Preface

GRAPE is a graphics programming environment which offers a natural approach to mathematical visualization. Thereby it supports the understanding and solving of mathematical problems in different fields of research like differential geometry or continuum mechanics.

GRAPE contains a toolbox to work with geometric and numerical data, generate graphic output and film sequences. The environment is based on an object-oriented kernel and a machine independent interface for the graphics. The system gives the user interactive control in numerical algorithms combined with three dimensional computer graphics. An important aspect is time-dependency of data structures and algorithms. GRAPE is an open system: New data classes and user defined methods can easily be added.

GRAPE has been developed since 1987 at the Sonderforschungsbereich 256 for Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations at Bonn University and since 1992 in collaboration with the Institut für Angewandte Mathematik at Freiburg University. Now GRAPE is also being widely used by various research groups and in other scientific areas. As well as the number of GRAPE users has increased, GRAPE itself has been extended and improved significantly.

We hope, GRAPE will prove to be useful in some of your visualization problems.

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