About Web Cartoon Maker

Web Cartoon Maker is a free online tool for development of animated 2D cartoons. Unlike much other similar software, it does not pretend to be a so called WYSIWYG (or What You See Is What You Get) tool. It allows you to program your cartoons, using a programming language. While it may sound odd at first, it is more convenient and quick in many cases, if you know how to write a program. Web Cartoon Maker uses a C++ programming language as its engine. Pure C++ is not the easiest language, but Web Cartoon Maker's C++ (also called WCM C++) has some extensions to make the programming easier.

There is a tutorial available at Web Cartoon Maker's web site at http://www.webcartoonmaker.com/?art=help/help which can help you to start programming simple animated cartoons in no time, but you must know some basic C++ syntax rules to write simple WCM scripts. A somewhat more complete understanding of C++ is needed to better understand the examples and for more advanced programming, such as creating characters. Finally, understanding of C++ as implemented in WCM is a good first step towards understanding the language as a whole.

If you haven’t looked at the tutorial and some of the sample programs on the web site, it is suggested that you do so now. This document is focused on some of the underlying features of WCM and is not intended as a tutorial for the first time user. Actually examining and running the tutorial scripts, as well as the code excerpts presented here, will aid in understanding the underlying concepts. The best way to learn a programming language is to write programs!

The material presented in this document ranges from vary basic material that must be understood to effectively develop WCM animations to fairly advanced material that can safely be ignored by those not wishing to understand the C++ language. In many cases, the level of the material is indicated as follows:

Very important for developing cartoons

More advanced material for those who wish to learn C++.

Advanced cartoon making capabilities due to WCM being based on C++

There are also notes scattered throughout the document. These notes may help to clarify the concepts involved or give some additional background concerning the development and peculiarities of the syntax being described. There are also some hints that cover various tricks to make your cartoons more interesting. While hopefully of interest to the reader, such notes in general cover material not necessarily needed for either developing cartoons or learning C++.