M-buffer: a practice of object-oriented computer graphics with UML

In many applications such as virtual reality and computer-aided design (CAD), time-critical rendering of pictures and adequate display of information are fundamental to real-time human-computer interactions. In compassion with shaded pictures that present a simulated level of photo-realism, line drawing (wireframe) pictures are commonly used to show the shapes and movements of three-dimensional objects during the modeling and testing stage of computer-aided design/manufacturing. This thesis presents a practice of object-oriented computer graphics. It applies object-oriented methodology in the development of a mixed-buffer hidden-line rendering algorithm, namely the M-Buffer algorithm. The developed M-Buffer algorithm combines the Z-Buffer algorithm, which is a traditional hidden-line removal algorithm in image-space, with the D-Buffer algorithm, which is a modified hidden-line rendering algorithm. In addition, as it has been constructed by means of object-oriented methodology, the M-Buffer algorithm has the unique capability of rendering pictures quickly in the image space and revealing hidden structures according to users' attention