aztec-news — News Mailing List

[Aztec-news] News Update: Aztec is still alive and kicking

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Even though the news page has been very quiet for a very long time, Aztec hasn't been completely idle. 

<P>

Over the last few months, Tobias (an avid MacOSX user and brillaint programmer) and I have been trying to nut out the final details of our cross-platform user interface. After a few false starts, we are getting closer and closer to the real thing.

<P>

The most recent event was getting a new build system that will work easily with Visual C on windows, and GCC on windows, linux and MacOSX. This is no small task. We finally stumbled across <a href="http://www.scons.org/">SCons<a>. This is a brilliant build tool written using Python. It is so easy to get DLL's, libs and executables working, its made my Aztec life so much easier. Since that has been sorted out, all the 3rd party library source code has also made its way into the Aztec source repository, and now it is really really easy to build aztec. There is no need to go and hunt out versions of various libraries to get it to build. Its great!

<P>

I just get all warm and fuzzy knowing that I can build Aztec using three different GUI's with two different compilers. It's very cool.

<P>

But all of that is not very useful to the actual users of Aztec (If there are any). I am slowly working on more tools, features and general enhancements, so hopefully it wont be too long until something nice comes your way. Right now, my focus is getting this to work using the free software development tools around the palce so I can round up some more people to work on Aztec.

<P>

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: More GUI happenings: Grouped Containers

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

<img src="http://aztec.sourceforge.net/images/groupcontainer.png" align="right">

After yet another short break with aztec, we are back, rolling along again. One notable thing that just got up and working is collapsable group containers. This allows user interfaces to be grouped nicely, giving less clutter, and more organisation. A screenshot of this in action is to the right. 

<P>

The neat part is, that it is all doable in javascript as well. This is a pretty major achievement for me, having a scriptable user interface. Just as a demonstration, here is the code used to produce the window shown here:

<pre>

function toggleGroup(groupContainer) {

  groupContainer.expanded = !groupContainer.expanded;

}



function groupContainerExample() {



  var mainWindow = new MWindow();

  // the flow layout takes three args, the x and y margins, 

  // and then the number of components per row

  mainWindow.setLayoutManager(new MParagraphLayout());



  var group1 = new MGroupContainer("My Group");

  mainWindow.addComponent(group1);



  with (group1.content) {

    addComponent(new MTextField("Click the button below", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("to show how to collapse/expand", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("a group container", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField(" using javascript", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("", 20));



    var button = new MButton("Click me!");

    button.addListener(toggleGroup, group1);

    addComponent(button);

  }



  var group2 = new MGroupContainer("Group 2");

  mainWindow.addComponent(group2);



  with (group2.content) {

    addComponent(new MTextField("Try collasping", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("this group", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("", 20));

    addComponent(new MButton("Im in the second group"));

  }



  var group3 = new MGroupContainer("Group 3");

  group2.content.addComponent(group3);



  with (group3.content) {

    addComponent(new MTextField("Group 3", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("is inside", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("Group 2", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("", 20));

    addComponent(new MTextField("", 20));

    addComponent(new MButton("Click me!"));

  }





  mainWindow.setSize(mainWindow.getMinimumSize());

  mainWindow.setVisible(true);	



}



groupContainerExample();

</pre>



Most of the space is taken up by the text fields, so it is fairly compact. I'm sure it will be streamlined a bit in future, to make user scripts much tidier and nicer to use.

<P>

To wrap up this small update, heres a list of changes made since the last release (September 15)

<ul>

<li>Added javascript bindings to have group containers and paragraph layouts. This includes a javascript example as well. (Phillip)

<li>Added in a paragraph layout which lays out components one at a time as wide as possible, but in a vertical sequence. (Phillip)

<li>Added a container than can collapse its contents. Works well for the channel bar, and will be great for laying out dialogs. (Phillip)

<li>Added an event method MContainer::onChildResized(). This allows containers to be notified when the size of a child component changes. This is to pave the way to having collapsable containers of components. (Phillip)

<li>The UV Edit window and the feedback from using the UV window now works in Aztec 2. Bug 803217. (Phillip)

<li>Fixed so isolated single edges in an edge connect do not have points inserted on them. Bug 811401 (Phillip)

<li>Fixed multiple edge connect so all the edges are always selected properly. Bug 811375 (Phillip)

