Next Generation Modeling (was RE: [Bf-committers] Edge Loop S election in Meshes)

[Laurence Bourn]

Ah good old strubel, I wonder if he is listening in at all....

Talking of mesh libraries you might want to have a glance through the
decimation and bsp libs in /intern as they both contain C++ mesh
implementations(Neither of which are very good:-(. (*) 

You might also want to have a look at the excellent CGAL mesh design. 
http://www.cgal.org

Or something currently under development(?)
http://www.openmesh.org/

*Why two different implementations?? Well I've found that one single mesh
data structure is very difficult to design for all   algorithms. The added
complexity of maintaining edges,wedges,vertices and polygon links makes it
hard (and inefficient) to map algorithms onto a generic design. 

On the other hand if there are a bunch of useful mesh operations that can
work with a single mesh structure then that's fantastic.

The only other thing to bare in mind is the manifoldness of your mesh
structure. It's much easier to implement algorithms on a manifold mesh -
infact there is a language of fundamental operations that most algorithms
are built up from! (see CGAL stuff). Blender however allows the user to
create any old kind of mish-mash-mesh that manifold structures will not
accept. Try using the decimation stuff on a non-manifold mesh! This is
intensely annoying for the user. If you are going to rely on manifold mesh
structures then some nice clean up tools should be provided to
repair/cleanup bad meshes. 

Success!
Laurence.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matt Ebb [mailto:matt@mke3.net]
> Sent: 31 May 2003 06:13
> To: bf-committers@blender.org
> Subject: Re: Next Generation Modeling (was RE: 
> [Bf-committers] Edge Loop
> Selection in Meshes)
> 
> 
> Speaking of this topic, it seems that strubi has gotten a 
> different mesh
> library working with Blender, based on the stuff here:
> http://www.section5.ch/?which=1&sub=1
> 
> This is his post in the forums:
> http://www.blender.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB2&file
> =viewtopic&p=8144#8144
> 
> 
> Matt
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Andy Davis" <biggernoise@attbi.com>
> To: <bf-committers@blender.org>
> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 2:08 PM
> Subject: Next Generation Modeling (was RE: [Bf-committers] Edge Loop
> Selection in Meshes)
> 
> 
> > I've had a chance to both ponder my edge loop selection approach and
> finally
> > get to play with Wings.  Now that I have done so, I am 
> pretty much on
> board
> > with trying the winged edge suggestion.  However, rather 
> than proceed
> > haphazardly along a randomly chosen path, I wonder if this 
> might be a good
> > time for a discussion about where Blender's modeling 
> capabilities should
> be
> > heading.  From that, we could create a road map of sorts that will
> hopefully
> > guide development along a semi-predictable path.  I think 
> this should
> > include a description of some typical workflows that 
> different kinds of
> > users might adopt.
> >
> > I'm willing to take a stab at writing up a strawman if I had some
> confidence
> > that anyone would read it and care.
> >
> > -Andy
> >
> > BTW - I think that this is orthogonal to the Next 
> Generation Blender being
> > discussed on the blender.org site.
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: bf-committers-admin@blender.org
> > [mailto:bf-committers-admin@blender.org]On Behalf Of Andy Davis
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 9:19 PM
> > To: bf-committers@blender.org
> > Subject: RE: [Bf-committers] Edge Loop Selection in Meshes
> >
> >
> > Yes, I'm still interested, thanks for the reply.
> >
> > I think I will proceed with my original plan as it should 
> get me familiar
> > with a nice slice of blender functionality.  However, I 
> will immediately
> > follow on with a tour through Wings and see what of that 
> functionality I
> can
> > bring to Blender.
> >
> > -Andy
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Bf-committers mailing list
> > Bf-committers@blender.org
> > http://www.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
> 
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