[Bf-committers] Meeting report dec 15

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi all,

1- Bevel tool
- theeth will integrate intrrs code in bf-blender
- only does full meshes for now, independent of selection
- the search algorithm in it is slow, can cause minutes for complex  
beveling.
- theeth will check on an ESC for it, if needed. Or add headerprint()
- everyone's invited to make smart search algo here!
   (personal note: oh, so simple!!)

2. Scons
- Michel summarizes why autoconf isn't working as good for us as we  
like:
   - not usable on windows (well, not easy!)
- maintaining autoconf is complex, and not well supported/endorsed in  
our team
- Scons uses a python install, and needs a scons file in each source  
directory
- Scons file syntax looks very simple indeed
- No preprocess phase needed, Scons doesnt alter sources or makefiles
- Once in place, a single command 'scons' will build blender, and  
nicely track changed files and compiles only what is needed.
- Since it is python, adding further intelligence in scripts (options)  
is straightforward
- Agreed on is to further test. Michel will provide patches, platform  
managers: check it!

3. Yafray
- I had an IRC session with Jandro and Eeshlo on further Yafray support  
in Blender
- now Blender uses tracing too, they are more motivated :). But it's  
also well possible to make sure new variables in Blender use standard  
conventions, as also used in Yafray, to make export simpler
- Eeshlo already has an exporter that uses Blender render-faces to  
write an XML file for yafray. This is not a part Python supports yet in  
Blender, and gives much better compatible output for rendering
- Eeshlo will first look at a simple 'integration', where Blender saves  
the XML, invokes somehow Yafray, and gets a raw targa in return
- Later on a plug-in API can be worked at
- And after that, custom Yafray settings (properties) to further  
elaborate good exporting

4. Other projects
- Bigmesh:
Hos will provide patch to allow integers for denoting 'indices' to  
vertices in Mesh. This will theoretically make it possible to have 2  
Giga vertices in 1 Mesh.
He will check on builtin limits in Blender to verify other tools/code  
in Blender works with it.
(NOTE: I found out the current render system has a limit of 16 Milion  
(1^24) hardcoded in scanline face index routines)

- Blender tracer:
I am still surprised how well it performs in Blender, even with the  
limitations of the current system (fixed octree, etc) Scenes remain in  
control in general... but not always!
I will finish work on this based at basic support for mirror/glass and  
hard/soft/transparent shadows. Blender's focus can remain to be as fast  
as possible. Where Yafray can be used for maximum realism, and of  
course photon mapping.
For it to properly work, the entire rendering system needs to be  
reconstructed, especially abuse of global render variables have to be  
killed.

- Solid:
No actual news yet... people work on it, and especially Kester seems to  
be making most progress. The code compiles & links, but seems to crash  
2.25 files.
Ton will contact Kester to verify if we should make a public  
announcement. We still prefer to have one 2.25 compatible engine  
release. For the time being Tuhopuu serves well as testing environment  
for it.

5. Previous meeting!
I didn't make notes of the meeting before, was to busy having fun with  
code! :P
Issues that have to come back:
- target for 2.32: fix installation standard for all platforms
- cursors for all systems


-Ton-


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