VRML - Help request in converting poinset to index line set

Author

Help request in converting poinset to index line set

Canopus

2004-08-26, 7:17 pm

X-No-archive: yes

This post is to ask for some help in converting a point or lineset
into an indexed faceset. I was hoping someone could convert the file
for me and resend it to me via email at:

fisherka@csolutions.net

I am aware of White Dune but really do not want to install and
maintain another piece of software on my desktop.

As always, thanks. - Kurt

============================
Background:

I am working on a draft schematic of the Milky Way galaxy.
http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...set_reduced.wrl

Working files can be found at:

http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/VRML/

One plotting element is a plane of neutral hydrogren surrounding our
galaxy between 8 kiloparsecs and 20 kiloparsecs. From an astronomy
journal article -

http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...VRML/hiimap.gif

- I have done a crude pointset take off -
http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...ap_pointset.wrl
(Press "Fit" to size rendering)

Neither the pointset -
http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...set_reduced.wrl
(Press "Fit" to size rendering)

or the lineset renderings -
http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...set_reduced.wrl
(Press "Fit" to size rendering)

- graphically work well, and I would like to try a transulcent
indexface set.

But I don't have the skills to do the coordinate index translation.

A file with the pointset coordinates is at:
http://members.csolutions.net/fishe...ap_pointset.wrl
(Press "Fit" to size rendering)

Joerg Scheurich aka MUFTI

2004-08-30, 7:17 pm

> This post is to ask for some help in converting a point or lineset
> into an indexed faceset.

> I am aware of White Dune

It would not help here. Converting a indexed faceset to a point or lineset
is easy, this is supported by white_dune. But it is not possible to
convert a pointset or a lineset to a indexed faceset without extra
(maybe complicated) information.
In general, each point of a pointset can form a triangle with each 2 other
possible points 8-(
If you use a rule like "use the next 2 neighbour points to from a triangle
and never make a point part of more then 3 triangles" the result would
depend from which point you started this algorithm 8-(

> but really do not want to install and
> maintain another piece of software on my desktop.

What is the problem exactly ?

For M$Windows, white_dune (current 0.27beta) is just one single executable.
All you need is to download it and klick to the file.
There is no "installer program" and therefore no need to have administration
rights.

Are the few hundred Bytes remaining in the M$Windows registry a problem for
you, if you throw away white_dune by deleting this single executable ?

If it is a problem for you, to remove "HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/DuneSoft"
in the registry with regedit, we can include a "options -> uninstall" command.
Would this be usefull for you ?

For a UNIX type operation system, you usually have a compiler, so you can
use the sources beside the installation packages...

so long
MUFTI
--
Eine Unter-Speisekarte wird erscheinen, in der Sie waehlen koennen,
entweder zu spielen, oder das Video zu schlingen.
(aus einem Software-Handbuch, Stichworte: menu und loop)

Canopus

2004-08-30, 11:16 pm

Joerg Scheurich aka MUFTI <rusmufti@helpdesk.rus.uni-stuttgart.de> wrote in message news:<cgvlbo$b9m$4@infosun2.rus.uni-stuttgart.de>...
<snip>[color=darkred]
> What is the problem exactly ?

Thanks for responding Mufti. Looks like I misspoke. The ArtofIllusion
does a great job of converting meshs in its native format into
indexedLineSets in VRML 2.0.

The problem is you cannot just import into ArtofIllusion a series of
cloud points from an ASCII file that defines a simple surface, like:

# x , y , z ,
-6.633597884 , -21.31746032 , 0 ,
-5.936507937 , -18.73148148 , 0 ,
-8.005291005 , -18.73148148 , 0.2 ,
-9.30952381 , -18.73148148 , 0.4 ,
-4.654761905 , -16.03306878 , 0 ,
-7.218253968 , -16.03306878 , 0.2 ,
-8.67989418 , -16.03306878 , 0.4 ,
-10.09656085 , -16.03306878 , 0.6 ,
0.022486772 , -13.33465608 , 0 ,

and have ArtOfIllusion make the mesh. From there, the indexedLineSet
could be exported to VRML.

ArtofIllusion will import (*.obj) Wavefront object files.

I don't know anything about the (*.obj) file format. From a brief
internet search, it looks like it might be possible to easily specify
a mesh grid using the obj file format. Then the obj file could be
imported into White Dune and exported to VRML.

So -

1) Can you suggest a shareware, freeware or demo software product that
I could obtain that would do the conversion?

2) Can you give any pointers on specifying a surface from x,y,z
coordinates in the *.obj file format? Or am I in the wrong usenet
group for that?

3) Is there any solution to this other than hand-coded? What am I
missing? What should I be looking at that does not cost $400-800?

Thanks again - Kurt