CMSC 437 Project, Summer 2004

CMSC 437 Project, Summer 2004

You may choose a project that will provide you with GUI software
of interest to you. The default project, described below, is an
object oriented editor that may be tailored to your interest and use.

There are sufficient course resources that you may choose to code
an interactive educational program, a 3D interactive puzzle or game,
or some other program that you may build on after this course is over.
3D modeling something of interest to you is another possibility.
Not accepted are WEB based applications, that is another course.
Not accepted is a minor modification of an existing program.
This can be a prototype of something you will use at your job.
The first four lectures present many sample GUI application and you
may choose to wait until after lecture four to make your selection.

The default project is:

The goal of the project is to create a reasonably simple
object oriented two dimensional graphics editor that
uses the Graphical User Interface, GUI, techniques covered
in the class. The hope is that the project will be the
basis of some interactive application you want to build.

You have great freedom to choose what your project is
to be. As a default, if you have nothing better in mind,
the following is a suggested layout for an object
oriented two dimensional graphics editor.

Generally, the program will have:
a main menu with several types of submenus,
a graphics window for shapes, lines and text,
selection menus for shapes and colors,
font style and size selection,
the ability to group and ungroup objects,
the ability to move objects to the front or back,
the ability to select, move and delete objects,
the ability to use the mouse and 
the ability to save and open files.

The project must have user interaction.
A game or puzzle or interactive learning is acceptable.
A program to create and/or modify 2D or 3D graphics objects
or scenes is acceptable. 

The project must use either 2D or 3D objects, it may have
text also but can not be just text. A pixel "paint" program
is generally not acceptable.

The project must be a significant quantity of GUI programming.
Typically around 1,000 lines of code.
Around 100 lines of code or less is generally not acceptable.

Submitting your Project

 The project is to be submitted on GL as 
   submit cs437 proj list-of-files

 The list-of-files should include source code
 and other files, as required, Makefile to build a
 working program. Do not submit executable file(s).

 One or more saved data files would be nice.

 If practical, demonstrate your project running
 during the last class period. (or other class periods
 by arrangement with the instructor)
 As you are demonstrating your project, explain or point out
 features (and the neat stuff) you have included in your project.
 In other words, do a presentation of your project.

Getting Started

Each student needs to choose an operating
system to which they have access.

UMBC makes available Microsoft Windows XP, Linux,
Solaris, IRIX, MacOS and several others.

The "windowing" system is chosen by default
from the operating system choice. MS Windows,
X windows or Macintosh.

In the chosen operating system, the student
should choose a programming language, "C", C++,
Java, or other that has available OpenGL.

The major GUI tool kits, libraries, to select from include
Motif for X Windows, OpenGL for all operating systems,
Java for all operating systems. Examples will be shown in
the first few lectures.

Start the project by getting sample files

 Starter files may be copied to your subdirectory on
 GL  using commands such as:

 cp  /afs/umbc.edu/users/s/q/squire/pub/download/? .

 Expect problems if you EMail source code. Lines will
 probably be wrapped and your code will not compile.

 Be careful saving WEB pages. "Cut and Paste" can give
 strange translations. WEB pages may have control
 characters that compilers will not accept.

Object Oriented 2D Graphics Editor

You have great freedom to modify and change the following.
You may have a future application in mind that could be
built on this project. Try to keep to the spirit of 
creating a user oriented program, even if you may be
the only user.

Main menu

File     Edit     Arrange          Font    Grid(option)  Help
 |        |        |                |       |             |
 |new     |cut     | select all     | ???   | snap        | ???
 |open    |paste   | deselect all   | ???   | off
 |save    |copy    | move to front          | size...
 |exit             | move to back

Selection boxes      Color boxes   Optional ???
 Text                 black         filled
 Line                 white         unfilled
 Rectangle            red           your stuff
 Circle               green         ???
 Select               blue
 ???                  ???

Drawing window
 Optional scroll bars
 Optional scaling
 Optional grid (I personally can not work without a grid.)

It is your option to go 3D and use fewer other features.
e.g. Build a scene and be able to move through the scene
using OpenGL or your own code.

CMSC 437 Project, Summer 2004

Submitting your Project

Getting Started

Each student needs to choose an operating system to which they have access.

Start the project by getting sample files

Object Oriented 2D Graphics Editor

other links and files to download