visualpython-users

[Visualpython-users] Future directions

[Dethe E. <de...@an...>]

Hi folks,

I'm just discovering VPython and I think you're doing a great job.  I have a
few questions about the future, for your virtual crystal balls:

Will there be an update to Python 2.0 when that is released?

Is there any support for texture mapping in the works?

How about support for custom lighting?

Finally, not really a question but a comment.  I've also been reading about
Kirby Urner's work with Python, using it to teach math
(http://inetarena.com/~pdx4d/ocn/numeracy0.html).  He uses Python to write
out povray files, but most of his examples would work great with VPython
instead, and have much more immediacy (and I plan to tell him so on the
EDU-SIG mailing list), but sometimes it's nice to do a static, ray-traced
rendering.  If VPython were able to take a snapshot in povray format, that
would be cool.

Thanks for the great tool.

Dethe Elza

Re: [Visualpython-users] Future directions

[Bruce S. <ba...@an...>]

--On Monday, October 16, 2000, 12:41 PM -0700 Dethe Elza
<de...@an...> wrote:

> Will there be an update to Python 2.0 when that is released?

Yes, we definitely want to track Python and stay current.

> Is there any support for texture mapping in the works?

Ari Heitner has expressed strong interest in implementing this. However, he
is also very busy with his computer science courses this semester, so
there's no date attached.

> How about support for custom lighting?

There was in the past some support, but it was not documented because Dave
Scherer wasn't quite happy with it. I'll ask him what is current view is on
this.

> Finally, not really a question but a comment.  I've also been reading
> about Kirby Urner's work with Python, using it to teach math
> (http://inetarena.com/~pdx4d/ocn/numeracy0.html).  He uses Python to write
> out povray files, but most of his examples would work great with VPython
> instead, and have much more immediacy (and I plan to tell him so on the
> EDU-SIG mailing list), but sometimes it's nice to do a static, ray-traced
> rendering.  If VPython were able to take a snapshot in povray format, that
> would be cool.

To make sure I understand the request, I think you're asking for an option
to write out a file in the form of a Povray "program" which could then be
processed by Povray to make a high-quality image. That would allow one to
use VPython as a fast prototyping environment. Makes sense. Probably not
high on our own list of priorities, but maybe someone will step forward to
implement such a thing if it is of general interest.

Bruce

Re: [Visualpython-users] Future directions

[Ari H. <ahe...@an...>]

On Tue, Oct 17, 2000 at 03:23:13PM -0400, Bruce Sherwood wrote:
> --On Monday, October 16, 2000, 12:41 PM -0700 Dethe Elza
> <de...@an...> wrote:
> 
> 
> > Is there any support for texture mapping in the works?
> 
> Ari Heitner has expressed strong interest in implementing this. However, he
> is also very busy with his computer science courses this semester, so
> there's no date attached.

soon. :)

well before heat death. :)

i have some more minor stuff to hack thru on the linux side before i play
with any of that stuff. and what i *don't* have is time to hack right now :)

at the very worst, there will be a flurry of activity as i recover from this
semester.

> 
> > rendering.  If VPython were able to take a snapshot in povray format, that
> > would be cool.
> 

mmph. but it's a real pain. now, as simple as vpython scenes are, it could
probably be done. that said ... it would also look *identical* to what
vpython shows you. i mean, short of texture support, what would you be
wanted to raytrace, exactly ? vpython doesn't give you any control over
materials (let alone GL's limited material support compared to a raytracer).




cheers,

-- 
Ari Heitner
  DC: 703/5733512  PGH: 412/4229837
Non c'è più forza nella normalità: c'è solo monotonia.

Re: [Visualpython-users] Future directions

[ruth c. <rc...@an...>]

> On Tue, Oct 17, 2000 at 03:23:13PM -0400, Bruce Sherwood wrote:
>> --On Monday, October 16, 2000, 12:41 PM -0700 Dethe Elza
>> <de...@an...> wrote:

>> > rendering.  If VPython were able to take a snapshot in povray format,
>> > that would be cool.

Actually it would be pretty easy to write such a routine yourself. Probably 
the only tricky thing is converting -convex- to -blob-.  By writing your 
own routine you could specify textures, instead of having everything 
default to RedPlastic, etc.

RE: [Visualpython-users] Future directions

[David S. <dsc...@cm...>]

> >> > rendering.  If VPython were able to take a snapshot in povray format,
> >> > that would be cool.
>
> Actually it would be pretty easy to write such a routine
> yourself. Probably
> the only tricky thing is converting -convex- to -blob-.  By writing your
> own routine you could specify textures, instead of having everything
> default to RedPlastic, etc.

Good idea!  The only caveat is that there isn't currently an easy way to
enumerate the objects in a scene, so the user program would have to keep
track of all its objects.  This could be very easily added, though -- we had
this capability in the prototype -- and then Povray output could be
implemented in Python.  I like it.

You could use optional user attributes to control the material:

for object in scene.objects:
    if hasattr(object,"material"):
        material = object.material
    else:
        # xxx I don't know Povray syntax:
        material = "material { color %s } " % str(object.color)

(I don't think convex can be converted to blob - it has to be converted to
triangles using a convex hull algorithm.  That could be done in Python by
basically copying the code from convex.cpp in cvisual)

Dave

RE: [Visualpython-users] Future directions

[ruth c. <rc...@an...>]

--On Wednesday, October 18, 2000 9:30 AM -0400 David Scherer 
<dsc...@cm...> wrote:

>
> (I don't think convex can be converted to blob - it has to be converted to
> triangles using a convex hull algorithm.  That could be done in Python by
> basically copying the code from convex.cpp in cvisual)
>

Duh. You're right, of course - a convex thingy has flat sides.