CompuServe Thread

File formats/info

9 messages in this thread
#20607From: PETER S. WASONDec 22, 1990 1:51 PM
Hello! I am curious to know if the file format for objects saved from the detail and/or forms editors is available…..you see, when you morph very complex objects you need to know how many points there are and unless there is already a utility that would give you this info I am thinking of writing one. I am trying to have the human design skeleton (I joined the 3 parts) morphed from a sphere, but of course, there are not the same number of points and faces. I have no way of getting this information so I am left with two alternatives; either seriously mutilate a copy of the skeleton until I have something resembling a sphere or c points and faces on-screen (not a pleasant thought). Pagerender 3D has "facet files" that are series of numbers in an ASCII file…it is a VERY nice feature. I can take a series of x-sections (say of a human skull done by an MRI (magnetic resonant imaging) and lay a a transparency with a grid on it and simply write a file containing the head. If I could reformat something like that to Imagine format….. Basically I see the need for a program that could; a) convert ASCII format facet files to a basic Imagine "forms" object. b) provide basic structural info about objects (detail and form) such as; # of points # of faces names of objects/groups (I know-can be done with "nam C D C (nice feature,BTW) What do you think? I know you guys are busy, busy, busy…..but if you could provide the necesary info we could see about the prog…… Thanx a lot! -Scott M Stumpworld Industries P.S. Either we would market a utility like that through Impulse or release it as PD or Shareware; this is not a profit-motive thing; we would like (rather need) these features to be available. 🙂
#20608From: SyndesisDec 22, 1990 6:36 PM
You can use the Statistics module that comes in the Turbo Silver Module Pack for InterChange. It lets you display all sorts of information about an object, whether it was stored in Silver/Imagine format or any other InterChange-supported format. It's easy to use it to simply count the number of points, edges and faces in an object, for example. It can also tell you the positions of points, which points are in faces, and explains the color of faces in English and RGB. I believe there is an example of the output from this module in the Syndesis data library. If not, I'll upload some.
#20616From: Stan Kalisher (Impulse)Dec 22, 1990 9:08 PM
John, did you ever update the Turbo Silver module to read SV objects? The version I have doesn't and this is the format necessary for Imagine. –Rick
#20629From: SyndesisDec 23, 1990 11:14 PM
Are you kidding? 🙂 It was updated, oh, in July 1989? When we shipped the Turbo Silver Module Pack, it included the Turbo Silver module, which included the ability read and write SV objects. Unless I've misunderstood your request…
#20650From: Stan Kalisher (Impulse)Dec 25, 1990 9:17 PM
John, I've got Interchange 1.4, and the Turbo Silver module from the same time period. I can convert objects which SV will load, but when I attempt to convert an SV object, Interchange won't load it. Maybe you have the version I own in your files somewhere? –Rick
#20667From: SyndesisDec 26, 1990 7:03 PM
Give a call to Syndesis at (608) 455-1422, after you've found the version numbers from the title bars of your modules, and they'll tell you what you need to do to get an update.
#20656From: PETER S. WASONDec 26, 1990 11:57 AM
THanx, I will check it out, but Interchange with all of it's modules start to cost some money; I was not hoping (after xmas) to have to spend much more, but what the heck… -Scott
#20665From: SyndesisDec 26, 1990 7:00 PM
InterChange lists for $49.95, which means you can get it locally or mail order for much less; and the Turbo Silver Module Pack lists at $29.95. You've spent more on Compuserve lately, I'm sure. 🙂
#20623From: Don ZeikelDec 23, 1990 1:13 PM
Scott, Hit Right Amiga – F in the detail editor and get a list of points, edges, and faces currently in that editor. Don