<li>Undo is now recorded for each individual call to a Scene function inside javascript. If this behaviour is undesirable in a script, it can wrap a bunch of script calls between a Scene.undoBegin() and a Scene.undoEnd() calls. Fixes bugs 811398 811399 and 811400. (Phillip)

<li>Made it so the zoom distance limits itself to sensible values. bug 812348 (Phillip)

<li>Fixed the problem where the channel bar would display squashed up attributes. (Phillip)

<li>Fixed the edge divide display so it only displays the potential new edge if it really will create one. Bug 810325 (Phillip)

<li>Fixed the context menu only appearing after the second click bug. Bug 810330. (Phillip)



</ul><P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Well not much is happening here

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Not much news to tell here, but I thoguht I'd put something here to say I haven't been hit by a car or something like that :)

<P>

I've been doing some graphic design for the church I go to, since we have a conference coming up soon. Newsletters, name badges, order forms, and things like that. Its pretty fun.

<P>

The downside to that is Aztec hasn't been progressing much, but I will get back into it soon. Dave (the scripting master) did some pretty cool things with the scriptable GUI, so I can't wait until both he and I are powering along once again.

<P>

Anyways, have a good day!

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Aztec 2.0.g-alpha released

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

The next version of aztec is now formally released. There is a heap of fixes and improvments over version F-alpha, see the complete <a href="https://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=184714">Release Notes and Change Log</a> for more details. 

<P>

<b>Binaries</b><br>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-win32-2.0.g-alpha.rar?download">aztec-win32-2.0.g-alpha.rar</a> (2048k)

<br><a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-win32-2.0.g-alpha.zip?download">aztec-win32-2.0.g-alpha.zip</a> (2493k)

<P>



<b>Source code</b><br>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-src-2.0.g-alpha.rar?download">aztec-src-2.0.g-alpha.rar</a> (2630k)

<br><a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-src-2.0.g-alpha.zip?download">aztec-src-2.0.g-alpha.zip</a> (2813k)

<P>

Here is a very short summary of the changes in this version:

<ul type="disc">

  <li>Zoom to all and Zoom to select now works. Yay!

  <li>Added in some decent default keyboard mapping, and most keys work properly now. 

  <li>Mouse wheel works.

  <li>Face and edge selections are undoable.

  <li>Slide Edge tool. Useful for modifying edges, but keeping the general shape of the mesh.

  <li>Edge divide tool now connects newly formed edges together. Its nice.

  <li>Fixed the chamfer a bit.

</ul>

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Another update on whats been happening.

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Just another update on the changes that have been made since the last new update. One of the most important ones is that zooming to the current selection and zooming to all is now working for 3D views. Yay!

<ul>

<li>Added in Mouse Wheel support to the Abstract GUI classes. Made the 3D and graph views respons correctly to the mouse wheel. Feature 798753 

<li>The camera zoom tool now zooms more accurately when close up in a perspective view. 

<li>Finally got zoom to fit selection, and zoom to all to work properly in perspective and orthographics views. Feature 633980 

<li>Fixed up the GUI classes a bit. Listeners now live in the base abstract GUI classes. For javascript, The standard way to add listeners to a component is now with the addListener() method now. That will handle any default behaviour, such as clicking, changing. For speical behaviors, it is still add[behaviour]Listener().  

<li>Moved the build direction so it is completely out of the CVS area, and fixed up the batch files that produce a release kit. 

<li>Fixed the undoing of face and edge selections. bug_801010 

<li>When toggling a viewport so it is fullscreen, it uses the viewport that the mouse was last under, rather than the current viewport. This makes the workflow that little bit better. bug_800850 

<li>When changing component modes, the tool is automatically changed to the select tool. Not doing that was causing too much confusion. 

<li>Made it so edges are unselected when they are hidden. bug_801008 

<li>Fixed collapseVertices() so it does the right thing now. This makes the Weld Vertices aztec2 functionality work properly. Distance based welding still isn't working. 

<li>Also cleaned up up a few mesh related things, and made MAnimMesh store its data in a vector, rather than in an array. 

<li>Improved edge divide so it creates edges between newly created vertices. 

<li>Added in a slide edge tool, so edges can be moved around, but constrained to their local shape. 

