the space bar. Experimenter Source doesn't have: pg413 fakeT.cpp. Appendix A TurnFilm.cpp. Book. pg491 Figure 12.15 v0v1v2 not v1v2v3. pg718 in the denominator in the formula at the top , the part that's. 1/ 1/ 0.2 should be 1/ 0.2 -from the formula on pg 712 (19.3). I press backspace on Man2 , & it resets Man2 back on Man1's position where the copy was made. If you move Man1 & press backspace a runtime error occurs."
"Most 3D programmers will eventually hit a wall when they discover that "cut and paste" is not going to be sufficient. The book's example programs, and there are hundreds, are short and to the point and they make concrete the necessary theory being developed in the text."
"This book is fantastic."
Best DirectX Software Programming
Understand basic mathematical and 3D concepts; learn how to describe and draw interactive 3D scenes using the Direct3D 9.0 API; use Direct3D and the D3DX utility library to implement a variety of techniques and applications, such as transparency, shadows, reflections, fonts, meshes, using XFiles, progressive meshes, terrain rendering, particle systems, picking, cartoon rendering, and multitexturing; find out how to write vertex and pixel shader programs with the High-Level Shading Language; discover how to write and use effect files with the Direct3D effects framework. Frank Luna is a programmer for Hero Interactive.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book simply covers the fundamental Direct3D topics as well as a bit of math, and it does so from the ground up as far as the DX API goes. But a small warning is in order as well: If you are not an experienced programmer and just want to get started with game development, then this book is NOT for you!"
"Lenghtier explanations and a few more examples would could really benefit the beginner.. especially since like for many books of this kind the author is more a programmer than a technical author or tutor so the writing style is pretty much like: here are the basic points about the theory and here is the program I wrote to show you how it works."
"If you are like me and look at a bunch of DirectX books and just have no idea what the author(s) is talking about, you should try this book, especially if you have a good math background. And if this dude releases a book on DirectX 10, I'll definitely get it. If you know DirectX and are looking for a book on game programming, look for another book."
"It devotes 20 or so pages to each of 20 or so topics (the dimensions of the book are real small though, so the page counts are somewhat misleading)."
Best GIS Programming
Getting to Know ArcGIS , fourth edition, is a comprehensive introduction to the features and tools of ArcGIS for Desktop. He has worked for Rand McNally Canada and for Esri, where he developed cartography for books, and edited and tested GIS workbooks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is designed for even the least GIS inclined person."
"Book includes a six month license for ArcGIS."
"Concise but very detailed.... , does not contain a disk with data, you have to download it off of the internet."
"Awesome book with code to use on computer."
"Fantastic illustrations and clear, easy-to-follow text."
"This is one of the few guides published directly by ersi."
"It’s a good book."
"NOTE: If you want to utilize the 180 day trial of the product, don't buy this book used."