HP supports several graphics application programmer interfaces
(APIs). Your choice of API will depend on the features of the API,
as well as performance.
PEX is a vendor-independent extension to the X Window System
that is supported by major workstation vendors including HP, Sun,
IBM, and DEC. PEXlib is the corresponding API that generates PEX
protocol. PEX provides client/server graphics and the broadest set
of functionality supported on HP platforms. PEXlib provides full
performance graphics on HP systems.
Starbase is a low-level, proprietary API that has been used
by HP customers for many years. Starbase is a feasible option for
many applications that do not need client/server technology. Starbase
runs at full performance on all HP-designed graphics devices now,
and will continue to be supported in the future.
HP-PHIGS is a high-performance implementation of the industry
standards, PHIGS and PHIGS PLUS. The current release of HP-PHIGS
(Version 3.0) is the last major release of the product. Future systems
may not run HP-PHIGS at full performance. Figaro and GPHIGS are
commercial products. Figaro is available from Template Graphics
Software. GPHIGS is supplied by G5G.
OpenGL is supported on HP-UX 9.07 for application developers
that use OpenGL. The OpenGL software distributed by Hewlett-Packard
is an Evans & Sutherland product for Freedom systems, and
is supported by Evans & Sutherland. OpenGL runs at full
performance on Freedom systems. Evans & Sutherland plans
to enhance OpenGL over time.
Printable version
