Traditional 3D graphics programming using OpenGL in C or C++ often requires significant
development time by expert graphics programmers. The time costs associated with learning to use
OpenGL calls in the C or C++ environment and compiling, linking, and testing during application
development are typically extensive. Therefore, new tools that reduce the development time associated
with graphics programming or make graphics programming available to a broader spectrum of
programmers paves the way towards speedier and more sophisticated graphical software development. An
interpreted environment accommodates faster graphics application development by eliminating the need to
frequently recompile code in order to observe the effects of OpenGL calls to the current graphics state.
Utilizing the functional programming language J with appropriate OpenGL bindings, an interpreted
approach provides an interactive environment suitable for less time consuming OpenGL-like graphics
programming. This paper details design and implementation issues involved in creating OpenGL bindings
for the J programming language. In addition, an explanation of one approach to creating such bindings and
suggestions for possible improvements are also included.
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