Quartz (graphics layer)
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Quartz is a pair of Mac OS X technologies, each part of the Core Graphics framework: Quartz 2D and Quartz Compositor. Quartz serves as both a 2D renderer in Core Graphics, as well as the composition engine that sends instructions to the graphics card. Because of its vertical nature, Quartz is often interchanged synonymously with Core Graphics.[1]
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[edit] Quartz 2D & Quartz Compositor
Quartz 2D is the primary two-dimensional (2D) text and graphics rendering library: It directly supports Aqua by displaying two-dimensional graphics to create the user interface, including on-the-fly rendering and anti-aliasing. Quartz can render text with sub-pixel precision; graphics are limited to more traditional anti-aliasing, which is the default mode of operation but can be turned off.[2] In Mac OS X v10.4, Apple introduced Quartz 2D Extreme, which allows Quartz 2D to leverage supported GPUs for rendering. As of Mac OS X 10.4.9, Quartz 2D Extreme is not enabled by default, as it offers few speed improvements in its current implementation.[3]
Quartz Compositor is the compositing engine used by Quartz 2D and other renderers, such as OpenGL, Core Image, and QuickTime. In Mac OS X 10.2 and later, Quartz Compositor uses the processors (GPUs) on supported graphics cards to vastly improve composition performance. This technology is known as Quartz Extreme, and is enabled automatically on systems with supported graphics cards.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Apple - Developer - Graphics & Imaging Overview. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ Apple - Developer - Quartz Programming Guide for QuickDraw Developers: Drawing Destinations. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ Ars Technica - Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger: Page 14. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ Apple - Developer - Graphics & Imaging Overview. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Quartz in Tiger (from a review of Mac OS X 10.4 in Ars Technica)
- Apple's Quartz page
- Apple's Quartz page for developers
- Introduction to OS X graphics APIs
- Programming with Quartz by David Gelphman and Bunny Laden
- Cocoa Graphics with Quartz: Part 1
- Cocoa Graphics with Quartz: Part 2
Applications
Address Book • Automator • Calculator • Chess • Dashboard • Dictionary • DVD Player • Finder • Front Row • Grapher • iCal • iChat • iSync • iTunes • Mail • Photo Booth • Preview • QuickTime Player • Safari • Sherlock • Stickies • TextEdit
Utilities
Activity Monitor • AirPort Admin Utility • Audio MIDI Setup • Bluetooth File Exchange • BOMArchiveHelper • Classic • ColorSync Utility • Console • Crash Reporter • DigitalColor Meter • Directory Access • DiskImageMounter • Disk Utility • Font Book • Grab • Help Viewer • Image Capture • Installer • Internet Connect • Keychain Access • Migration Assistant • NetInfo Manager • Network Utility • ODBC Administrator • Printer Setup Utility • Software Update • System Preferences • System Profiler • Terminal • Universal Access • VoiceOver • X11
Technology & User interface (future features italicized)
⌘ • ⌥ • Apple Advanced Typography • AppleScript • Aqua • ATSUI • Audio Units • Bonjour • Boot Camp • Carbon • Cocoa • ColorSync • Core Animation • Core Audio • Core Data • Core Foundation • Core Image • Core Video • CUPS • Darwin • Exposé • FileVault • icns • Inkwell • I/O Kit • Keychain • Mach-O • OpenGL • Preference Pane • plist • Quartz • QuickTime • Rosetta • Smart folders • Spaces • Spotlight • Time Machine • Uniform Type Identifier • Universal binary • WebKit • Xgrid • XNU
