Thread: Program to create shapes in PPM

PLEASE HELP! I have a project in which I have to create a program that reads an input file and outputs an output file which can be opened as a PPM. The input file contains a letter referring to a shape (either a rectangle, circle, or ellipse), a color (RGB), an x and y-offset, and a radius (for circles), dimensions (rectangle), or major axis size (ellipse).

I have absolutely NO idea how to even start this project. I know that we have to use arrays and loops, but I just started programming and need help to get started. Please let me know if you have any clarifying questions.

Not experienced with it, but first thing I'd do is d/l a couple small ppm files, and a ppm viewer. Without a viewer, and some files to ensure it works OK, how will you know when you have created a good ppm file?

Then, look into a library that handles ppm format OR Google,and read up on the ppm format your file output will need to follow.

The first part of your work involves a lot of ppm learning by you, and very little or no C language. I would NOT wait around posting on C forums, for a lot of help with that.

When you have the viewer, and know the format, then jump back here for any help you need with the actual C portion of it. Don't wait around, because these kinds of projects can take a lot more time than you would expect.

I understand how PPMs work; they output a text file with a color for each and every pixel.
For example:
0 0 0 # 0, 0
would print black (0 0 0 are it's RGB vals) at the point (0, 0). I just don't understand how to make an array and/or loops to print out this huge list of colors and point coordinates.