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Network Working Group                                     12 January 1972Request for Comment: 292                                Jim Michener, MACNIC 8302                                                Ira Cotton, MITREReferences: 282, 285                              Karl Kelley, U. of Ill.Updates: None                                     Dave Liddle, Owens Ill.Obsoletes: None                                             Ed Meyer, MACGRAPHICS PROTOCOL - LEVEL 0 ONLYINTRODUCTION   This document reflects opinions expressed and decisions reached at   the second meeting of the Network Graphics Group, held at the   Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in late November 1971.   It describes part of a proposed Network Standard Graphics Protocol   for transmitting graphics data within the ARPA network.  The   particular aspects of the protocol covered in this document relate to   the form and content of graphics information sent from a source of   graphical information (an application program, say, in the "Serving   Host") to a display package for output to a graphics console (at the   "Using Host").  This will take the form of a sequence of 8-bit bytes,   and will be called the graphics output byte stream.  In particular,   only the simplest forms of graphics data will be covered in this, the   first version of this document.  The next version, already in   preparation, will be much more complete.  In any case this is not   intended to describe a finished protocol; rather it should serve as a   basis for graphics experimentation on the network.   This document does not include form or content of graphics input   (data sent from the Using Host to the Serving Host) nor does it cover   how the connection is established between the hosts.  A proposal for   the former will be generated eventually by this committee; the latter   is the job of the Connection Committee (of the Network Graphics   Group).   This RFC describes the commands which are available in the protocol   in terms of the effect they would have at the receiving (Using Host)   end.  Clearly, some subroutine package is desirable at the Serving   Host for use by applications package in transmitting graphics data,   but on this topic this RFC does not intend to comment.   It may be observed by the reader that no facility is specified in   this protocol allowing the Using Host to report logical errors in the   graphics output byte stream to the Serving Host.  Such a facility   would have to be intergrated with the graphics _input_ byte stream,   since it involves most of the problems related to synchrony of   independent hosts.Michener                                                        [Page 1]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972BACKGROUND   The reader should probably peruseRFC 282: "Graphics Meeting Report"   by Mike Padlipsky to obtain some of the framework surrounding this   discussion of network graphics.  Also it might be valuable to make   note of the model described inRFC 285: "Network Graphics" by Donald   Huff.LEVEL AND GROUND RULES PERTAINING THERETO   Functions within the graphics protocol will be classified into a   number of levels depending partly on how difficult it is to implement   those functions.  It is intended that any host which claims to   implement the functions of level N must implement all lower levels as   well.  Thus, it is envisioned that sites will implement levels   incremently.  Implementations will be improved as a continuing   process to include more and more functions, and it is intended that   each implementation will be able to identify its own level to a   graphics protocol at a remote site which is requesting a graphics   interchange.  A side result is that each site will be able to   determine its own priorities in committing programmers to the   graphics protocol as opposed to other efforts.   It is also our intention that implementation of level N will require   no knowledge of level N+1.  Thus a site can implement a level in the   (reasonably) firm knowledge that no changes at higher levels will   alter the level implemented.  At some time it may be decided by the   Network Graphics Group to redefine a level which has previously been   firmed up.  It is not our intention that this shall happen but one   must recognize that the proposed Graphics Protocol is experimental   and may have to be changed.   One further ground rule:  a stream of commands and data which is   valid at a given level, K, shall produce "identical" results on any   interpreter of level K or higher.  By this we mean that as defined   operations, similar pictures should result.  Aspects of the protocol   which are not strictly defined (at this time) include character size,   character position relative to the beam, how control characters in   text output affect the terminal and what happens when the beam is   moved or a line drawn outside of the logical screen boundary.  This   rule forces upwards compatibility, so that an application written   using features of low numbered level will still work at sites which   have moved on to implement higher levels.  Additionally, any aspects   of this protocol which are explicitly "left unspecified" in the   detailed operations descriptions below _shall_ be explicitly   specified in any public description of an actual implementation.   