Re: [Algorithms] Maya file format reader/writer.

[Alex W. <ale...@im...>]

As a previous poster mentioned, the Maya binary and ascii save files are directions on how to build a dependency graph.  So to read
correctly them you would have to have an run-time equivalent Maya environment.  However, Maya has great documentation, all of which
is available in Maya's help documents.  The SDK is great.  It clearly explains how Maya works and shows you how to access/traverse
the data.  It may seem daunting at first, but once you build a simple plugin, it isn't too dificult to walk through the dependency
graph and export mesh data as you encounter it.  I was able to get a static mesh exporter working fairly quickly.  Now supporting
animations, run-time skinning, blend shapes, etc will take some time.  But you are better off just making your own format up.  Or
maybe I should state, I have found it easier to put data into my own format rather than figuring out how to parse an existing
format.  The problem gets messier when it comes to skeletal animations and blend shape animations.  Its hard to find an existing
format that supports that type of animation.
If Maya is your tool of choice, crack open the SDK, start simple, and you will probably finish quicker than trying to deal with an
additional file format inbetween Maya and your codebase.  And you'll learn alot of useful information that will help you design a
better run-time engine.

BTW:  We've been using Maya's SDK and have had great results.  We can export full hierarchical animations with skeletons, skinning,
and blendshapes.  Meshes can even be blendshapes and then skinned.  You can see some of the results of this in "Disney's Magic
Artist 3D".  There is a mickey mouse character with ton's of animation exported directly from Maya.  We got 2 to 3 minutes of 30fps
quality blend shaped, skinned, skeletal animation with deforming normals for correct run-time lighting into 3 megs of memory.

Alex Wells
ImageBuilder Software

----- Original Message -----
From: <in...@mi...>
To: <gda...@li...>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 5:50 PM
Subject: [Algorithms] Maya file format reader/writer.



greetings list,
i'm wondering if there is somthing out there that will read Maya binary or
Maya ascii that doesn't requiere a license to use and/or can be included in
binaries that are for non commercial distribution.

also, is there a standard 3d format out there that supports multiple textures
and bumpmaps out there?  that i can output from Maya relativelly easilly?
for some reason old formats like obj, vrml and 3ds seem to still rule the
earth, is there something that is well documented and better out there?

-int

/////////////////////////////////////////
Antonio Vicente
Class of 2002, Massachussetts Institute of Tech.
Course 6-3
in...@mi...
ch...@af...

_______________________________________________
GDAlgorithms-list mailing list
GDA...@li...
http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/gdalgorithms-list