The new Processing 0133 includes a fix for forcing OpenGL anti-aliasing, making my anti-aliasing hack obsolete . Forced anti-aliasing is implemented via the hint() / unhint() function.

From the release notes:

Added support for full-screen anti-aliasing with OpenGL. This is enabled via the hint() mechanism because it has several tradeoffs and its behavior across video cards varies. Use the options hint(ENABLE_OPENGL_2X_SMOOTH) or hint(ENABLE_OPENGL_4X_SMOOTH) immediately after the size() command to get lovely smooth results. Read the caveats in the documentation for hint().

0133 also contains a bunch of bug fixes, among them a fix for the annoying behavior on Windows where Processing would create a 100×100 pixel window regardless of what was specified with size().

Welcome to this workshop that is part of the Olhares de Outono festival.

We will use this week to look at the principles behind generative systems, and apply them to topics like animation, visual synthesis and practical production of digital media. We will be using the Open Source tool Processing, created by Ben Fry and Casey Reas.

I recommend that you go to Processing.org/books and download the sample PDF from Casey and Ben’s book “Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists”. It contains the first 100 pages of the book, and covers most of the basic commands in Processing.

I will post files from the workshop at the following URL:
http://workshop.evolutionzone.com/workshops/071029_porto

Processing links

• Processing.org
• Processing libraries
• Processing Flickr group
• Processingblogs.org
• Processing Hacks
• del.icio.us/tag/processing.org

Recommended blogs

• Generator.x
• Daniel Shiffman: Teaching at ITP / Blog
• Flight404 aka Robert Hodgins
• Toxi aka Karsten Schmidt

OOP tutorials

• Dan Shiffman: Particle systems
• JavaRanch: How my Dog learned Polymorphism
• The Java Tutorials: Object-Oriented Programming Concepts

I just posted a quick update to unlekkerLib. It seems the first version I posted used Java 5 because I hadn’t configured Eclipse correctly. This version is compiled for 1.4. I have tested it with Processing 0125, but please give me feedback if it gives you trouble.

I added two new functions to the library, nothing big but could be useful for some people:

• unlekker.data.POVRay: Primitive POV-Ray triangle geometry export.
• unlekker.data.FeedReader: Feed reading utility class (requires installing extra JARs)

To use the feed classes simply use the code from this previous post, minus the class definitions.

I just found this gem while looking at my YouTube subscriptions: Karsten Schmidt (aka Toxi) and Matt Wade from Moving Brands were interviewed for the launch of the Japanese book "Built with Processing". They speak a little about their general approach and then about a few specific projects.

The presentation of the KEF Muon project is perhaps the most compelling of the three included. But for long-time Processing heads the bonus of seeing the mythical Toxi in the flesh should be enough to warrant a few minutes of your time.

ZZap! 64: Magazine covers

It’s maybe too close to the deadline of the computer game assignment to give much additional inspiration, but I found an interesting link to an online archive of ZZap! 64. A magazine devoted to Commodore computer games with an obvious focus on the C64, it’s now a treasure trove of retro computer game culture. In particular, the magazine covers are a sight to behold.

Another site I only found after giving the assignment is Dot Eaters, an excellent overview of classic video game history.

[ZZap! 64 link via the excellent 30gms.]