We now describe the framework which will be common to all levels.Michener                                                        [Page 2]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972BASIC DATA FORMS   Information in the Network Standard Graphics Protocol will be   expressed as a sequence of 8-bit bytes.  A command will consist of a   command byte followed by zero or more arguments.  The same command   byte will always take the same number of arguments in the same form.   The length of each argument may be fixed or variable depending on the   argument.   A simple type of argument is a "value," which is an 8-bit integer.   Another type of argument is a "string" which is a count followed by   (count)number of 8-bit bytes.  If the count is between 0 and 127, it   is sent in a single byte.  If the count is between 128 and 2**15-1   (** means exponentiation), it is sent in two bytes with the high   order bit of the first byte set to one.  The first byte contains the   seven high order bits of the number, and the second byte contains the   eight low order bits.  A string is the only type of argument of a   command which can vary in length.   Coordinate data engendered considerable discussion at the second   Network Graphics Group meeting.  It was decided that a two-   dimensional Logical Coordinate System was required, and each   interpreter for the graphic command byte stream would be responsible   for mapping this coordinate system to physical device coordinates.   It was decided that data in the logical coordinate system would be in   twos-complement notation, that it would be fractional, that each edge   of the screen would have unit length, and that the origin would   correspond to the center of the screen on the output device.  The   vertical (horizontal) edges of the screen of the  output device   correspond to the lines X (Y) = -1/2 or X=+1/2-e where e is a small   positive number determined by the precision of the fractional data.   Particularly the points (-1/2,-1/2) (-1/2,1/2-e), (1/2-e, -1/2) and   (1/2-e, 1/2-e) shall be visible points at the corners of the logical   screen.  (In the case of a non-square display surface, the   implementer may make his own decision, but it is recommended that the   largest possible _square_ area be utilized.)  Thus we shall say that   the Logical Coordinate System contains points whose coordinates range   from -1/2 to a little less than +1/2.   Commands which take coordinate data will be available in various   modes.  In absolute mode, a position is specified by giving its   coordinates in the Logical Coordinate System.  In relative mode, the   _difference_ between the coordinates of the position and the   coordinates of the current position must be specified.  Thus aMichener                                                        [Page 3]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972   coordinate datum which is an argument for an absolute mode operation   should be in the range -1/2 to +1/2-e, while one for a relative mode   operation should be in the range -1+e to +1-e.   Interest was expressed at the second Graphics Group Meeting in   eventually allowing a very large coordinate space (many bits of   precision in each fractional coordinate).  This is to be done by   permitting the length, in 8-bit bytes, of each coordinate datum to be   set (as a mode).  It was decided at the meeting that two bytes per   coordinate would suffice for now.  Thus "e" in the above discussion   is 2**(15) (one in the least significant bit of a 15-bit plus sign   fractional coordinate).   Text data will be transmitted as an argument of various commands for   display on the output device.  Network ASCII will be used to   represent characters.  At the lowest-levels of the protocol only one   character size will be available -- whatever is "normal" on the   display device.  If the device had no "normal" size, 72 characters   per line would be desirable.  Later, variable character size may be   introduced.   Also, at the lowest levels, control characters will be passed along   to the device for it to do the best it can.  However, the consensus   of the graphics meeting was that at some reasonably low (but non-   zero) level carriage return, line feed, and backspace should be   interpreted to do the right thing.COMMAND CODES   Each command in the graphics protocol will be assigned a non-negative   value which will represent this command in the byte stream.  The   algorithm whereby values and commands are associated is, it turns   out, a very touchy subject.  There are five or ten different criteria   for a "best" algorithm, each criterion different in emphasis.  This   Gordian knot will be cut, in this proposal, by ordering the commands   approximately according to level, and then just numbering them.  In   addition, if several closely related commands occur at the same   level, some attempt will be made to encode variations of meanings in   terms of bit configurations.  Even if some later consideration causes   a change in ordering to be proposed, it is this committee's feeling   that the numbering should not be altered.  However, until this matter   is firmly settled, it is strongly advised that any implementation   take into account the possibility of reassignment of command codes.Michener                                                        [Page 4]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972PARTICULAR PROPOSAL FOR LEVEL 0 PROTOCOL   It is proposed that level 0 be kept very simple.  