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20th August, 2023

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Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm in C Graphics: Implementation and Explanation

Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm is a fundamental method used in computer graphics to efficiently draw lines on a digital display. In this blog post, we will walk through the implementation of Bresenham’s algorithm in C graphics and provide a detailed explanation of how it works. By the end of this post, you'll have a solid understanding of the algorithm and how to use it to draw lines in your graphics applications.

Table of Contents:

What is Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm?
Setting up the Environment
Implementing Bresenham’s Algorithm in C Graphics
Explaining the Algorithm Step by Step
Drawing Lines with Bresenham’s Algorithm
Conclusion

1. What is Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm?
Bresenham’s algorithm is an efficient method for rasterizing lines. It was developed by Jack E. Bresenham and is widely used due to its simplicity and speed. Instead of using floating-point arithmetic to calculate line points, it uses integer arithmetic to determine the next pixel position to plot along the line path.

2. Setting up the Environment
Before we dive into the implementation, ensure you have a C graphics library installed on your system. You can use libraries like "graphics.h" for this purpose.

3. Implementing Bresenham’s Algorithm in C Graphics
Below is the C code that implements Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <graphics.h>

void drawLine(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2) {
    int dx = x2 - x1;
    int dy = y2 - y1;
    int x = x1, y = y1;

    int steps = abs(dx) > abs(dy) ? abs(dx) : abs(dy);
    int xIncrement = dx / steps;
    int yIncrement = dy / steps;

    putpixel(x, y, WHITE);

    for (int i = 0; i < steps; i++) {
        x += xIncrement;
        y += yIncrement;
        putpixel(x, y, WHITE);
    }
}

int main() {
    int gd = DETECT, gm;
    initgraph(&gd, &gm, "");

    int x1 = 100, y1 = 100;
    int x2 = 300, y2 = 200;

    drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2);

    delay(5000);
    closegraph();
    return 0;
}

4. Explaining the Algorithm Step by Step

Calculate the differences in x and y coordinates (dx and dy).
Determine the number of steps needed (steps = max(|dx|, |dy|)).
Calculate the increments for x and y (xIncrement = dx / steps, yIncrement = dy / steps).
Start plotting pixels from the initial point (x1, y1).
In a loop, increment x and y by their respective increments and plot each pixel using putpixel.

5. Drawing Lines with Bresenham’s Algorithm
In the code above, you can modify the values of x1, y1, x2, and y2 to draw different lines. The delay(5000) function keeps the graphics window open for 5 seconds before closing.

6. Conclusion
Bresenham’s Line Drawing Algorithm is a powerful tool for drawing lines efficiently in computer graphics. By implementing this algorithm in C graphics, you can create straight lines on the screen using integer arithmetic. Understanding how this algorithm works is essential for anyone working in graphics programming.

In this blog post, we have covered the implementation of Bresenham’s algorithm, explained each step, and provided a simple example. By applying this algorithm in your graphics projects, you can achieve better performance and create visually appealing results. If you're interested in learning more about computer graphics algorithms, stay tuned for our future blog posts!

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Related Tutorial

Bresenham’s and Midpoint Circle Drawing Algorithm in C Graphics: Implementation and Explanation.

Drawing Lines Using DDA Algorithm in C Graphics - Step-by-Step Guide.

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