This report describes ANIM3D, a 3D animation library targeted at visualizing combinatorial structures. In particular, we are interested in algorithm animation. Constructing a new view for an algorithm typically takes dozens of design iterations, and can be very time-consuming. Our library eases the programmer's burden by providing high-level constructs for performing animations, and by offering an interpretive environment that eliminates the need for recompilations. This report also illustrates ANIM3D's expressiveness by developing a 3D animation of Dijkstra's shortest-path algorithm in just 70 lines of code. An accompanying videotape shows the library in use. 1 Background Algorithm animation is concerned with visualizing the internal operations of a running program in such a way that the user gains some understanding of the workings of the algorithm. Due to lack of adequate hardware, early algorithm animation systems were restricted to black-and-white animations at low frame rates ...

Creating Animation for Presentations by Douglas Zongker Chair of Supervisory Committee: Professor David H. Salesin Computer Science & Engineering In recent years the use of computer-generated slides to accompany live presentation has become increasingly common. There is a potential for using computer graphics to increase the effectiveness of this type of presentation. The hardware for generating and projecting complex scenes and animation is in place, yet few efforts have been made in creating software to fully utilize these capabilities.

We present lessons learned from developing Alice, a 3D graphics programming environment designed for undergraduates with no 3D graphics or programming experience. Alice is a Windows 95/NT tool for describing the time-based and interactive behavior of 3D objects, not a CAD tool for creating object geometry. Our observations and conclusions come from formal and informal observations of hundreds of users. Primary results include the use of LOGOstyle egocentric coordinate systems, the use of arbitrary objects as lightweight coordinate systems, the launching of implicit threads of execution, extensive function overloading for a small set of commands, the careful choice of command names, and the ubiquitous use of animation and undo.