</ul>

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Various bug fixes since the release

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Heres a short list of the things that have been done since the release a few days ago. These will be available in the next release, or via CVS if you are in a hurry. Thanks to everyone who has submitted bugs (Dominique and Dave, you are legends!)

<P>

<ul>

<li>Made it so the scene doesn't have the two lights by default. Bug 798761 



<li>Made it so edge loop selects connecting open edges in that situation. Bug 793101 



<li>Right clicking now cancels the current tool if it is in the middle of doing something. The MToolType::inProgress() method was added to facilitate this. This is feature request 797998. 



<li>The quick slice tool now behaves itself while doing things in the middle of a quick slice. Fixes bugs 796472 and 797999. 



<li>Fixed solid chamfer of T intersections. Bug 798087



<li>Fixed solid chamfer so it converges on the greatest allowable chamfer distance much more easily. Bug 798088



<li>Added in support for duplicating objects. No options for instancing or anything else as yet.



<li>Added javascript support for the MTabbedContainer and also for MGridLayouts.



<li>Added a MTabbedContainer gui component for having tabbed dialogs, toolbars and whatever else.

</ul>



<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Direct Download Links

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

A big omission earlier, but here are the download links for the newest version.

<P>

<h3>Binary release:</h3>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-win32-2.0.0f-alpha.zip?download">RAR File (2021k)</a><br>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-win32-2.0.0f-alpha.zip?download">ZIP File (2442k)</a>

<P>

<h3>Source release:</h3>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-src-2.0.0f-alpha.zip?download">Source RAR File (3472k)</a><br>

<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-src-2.0.0f-alpha.zip?download">Source ZIP File (3797k)</a>



<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Aztec 2.0.0f-alpha released

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Its been a while, but it out there now. Below are the release notes, so have fun!

<P>

<H2>Release Notes for Aztec 2.0.0f-alpha</H2>

<b>Release Date:</b> 30 August 2003

<P>

Well, its been a while since these releae notes were updated. The focus of the program has shifted from being an all round tool, to being primarily a modelling tool. After modelling has been completed to an acceptable level, then we will move on to other areas.

<H3>Changes of Interest</H3>

Well, its been a long time, so lots of things have changed.

<ul type="disc">

  <li><b>User Interface</b>

	<ul> 

	<li>The entire user interface has been rewritten. Its been written using a home grown API, which hasn't got all the greatest bells and whistles, but the functionality is portable to other operating systems. Richard is working on a Linux Qt version, and after that is done, we should have Aztec running on linux. Same goes for any other user interface we (or anyone else) choose. A few things have fallen behind, such as rendering, that haven't made it into the user interface yet.

	<li>Java scripting for the user interface. Thats right, the <b>user interface</b> is scriptable!  Its not perfect, but its a good step in the right direction. David Biggs has been hard at work stretching the boundaries of it to make it as good as possible.

	<li>Context menus, so you can right click instead of having to go up to the menu's all the time.

	</ul>

  <li><b>Modelling tools</b>:

	<ul>

	<li><b>Edge ring and edge loop</b> its about time!

	<li><b>Edge connect</b> with multiple edges and face connect

	<li><b>Point connect</b> 

	<li><b>Face connect</b> allows arbitrary two groups of faces to be connected

	<li><b>Solid Chamfer</b> There is no normal chamfer yet, but its on the way. This chamfer was inspired by Sebastian Thiel work. And its good stuff. 

	<li><b>Improved Edge Divide</b>	Gives feed back on how far along the edge we are dividing.

	<li><b>Can convert selections between </b>

	<li><b>Grid Snapping</b>

	<li><b>Quick slice tool</b> Allows a quick way to divide up an entire object along a plane.

	<li><b>Inset tool</b> A poor mans bevel. 

	</ul>

  <li><b>Undo has improved</b>. The undo system was rewritten, and it is now much better, and more flexible than before. Just about everything is undoable, without the high level code having to worry about anything.</li>

</ul>

<h3>Known Issues</h3>

There are a few things that are known problems in this release, so don't be surprised if you see them:

<ul type="disc">

<li>The channel bar sometimes does not lay out the fields properly. This can be a major hassled, but for the moment, just reselect your object, should fix it right up.

<li>Normal chamfer isn't there. It will be soon,

<li>And lots of things are on the bug and feature list too, at <a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=23294">this page</a>.

