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Old 11th November 2005, 09:28 PM   #1
Anonymous
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Default export tutorial needed

Hello everyone,

Although i am already used to 3D modeling i have only just come across ac3d. From what i can see from my recent installation is that it seems as complete as i need and does even more than the program i am used to.
Before i actualy go any further and that is simply play around and get used to the interface and then buy the product i need to know if there is a tutorial for building an import and export plugin (mainly export).

The export plugin i need is for one format and is useless to most 3d modelers. The idea is to have a basic version to start with and eventually a commercial version. My project is basicly smalltime and could eventually require the help of a plugin/exporter builder.

If anyone is interested in getting together to build a partnership/friendship exporter for ac3d then lets start the conversation here.

Either that or i am looking for a price from someone to build me a plugin.

thanks in advance anyone/everyone

Dayne
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Old 12th November 2005, 04:18 AM   #2
Andy
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An exporter is quite simple to code.

I've appended a sample. It quite simple but would be even simpler if each polygon wasn't triangulated.

Feel free to post any questions here.

Andy

--------------------------------------------------------
Code:
/**************************************************************

Shared vertex  (.sv files)	plugin for AC3D  - 

Version 1.1 by Inivis


file will look like:

SV
<NUMVERT>					-|
(numvert of) <X> <Y> <Z>			 | 
<NUMTRIANGLES>					 |--- 1 or more blocks until EOF
(numtriangles of) <V1> <V2> <V3> <HEXRGB>	-|


e.g. white a rectangle (made from two triangles)

SV
4
0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
1.000000 1.000000 0.000000
1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
2
2 0 3 ffffff
0 2 1 ffffff
----------------------------------------------------

the code looks complicated in parts because any polygons that need
triangluating are turned into triangles before output and all these
are gathered together before being output in one block per object

A loader for this format should read the header "SV" then keep 
reading until the end of the file.	Each AC3D object will be represented
by a vertex list and a triangle list.

Note that lights are ignored because they don't have any vertices.
Also - lines are ignored

updated for AC3D 4.5 November 2004

*****************************************************************/


#include <stdio.h>
#include "ac_plugin.h"



static void sv_output_col(FILE *f, int col)
{
ACMaterial *m = ac_palette_get_material(col);
long rgb;

	rgb = ac_material_index_to_rgb(col);
		
	fprintf(f, "%x\n", rgb);
}


static void sv_output_triangle(FILE *f, List *vertices, Surface *s)
{
SVertex *p1, *p2, *p3;
int col;
int id1, id2, id3; 

	// get SVertexes for this triangle
	// SVertex contains vertex pointer, texture cordinates and the normal

	p1 = (SVertex *)(s->vertlist->data);
	p2 = (SVertex *)(s->vertlist->next->data);
	p3 = (SVertex *)(s->vertlist->next->next->data);

	// get int positions of each vertex within the main object list
	id1 = list_index(vertices, p1->v);
	id2 = list_index(vertices, p2->v);
	id3 = list_index(vertices, p3->v);

	fprintf(f, "%d %d %d ", id1, id2, id3); 

	sv_output_col(f, s->col);
}

static void sv_output_surfaces(FILE *f, List *vertices, List *triangs)
{
	/** go through the triangle list and output each **/
	for (List *p = triangs; p != NULL; p = p->next)
		{
		Surface *s = (Surface *)p->data;
		sv_output_triangle(f, vertices, s);
		}
}


static void sv_output_object(FILE *f, ACObject *ob)
{
int numvert, numsurf, numkids;
List *vertices, *surfaces, *kids;
List *p;

	printf("outputing %s\n", ac_object_get_name(ob));

	ac_object_get_contents(ob, &numvert, &numsurf, &numkids,
		&vertices, &surfaces, &kids); 

	// we are only interested in triangles, so we a list of triangulated surfaces
	List *triangs = ac_object_get_triangle_surfaces(ob); // get list of triangles (ignores lines/polyline surfaces)

	int numtri = list_count(triangs);

	if (numtri > 0)
		{
		fprintf(f, "%d\n", numvert); // output number of vertices
		for (p = vertices; p != NULL; p = p->next) // output each vertex
			{
			Vertex *v = (Vertex *)p->data;

			fprintf(f, "%f %f %f\n", v->x, v->y, v->z);
			}
	
		fprintf(f, "%d\n", numtri); /** output the number of triangles **/
		sv_output_surfaces(f, vertices, triangs); // output number of surfaces and each surface
		}

	ac_surfacelist_free(&triangs); // important - free the surfaces (and list) created from ac_object_get_triangle_surfaces

	for (p = kids; p != NULL; p = p->next) // output any children objects
		sv_output_object(f, (ACObject *)p->data);
}




static Boolean do_sv_save(char *fname, ACObject *top)
{
FILE *f;

	f = fopen(fname, "w");
	if (f == NULL)
		{
		message_dialog("SV EXporter: can't open file '%s' for writing", fname);
		return(FALSE);
		}

	fprintf(f, "SV\n"); /** output a header **/
	sv_output_object(f, top );
	fclose(f);
	return(TRUE);
}

/***** hook functions that the AC3D plugin loader looks for *******/

AC3D_PLUGIN_FUNC int AC3DPluginInit()
{
double ver = ac_get_version_number();

	ac_register_file_exporter("SV", ".sv", "SurfaceVertex", do_sv_save, "plugin, version 1.1, by Inivis");

	return(0);
}


AC3D_PLUGIN_FUNC int AC3DPluginExit()
{
	return(0);
}

AC3D_PLUGIN_FUNC char *AC3DPluginAbout()
{
	return("SV Export Plugin - Version 1.1 - by Inivis");
}


AC3D_PLUGIN_FUNC char *AC3DPluginInfo()
{
return("SV is a simple file format that is used to demonstrate how to write AC3D geometry import/export plugins.\
The structure:\n\n\
SV\n\
<NUMVERT>\n\
(numvert of) <X> <Y> <Z>\n\
<NUMTRIANGLES>					 ( 1 or more blocks until EOF)\n\
(numtriangles of) <V1> <V2> <V3> <HEXRGB>\n\
\n\
\n\
e.g. white a rectangle (made from two triangles)\n\
SV\n\
4\n\
0.000000 1.000000 0.000000\n\
1.000000 1.000000 0.000000\n\
1.000000 0.000000 0.000000\n\
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000\n\
2\n\
2 0 3 ffffff\n\
0 2 1 ffffff\n");
}
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Old 13th November 2005, 12:32 AM   #3
Dayne
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Andy thanks for taking the time to post that for me and your offer to reply to my questions. The only problem i forsee with that is that i dont even know where to start formulating the first question.

The code you have posted could well have been written in martian for all i understand. You say its quite simple to code. LOL im really happy that you find it easy, me i have'nt got a clue where to start. I guess finaly i am at a loss unless someone is prepared to build one for me.
What about yourself, would you be prepared to do such a task and how much would such a project cost. If this is possible for either you or anyone else i am prepared to buy the rights to the whole exporter/plugin or work on a percentage of all sales for the writer. Although i would suggest a price for the rights as im not sure if or when the plugin would be sold.

Thanks already for your time Andy

Dayne
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Old 13th November 2005, 03:08 AM   #4
Andy
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Well, if your second language is C, it's easy to understand

Send me all you have about the file format you want to support.

PM me if you like.

Andy
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Old 13th November 2005, 03:39 PM   #5
Dayne
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I have just PM'ed you Andy.
Let me know if you got it because i have no trace of it within my PM inbox. Under the sent mail there is nothing and under saved there is nothing either.
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