Quartz 2D Graphics for Mac OS X Developers

The previous chapter examined some of the history behind the development of the Quartz 2D graphics library. It was mentioned that Apple based the drawing model of Quartz 2D on the graphics features of the PDF file format standard. Quartz 2D, of course, is not alone in taking this path. The most recent evolution of the Java graphics libraries, Java 2D, also relies heavily on aspects of the Adobe imaging model. The GDI+ graphics library, found on Microsoft Windows operating systems, also incorporates some of the Adobe imaging model's elements. Quartz 2D, as a descendent of Display PostScript, however, provides the closest representation of the Adobe imaging model available.

The Quartz 2D imaging model is flexible and powerful. The library meets the needs of professional and consumer applications alike. The complexity of the graphics that Quartz 2D can create are a stark contrast to the relative simplicity of the imaging model. As an application developer, you can begin to make use of the library after learning about the basic drawing elements in the system and a few simple techniques for working with them.

This chapter describes the features of the Quartz 2D graphics library and offers a first look at its imaging model. It also explores the drawing process and look at some of the models and abstractions that Quartz 2D code uses. This exploration culminates in the first code sample. The program creates a simple image that demonstrates many of the fundamental techniques for working with Quartz 2D.