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Line drawing algorithm
In computer graphics, a line drawing algorithm is an algorithm for approximating a line segment on discrete graphical media, such as pixel-based displays and printers. On such media, line drawing requires an approximation (in nontrivial cases). Basic algorithms rasterize lines in one color. A better representation with multiple color gradations requires an advanced process, spatial anti-aliasing. On continuous media, by contrast, no algorithm is necessary to draw a line. For example, cathode-ray oscilloscopes use analog electronics to draw lines and curves. Before the advent of fast CPUs, such monitors were used in advanced application CAD/CAM domains such as car design, using wireframe drawings. These systems only needed a small list of (x,y) vectors from the computer to immediately draw a line image. For a visualisation on a display that only accepts intensities of pixels, a digital algorithm needed to be invented.