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3D Graphics File Formats A Programming Reference by Keith Rule Recommended with Reservations

ISBN: 0 201 48835 3       Publisher: Addison-Wesley       Pages: 529pp+CD       Price: £32-25

Categories:   graphics     reference

Reviewed by Francis Glassborow in C Vu 9-4 (May 1997)

The book starts with introducing a C++ class library--Crossroads--designed to help you use 3D files in your applications, both reading and writing the format of your choice. The second half of the book introduces techniques for inter-format conversions, writing to a common subset of the formats and much more.

Crossroads is designed for easy integration with MFC. The attached CD-ROM includes a wealth of material including a format converter and an OCX control.

The C++ source code is acceptable in the context of a book whose main focus is elsewhere. As long as readers do not take it as exemplar code I can live with it (things such as the matrix and string classes should not be extracted for use elsewhere as they lack the polish and robustness that a reusable class needs). It is worth noting that internal evidence suggests that the writer is largely using the C++ style sometimes called 'a better C'. The file handling is done in C. The writer has little idea writing short functions. He often nests program constructs many layers deep.

I think the book would have benefited by leaving more of the source code where it belongs, on the CD. Some source needs to be in print so that the C++ source can be related to that of the scripting languages. Code that is actually being explained also needs printing.

This is an excellent book despite these comments. I have criticised the code because I would hate one of you to emulate the author's coding style in the belief that it is of the same quality as the information content of the book.

If your programs (will) make use of 3D displays this book is close to indispensable.