This is so that   implementation can be quickly accomplished and experimentation with   the protocol begun.  Another reason is that the least powerful hosts   and even programmable terminals should be able to implement it.  In   accordance with this, the "rule" was made that a command be   implemented only if the output is a function solely of the current   command and the "beam position" current at the start of the command.   In other words the interpreter for level 0 need have no internal   storage for "modes" or pushdown stacks.  With this restriction it is   hoped that a very simple implementation will be possible for level 0.   In particular, perhaps one could eventually build a hardware   translator from level 0 code to one's own particular terminal's code.   Note that in the opcode assignment for level 0, bits 4, 2, and 1 have   special meaning for the move, line and dot commands.  In particular,   the 1 bit encodes absolute versus relative data mode, the 4 bit   encodes whether any visible output occurs, and the 2 bit determines   whether the visible output is a line or a dot.LEVEL 0: COMMAND SUMMARY   The following is a list of commands (and their syntax)in level zero.   Detailed descriptions of these commands follow in the next section.   Commands dealing with protocol may be added by the Connection   Committee.  (They currently request opcodes in the range 128 to 255.)   (As described in Basic Data Forms, above, <x>, <y>, <x delta> and <y   delta> are two-byte coordinate values,  <string> is a count followed   by (count) many bytes and <value> is an eight bit number.)   Decimal    Octal        Binary        Format   0             0         00000000   Null   1             1         00000001   Erase screen and reset beam   2             2         00000010   Move Absolute <x> <y>   3             3         00000011   Move Relative <x> <y>   4             4         00000100   Draw Absolute <x> <y>   5             5         00000101   Draw Relative <x delta> <y delta>   6             8         00000110   Dot Absolute <x> <y>   7             7         00000111   Dot Relative <x delta> <y delta>   8            10         00001000   Text <string>   9            11         00001001   TextR <string>   10           12         00001010   End of Picture   11           13         00001011   Escape <value> <string>Michener                                                        [Page 5]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972LEVEL 0:  COMMAND DESCRIPTIONS      0     Null Statement ("null")      This statement has no arguments and no effect, either.      1     Erase screen and reset beam to origin ("Erase").      This command indicates that a new picture is about to be drawn.      It should always be (eventually) paired with a following End of      Picture command.      2     Move beam invisibly to absolute position      ("Move Absolute") <x coordinate> <y coordinate>.      Nothing is drawn; the beam is positioned to the specified absolute      x,y position.      3     Move beam invisibly by relative amount      ("Move Relative") <x delta> <y delta>.      Nothing is drawn; the beam is shifted by the specified amount in x      and y.      4     Draw line to absolute position      ("Draw Absolute") <x coordinate> <y coordinate>.      A line is drawn from the current beam position to the specified      absolute x, y position.      5     Draw line to relative position      ("Draw Relative") <x delta> <y delta>.      A line is drawn from the current beam position to the position      delta x and delta y away.      6     Display a Dot at absolute position      ("Dot Absolute") <x coordinate> <y coordinate>.      The beam is moved invisibly to absolute position x, y and a dot is      displayed there.      7     Display a Dot at Relative position      ("Dot Relative") <x delta> <y delta>.      The beam is moved invisibly by the specified amount in x and y and      a dot is displayed there.      8     Display text ("Text") <string>.      At the current beam position, display some characters at the      normal size for the device being operated.  <string> consists of a      <count> followed by count many characters.  If there is no "normal      size," choose the size so that seventy-two characters are      displayed per line.  The characters in the string are coded in      network ASCII: all codes between 0 and 127 (decimal) inclusive are      permitted.  (At level zero, what happens to control characters isMichener                                                        [Page 6]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972      left unspecified.)  Where the beam is, following execution of this      command, is left unspecified, except that another Display Text      command immediately following will append its text to the previous      string.  (The use of the TEXT command is _discouraged_; use TextR      instead.)  The position of the first character relative to the      initial beam position is left unspecified.      9     Display text and restore beam ("TextR") <string>.      At the current beam position, display a string of characters at      the normal size for the device being operated then reposition the      beam to where it was before the command.  <string> consists of a      <count> followed by count many characters.  