[Bf-committers] About COLLADA im/export functionality situation

[Arystanbek Dyussenov]

*Hi,

My name is Arystan. I am one of the developers of the COLLADA im/exporter
for Blender, which is being discussed now.

I participated in designing this project and developed armature animation
im/export in 2009. From September 2009 to June 2010 I took part, along with
other contributors, in bugs fixing in COLLADA im/export functionality.

In 2010 I had to stop working on the project because I had to seek for a
job.

As one of the initiators of the project I would like it to be successful,
to justify the invested efforts and people’s expectations and to continue
developing.

At the moment there are following problems in COLLADA im/export
functionality:

   1. it is difficult to fix bugs
   2. there are few people, who fix bugs
   3. it is difficult for a new developer to add new features
   4. new features create new bugs
   5. there are bugs in animation im/export

In 2009 the code was designed with only a single goal in mind: “just to
make it work”. The design did not take into account the possibility of
modifications and extensions by other developers in the future and the
question of providing stable functioning in the future by means of a single
clearly organized testing process, was not addressed.

I think these are the two main reasons why it is currently difficult to fix
bugs, there are few people who fix bugs and why new bugs pop up in
previously developed functionality.

I think that for successful development of the project we need to set 3
main priorities:

   1. architecture, extensible in the directions of all possible new
   features. This will allow the developers to add new features without
   interfering with the main code.
   2. contributor-friendly code. Will help to attract representatives of
   commercial companies to participate in the development of COLLADA im/export
   functionality.
   3. a clearly organized testing process. Will provide stable im/export
   functioning in the future.

I offer to tacke these problems this year. Since I am a last year student,
it would be ideal for me to get sponsoring from GSOC. This is why I ask you
to consider accepting COLLADA in the GSOC projects list this year.*

-- 
Best regards,
Arystanbek Dyussenov