Computer Methods in Science Experiments

Create a C++ program for Visual Studio that inputs a file with coordinates on the XY plane of N points, and then displays the location of the points in graphical mode and draws a polyline passing through each point no more than once. Prepare everything to run the program. Do not use graphics packages that must be installed separately.

Creating a full C++ graphical program to run in Visual Studio without the use of external graphics packages is quite extensive and typically requires a library such as the Simple and Fast Multimedia Library (SFML), OpenGL, or SDL which need to be installed separately.

However, Visual Studio includes the GDI+ graphics library by default, which can be used for basic drawing tasks. Here is a sketch of what the C++ code might look like using GDI+ for drawing. Note that GDI+ is a part of the Windows API, and this will only work on Windows systems.

#include <windows.h>

#include <gdiplus.h>

#include <fstream>

#include <vector>

using namespace Gdiplus;

#pragma comment (lib,"Gdiplus.lib")

VOID OnPaint(HDC hdc)

{

Graphics graphics(hdc);

Pen pen(Color(255, 0, 0, 255));

std::ifstream inFile("coordinates.txt");

std::vector<Point> points;

int x, y;

// Read the file with coordinates

while (inFile >> x >> y) {

points.push_back(Point(x, y));

}

if (points.size() > 1) {

// Draw a polyline through each point

graphics.DrawPolygon(&pen, &points[0], points.size());

}

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);

INT WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE, PSTR, INT iCmdShow)

{

HWND hWnd;

MSG msg;

WNDCLASS wndClass;

GdiplusStartupInput gdiplusStartupInput;

ULONG_PTR gdiplusToken;

// Initialize GDI+.

GdiplusStartup(&gdiplusToken, &gdiplusStartupInput, NULL);

wndClass.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;

wndClass.lpfnWndProc = WndProc;

wndClass.cbClsExtra = 0;

wndClass.cbWndExtra = 0;

wndClass.hInstance = hInstance;

wndClass.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);

wndClass.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);

wndClass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);

wndClass.lpszMenuName = NULL;

wndClass.lpszClassName = TEXT("GettingStarted");

RegisterClass(&wndClass);

hWnd = CreateWindow(

TEXT("GettingStarted"), // window class name

TEXT("Getting Started"), // window caption

WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, // window style

CW_USEDEFAULT, // initial x position

CW_USEDEFAULT, // initial y position

CW_USEDEFAULT, // initial x size

CW_USEDEFAULT, // initial y size

NULL, // parent window handle

NULL, // window menu handle

hInstance, // program instance handle

NULL); // creation parameters

ShowWindow(hWnd, iCmdShow);

UpdateWindow(hWnd);

while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0))

{

TranslateMessage(&msg);

DispatchMessage(&msg);

}

GdiplusShutdown(gdiplusToken);

return msg.wParam;

} // WinMain

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)

{

HDC hdc;

PAINTSTRUCT ps;

switch (message)

{

case WM_PAINT:

hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps);

OnPaint(hdc);

EndPaint(hWnd, &ps);

return 0;

case WM_DESTROY:

PostQuitMessage(0);

return 0;

default:

return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);

}

} // WndProc

Please note that this code is a simplified example and assumes the "coordinates.txt" file is formatted correctly with x y coordinates on each line. You'd need to create a Windows project in Visual Studio and link to the Gdiplus library for this code to compile and run.

Additionally, proper error checking, file existence checks, and GDI+ initialization checks should be added for a robust application.

To run the provided C++ program using GDI+ for drawing in Visual Studio, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio: Start Visual Studio and create a new project by selecting "Create a new project."
Choose Project Type: In the new project dialog, choose "Windows Desktop Wizard" and click "Next."
Configure the Project: Give your project a name and location, and click "Create."
Windows Desktop Wizard: Choose "Windows application" and make sure "Empty project" is unchecked. Click "Finish."
Add a New Item: Right-click on the "Source Files" folder in the Solution Explorer, select "Add," and then "New Item."
Create a C++ File: Choose "C++ File (.cpp)" and give it a name, then click "Add."
Copy and Paste Code: Copy the provided C++ code into the new .cpp file you just created.
Add GDI+ Library: Right-click on your project in Solution Explorer, choose "Properties," navigate to "Linker -> Input," and under "Additional Dependencies," add gdiplus.lib.
Initialize GDI+: Make sure the code includes the GdiplusStartupInput and GdiplusShutdown functions to properly initialize and shut down GDI+.
Create Coordinates File: Create a text file named "coordinates.txt" with the XY coordinates, and place it in the same directory as your executable, usually under the "Debug" or "Release" folder inside your project directory.
Build the Project: Press "Ctrl+Shift+B" to build the project.
Run the Program: Once the build is successful, press "F5" to run the program.
View the Output: If everything is correct, a window should appear displaying the points and polyline as specified in your "coordinates.txt" file.

Make sure to check for any compilation errors and address them as needed. If you encounter any issues, consult the error messages and Visual Studio's help resources for troubleshooting.

If you're having trouble finding where to add gdiplus.lib in Visual Studio, follow these steps:

Open Project Properties: Right-click on your project in the Solution Explorer (the project, not the solution or individual files) and select "Properties" from the context menu.
Navigate to Linker Settings: In the Properties window, go to the "Linker" section. You might see several subsections under "Linker."
Select Input: Click on the "Input" subsection under "Linker."
Add Additional Dependencies: In the "Input" section, find the "Additional Dependencies" field. Here, you can add gdiplus.lib. It might be a semicolon-separated list, so if there are other dependencies already listed, just add a semicolon (;) followed by gdiplus.lib.
Apply and OK: After adding gdiplus.lib, click "Apply" and then "OK" to save your changes.

If "Linker" or "Input" is not visible, ensure that your project is a C++ Windows project and not a different type. If you still can't find it, you may need to consult the specific documentation for your version of Visual Studio or seek help from Visual Studio's support resources.