AN INTEGRATED HARDWARE-SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR COMPUTER GRAPHICS IN TIME-SHARING.

This report describes the ESL Display Console and its associated user-oriented software systems developed by the M.I.T. Computer-Aided Design Project with Project MAC. Console facilities include hardware projection of three-dimensional line drawings, automatic light pen tracking, and a flexible set of knob, switch, and push-button inputs. The console is attached to the Project MAC IBM 7094 Compatible Time-Sharing System either directly or through a PDP-7 Computer. Programs of the Display Controller software provide the real-time actions essential to running the display, and communication with the time-sharing supervisor. A companion graphics software system GRAPHSYS provides a convenient, high-level, and nearly display-independent interface between the user and the Display Controller. GRAPHSYS procedures allow the user to work with element picture parts as well as subpictures to which names are assigned for identification between user and Controller programs. Software is written mostly in the machine-independent AED-O Language of the Project and many of the techniques described are applicable in other contexts. Author