If there is no "normal      size," choose the size so that seventy-two characters are      displayed per line.  The characters in the string are coded in      network ASCII; all codes between 0 and 127 (decimal) inclusive are      permitted.  (At level zero, what happens to control characters is      left unspecified.)  The position of the first character relative      to the initial beam position is left unspecified.      10     End of Picture ("Endpic").      This command denotes the end of a new picture.  It must be paired      with a preceding Erase command.      11     Escape to device specifics ("Escdev") <value> <string>.      If "value" is the code assigned (by the Protocol Committee) to the      device being operated, then transmit the eight-bit bytes in      <string> (which starts with a <count> indicating the number of      bytes) to the device without examining them.  Otherwise ignore      this command.  If the device does not accept 8-bit information,      reformat the data in some device specific way; an example would be      throwing away the high order bit for a seven bit device, or      gathering 5 8-bit bytes into one 36-bit word, again discarding the      high order bits, perhaps.  The action of the bytes in the string      should leave alone (or at least restore) any hardware beam      position registers in the device which the interpreter might      conceivably depend on.      This command really should not be used; it was included at level 0      so that specific applications can do mode setting and other device      specific manipulations.  For example ARDS terminals may optionally      have several, independently addressable output scopes.  The      selection mechanism changes state only when a particular sequence      of ASCII characters reaches the terminal.  Thus ESCDEV would be      used to select which scopes(s) is/are to be affected by following      commands.  (The current state is invisible to the graphics package      at the Using Host.)      Further, suppose that another make of terminal has a similarMichener                                                        [Page 7]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972      option, which responds to a different code sequence.  This      possibility is the motivation for conditionally ignoring the      ESCDEV command based on the "<value>" specified.  Given that a      particular application will only be used to output to either an      ARDS or this second make (with the multiple scope option), then      the application could always send two ESCDEV commands, one      applicable only to ARDS terminals, and the other applicable only      to the second make.Michener                                                        [Page 8]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972            APPENDIX 1:  BNF FOR THE GRAPHICS PROTOCOL BYTE STREAM   Key to below:   Non-terminals are represented in <>.   Terminals which are keywords standing for particular eight-bit values   are in capitals.   Terminals whose meaning should be clear to the reader are in lower   case.  Note that "empty_string" means "zero bytes," and not "a   <string> whose <count> is zero".   <graphics output byte stream> ::= empty_string                      | <picture> <graphics output byte stream>   <picture> ::= <new picture stt> <sttgroup> <end stt>   <stt group> ::= empty_string | <stt> <stt group>.   <stt> ::= <control stt> | <display stt>   <control stt> ::= <escape to device stt>                      | <null stt>   <display stt> ::= <move absolute stt>                      | <move relative stt>                      | <draw absolute stt>                      | <draw relative stt>                      | <dot absolute stt>                      | <dot relative stt>                      | <text and restore beam stt>                      | <text stt>   <new picture stt> ::= ERASE   <escape to device stt> ::=ESCDEV <device code> <string>   <null stt>::= NULL   <end stt>::= ENDPIC   <move absolute stt> ::= MOVEA <x coordinate> <y coordinate>   <move relative stt> ::= MOVER <x delta> <y delta>   <draw absolute stt> ::= DRAWA <x coordinate> <y coordinate>   <draw relative stt> ::= DRAWR <x delta> <y delta>   <dot absolute stt> ::= DOTA <x coordinate> <y coordinate>   <dot relative stt> ::= DOTR<x delta> <y delta>   <text and restore beam stt> ::= TEXTR <string>   <text stt> ::= TEXT <string>   <x coordinate> ::= <coordinate>   <y coordinate> ::= <coordinate>   <x delta> ::= <double coordinate>   <y delta> ::= <double coordinate>   <coordinate> ::= singed,_two's-complement,_fraction_in_range                     -1/2_to_less_than_+1/2   <double coordinate> ::= signed,_two's_complement,_fraction,                     range_strictly_between_-1_and_+1Michener                                                        [Page 9]

RFC 292                Graphics Protocol Level 0            January 1972   <count ::= 7-bit_non-negative_integer                     | 15-bit_non-negative_integer_represented_in                     "excess_2**15"_notation   <string> ::= <count> count_8-bit_bytes   <device code> ::= <value>   <value> ::= 8-bit_integer          [This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry]      [into the online RFC archives by Kelly Tardif, Viag�nie 10/99]Michener                                                       [Page 10]