</ul><P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: New Aztec2 Binary

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Decided to get another version out there. This one actually has keyboard shortcuts <b>GASP!</b>  Get it <a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/aztec/aztec-win32-2.0.d-alpha.rar?download">here</a>.
<P>
They are still not customisable properly yet, although you can edit the .config file in the bin directory to change them to your preferences. There is a backup file included in case things get mucked up.
<P>
The keys as they stand are:
<P>
<table>
<tr><td>
<b>Key</b>
</td><td>
<b>What it does</b>
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
1
</td><td>
Object Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
2
</td><td>
Point Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
3
</td><td>
Face Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
4
</td><td>
Edge Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
Q
</td><td>
Select Tool
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
W
</td><td>
Move Tool
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
E
</td><td>
Rotate Tool
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
R
</td><td>
Scale Tool
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
A
</td><td>
World Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
Ctrl+A
</td><td>
Toggle Separate Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
S
</td><td>
Local Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
D
</td><td>
Screen Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
S
</td><td>
Object Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
S
</td><td>
Parent Axis Mode
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
Z
</td><td>
Focus on current Selection
</td></tr>
<tr><td>
C
</td><td>
Connect Selected Components
</td></tr>

</table>

<P>
Anyhow, there are a few new thing in there, so have fun playing!<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: Things are slowly happening

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

Aztec 2 is slowly shaping up as the contents of the <a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=23294">feature tracker</a> is steadily growing and shrinking as things are suggested and as things are done.
<P>
Over the last couple of weeks, with the infinite patience of the aztec-users mailing list, we've actually been making progress. See <b><a href="http://aztec.sourceforge.net/aztec.php?page=example_tools">this page</a></b> for some example images showing off some of this functionality.
<UL>
<LI>Edge ring, and Edge Loop
<LI>Got point, edge and face connect working.
<LI>Converting the current selection of points, edges and faces into a different type of selection. For example, going from edges to points and back again.
<LI>Added a cylinder primitve.
<LI>Improved the edge divide tool to provide interactive feedback.
<LI>3D viewports can now have a headlight, instead of the scene lighting. 
<LI>Started work on keyboard customisation and related UI jaziness
<LI>Started making the UI accessible from JavaScript.

</UL>
So today on my 24th birthday, Aztec is looking pretty cool, and can only get better. So many thanks to everyone for the ideas and code, its going fantastically well!<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: More Progress...

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

I've just tinkered around with the Aztec web page a bit, and the aztec mailing list now gets automatic updates when news is posted.
<P>
I've now got Edge Loop, Edge Ring, Edge connect working. Point connect is mostly working. There are also functions to go from object, face and edge selections to vertex selections. 
<P>
Hopefully I'll post some screenshots and another binary soon.

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: More Progress...

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

I've just tinkered around with the Aztec web page a bit, and the aztec mailing list now gets automatic updates when news is posted.
<P>
I've now got Edge Loop, Edge Ring, Edge connect working. Point connect is mostly working. There are also functions to go from object, face and edge selections to vertex selections. 
<P>
Hopefully I'll post some screenshots and another binary soon.

<P>- Phillip<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: More Progress...

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

I've just tinkered around with the Aztec web page a bit, and the aztec mailing list now gets automatic updates when news is posted.
<P>
I've now got Edge Loop, Edge Ring, Edge connect working. Point connect is mostly working. There are also functions to go from object, face and edge selections to vertex selections. 
<P>
Hopefully I'll post some screenshots and another binary soon.

<P>- Phillip

[Aztec-news] News Update: More Progress...

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

I've just tinkered around with the Aztec web page a bit, and the aztec mailing list now gets automatic updates when news is posted.
<P>
I've now got Edge Loop, Edge Ring, Edge connect working. Point connect is mostly working. There are also functions to go from object, face and edge selections to vertex selections. 
<P>
Hopefully I'll post some screenshots and another binary soon.

<P>

[Aztec-news] News Update: More Progress...

[Phillip M. <pm...@us...>]

I've just tinkered around with the Aztec web page a bit, and the aztec mailing list now gets automatic updates when news is posted.
<P>
I've now got Edge Loop, Edge Ring, Edge connect working. Point connect is mostly working. There are also functions to go from object, face and edge selections to vertex selections. 
<P>
Hopefully I'll post some screenshots and another binary soon.