OpenGL 4 Shading Language Cookbook

by David Wolff

Over 70 recipes that cover advanced techniques for 3D programming such as lighting, shading, textures, particle systems, and image processing with OpenGL 4.6 OpenGL 4 Shading Language Cookbook, Third Edition provides easy-to-follow recipes that first walk you through the theory and background behind each technique, and then proceed to showcase and explain the GLSL and OpenGL code needed to implement them. The book begins by familiarizing you with beginner-level topics such as compiling and linking shader programs, saving and loading shader binaries (including SPIR-V), and using an OpenGL function loader library. We then proceed to cover basic lighting and shading effects. After that, you'll learn to use textures, produce shadows, and use geometry and tessellation shaders. Topics such as particle systems, screen-space ambient occlusion, deferred rendering, depth-based tessellation, and physically based rendering will help you tackle advanced topics. OpenGL 4 Shading Language Cookbook, Third Edition also covers advanced topics such as shadow techniques (including the two of the most common techniques: shadow maps and shadow volumes). You will learn how to use noise in shaders and how to use compute shaders. The book provides examples of modern shading techniques that can be used as a starting point for programmers to expand upon to produce modern, interactive, 3D computer-graphics applications. If you are a graphics programmer looking to learn the GLSL shading language, this book is for you. A basic understanding of 3D graphics and programming experience with C++ are required.

Genres: Programming

394 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2011

Reviews

[Abhishek Dey · Rating 5 out of 5]

OpenGL shading language is the first (& only) cross platform open standard designed language and is the industry standard. With OpenGL and GLSL, applications perform better, achieving stunning graphics effects by using the capabilities of both the visual processing unit and the central processing unit. The book is designed for both beginners and experienced developers and artists. I have read OpenGL shading language books before by Randy Rost, and believe me this book is one of its kind. Author is veteran in the computer graphics field, and the content of the book is exactly what today’s GLSL developers need i.e. the GLSL capability, keeping up pace with changing Modern GPU’s, closeness to natural phenomenon and real-life industry-standard applications. This cookbook is extremely suitable for a variety of audience with graphics background. However, the source code included with this book is presented purely in QT. But reader need not worry as the GLSL code is completely separated out from the rendering code. Additionally, I would recommend you to refer GLSL specification, online GLSL tutorials and algorithm research papers for improved understanding. GPUToaster Rates this book 9.5/10.

Read complete and in-detail review at gputoaster.wordpress.com(Google Search Keyword: GPUToaster)

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly good book aimed at developers already familiar with the basics of OpenGL or prior versions of OpenGL. Without straying into introductory vector mathematics or basic OpenGL API usage, the book provides numerous well-written examples that demonstrate how to use GLSL 4.0. It's concise and to the point. It certainly favors practice over theory. The organization is fairly well done as the examples are minimal and then built upon by further examples and text. One downside is that the text explanations of the code, at times, add little other than an English translation of what the code already says.

The content (and associated graphics effects) is not groundbreaking, but very useful in a practical sense. As the title suggests, this book is aimed at being a "cookbook" of known techniques - not any original research - and serves well in that purpose. The range of examples should provide a solid background upon which to construct more unique and advanced techniques.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a practical, example-based approach to learning the fundamentals of relatively current GLSL.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book with lots of great recipes, and helps to transition from fixed function to programmable pipeline. I just wish it was longer.