RE: [Visualpython-users] Further adventures with primitives

[Press, S. <sha...@ai...>]

A little bit of background.
My work with VisualPython is part of my Masters in eScience (
http://eScience.anu.edu.au ) at the Australian National University. The
major focus of my project is getting VPython to run on the Wedge 3D
visualisation system (see photo on the web page). As an extra part of the
project there is a requirment to extend VPython for use by the Maths
Department at the ANU for teaching purposes. So all my hacking of VPython is
connected to this.
When I finish programming a reasonable set of shapes, I will see if Bruce et
al are interested in adding them to the next release of VPython. At this
moment my ability to work on VPython is limited by time but I am starting a
new position at the ANU very soon and will have more time (I hope) to work
on both my project and general VPython hacks. I will probably set up a web
page where my code can be accessed when I start my new job. In the meantime
I will keep posting descriptions of what I have been doing to this list.
 
Now replying to Jonathan Brandmeyer
Modifying cylmodel.h 
cylmodel.h is used at the moment to calculate cones and cylinders. It is
probably worth creating a conemodel.h file which can then be used by
cone/pyramid etc shapes (ie shapes that have a point) as then the more
efficient GL_TRIANGLE_FAN method can draw these. Cylinders and frustums
could remain in a modified cylmodel.h file, which would support top and
bottom radii parameters. Of course this could then be used to do cones etc
by setting the minor radius to 0 but would also create the redundant tip
points so I suppose it is generality versus speed!
One thing I am interested in adding is a general n-polygon shape eg 4 =
tetrahedron, 6 = octahedron 8 = cube etc Hopefully a bit of reading and I
should be able to do it.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Arthur [mailto:ajs...@op...]
Sent: Friday, 21 February 2003 0:08
To: Press, Shaun; vis...@li...
Subject: Re: [Visualpython-users] Further adventures with primitives


Shaun - 
 
How does one get one's greedy hands on what you have done.
 
Interested both as to the specifics of what you have implemented, and for
the tutorial value of understanding, in full specifics, how you have
accomplished it.
 
Art