[Bf-committers] Meeting minutes august 24

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi all,

Here the minutes from meeting at irc.freenode.net #blendercoders;

Agenda:
1. radiosity
2. xml
3. constraints
4. property system
5. non destructive Mesh effects
6. metaballs
7. release 2.29
8. background image 3d window

1. radiosity
I've been teasing people with images and simple movies with first  
results of Radiosity integrated in normal rendering.
http://www.blender.org/bf/0001_0031.avi
http://www.blender.org/bf/0001_0040.avi
http://www.blender.org/bf/monkey.jpg
A doc describing it will be posted here shortly, plus of course the  
commit. There were a few questions on extending the system with  
transparant faces, which unfortunately doesn't match the current system.

2. xml
The first patches have been presented, for xml version of .blend file  
export. Purpose is to have this feature next to normal (binary) file  
load/save.
Phillipp will commit it to Tuhopuu2 now, for users/coders to give it a  
first test. He mentioned modularity in code will allow load/save to  
other xml formats, like Yafray, X3d, etc.
Ton will mail this list a short review of the code, plus map out the  
potential issues that might arise, especially for loading.
Philipp will also make a functional/technical doc, mailed to this list.

For platform managers; check makefiles/projectfiles and availability of  
new XSLT module (library?). Where to put it in cvs?

3. constraints
Theeth has a patch ready with more constraints, as already succesfully  
being in use in Tuhopuu. The patch he offered here was mixed with other  
features:
- numerical input for transform() function (size, grab, rot)
- new method to limit transforms to local axes
The latter two will be removed from the patch, and presented to  
funboard list first for review.

4. Mesh Effects
Madprof proposed to clean up the current Effects feature, remove  
particles from it, and expand it into a general 'stackable' list of  
non-destructive (procedural) Mesh manipulations. Think of subdividing,  
subsurfs, texture displacement, wave effects, fractals, etc. In order  
to have this working nicely, the system needs quite a rewrite. For  
example, effects should work on a temporal Mesh copy, not a display  
list...? With read-access to the original mesh as well.
Issues related to this (compatibility) still needs to be solved. He  
also prefers assistance by a more experienced 3d coder for subdivision  
algos, and how to make it nicely working with Meshes and/or DispLists.  
Who?

5. properties proposal
Gregor mailed this list a proposal for expanding the 'property' system  
in Blender, to allow 'sets of properties' and per-vertex properties.
Discussion on it went on confusing... especially to understand his  
proposal well. Gregor will update his text. Ton will mail a review to  
this list.
Pythoners; please review this too!
Yafray & other exporters; you too!

6. Jiri's MBall project
Madprof couldn't get it working, Hos did. Ton will review code as well.
His functional proposal is OK'ed by everyone, looks like a welcome  
addition to the Blender 'Meta' editor.
Jiri works on this as part of a graduation project. For the next few  
months he can put quite some time in it. Atfer his first code (patches)  
is approved, he can get cvs write access, and become 'owner' of  
Metaball module.

7. release 2.29
Topic postponed... we need the shortlist for it!

8. background image
Theeth will provide a patch to allow translation of background image in  
3d window, that way a single scan (image) with 3 ortho views can be  
applied for tracing a model. Expanding the system to allow multiple  
images, assigned per view, someone else should code...

Next meeting, sunday august 31, euro afternoon time again. 16-18 CEST  
(GMT 14, Sao Paulo 11, EDST 10,  PDST 7,  Sydney 24).

-Ton-


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--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org