This book introduces the reader to the grammatical theory of picture generation, focussing on issues that are of particular interest for computer scientists. Using picture generation as a vehicle, many of the general ideas of the theory of computation are exemplified by results about (un)decidable, NP-complete, or efficiently solvable problems, normal forms, hierarchies of language classes, and related phenomena.

Many of the devices and results discussed in the book extend those known from the literature, or are original ones, including a novel approach to generating colored pictures.

The software on the enclosed CD-ROM lets you try out all examples or even extend the system.