Vega Strike Forums

^ . .^ meow.

^ . .^ it has been over a year since the last release of
^ . . ^ Masher: the front-end tool for mesher,
^. . ^ and I could use some feedback before I start the next release.

^ - - ^ (to the five people who downloaded it)

• Was the drag-and-drop adequate
• Was the interface confusing in any way
• is there any way you would like to see it improved

^ - - ^ (to the masher-dev)

• has the command-line interface changed
• What other changes have occured in the last year
• Just what are the OGRE paramiters?
• how are smothign groups handled now?

^ - - ^ (to objconv-dev)

• miaw? what is this now?
• do I include support for this too?

With the ogre_branch version of mesher, regardless of whether you built it with HAVE_OGRE or not, do "mesher --help" and you'll get the list of commands and the new syntax. Mesher's support for the old syntax is just for backwards compatibility, and because it's far more compact than the new (though less powerful sometimes).
And you'll get the list twice.
Hehe... that's a tiny bug I don't know why I haven't fixed yet... it's so... benign... it's almost cute.

• new syntax
• new mesher

^ . .^ noted.

Any interface changes? Did browser-integration with drag-drop work okay, or should I go to ugly-buggy common-dialogue controls?

this is a horizontal break wrote:<hr>

Just digging through mesher now...

adapted from converter 1.15 wrote:mesher
<inputfile>
<outputfile>
<command>
' [input format (BFXM,obj,Xmesh|
' |output format(BFXM,obj,Xmesh,mesh)|
' |action (append,create)]
[-flip]
[-flop]
[-flips]
[-flipt]
[-flipn]
[-autolod]
[-autoedge]
[-autotangent]
[-forceflatshade] (forcenormals=false)
[-basepath=##########]
[-dims#####] (BFXM)
<Translation Distance>
' [-x##|-y##|-z##]

Ok.
The base three formats (BFXM, obj and Xmesh) all can be created from each other, however, ogre mesh format is from BFXM input and cannot return to another format with mesher (yet).

Only BFXM and mesh files can be appended to. BFXM only from Xmesh and mesh only from BFXM.

Further more <dims> is only valid with BFXM, and will 'discard' all other actions.

And finally when a mesh file is appended to with an <input file name> of - then "we're just postprocessing the .mesh file".

^- - ^ I forget what the other [-arguments] do under what formats..

this is a line break wrote:<br>

(as in previous versions of Masher) To overcome this difficulty the generated script first creates a buffer file of appropriate type and then takes the appropriate action(s) as needed. ^ - -^

For example:
say we have asked Masher to append Larry.BFXM, Curly.obj and Moe.Xmesh to Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj.

Now we want the Stooges appended in that order therefore we Drag-Drop them into the append list in that order ending with the target file in the 'output file' box. If we don't have a file we can type a name, or Masher will assume that is is the first file specified. Don't worry too much about screwing this up, but remember to set an output type. How about ogre mesh.

First thing Masher does is backup and abstract the input file(s) incase some chowderhead has named their file with some utter crazyness that will confuse Mesher. So Larry.BFXM becomes 0.BFXM,Curly.obj to 1.obj, Moe.Xmesh 2.Xmesh and Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj becomes ~.obj if it exists.

Next thing is Masher (seeing the output format) creates the necessary buffer files for the final append actions. Therefore Larry.BFXM who became 0.BFXM is let alone,Curly.obj who is now 1.obj creates 1.BFXM which can be understood to be Curly.BFXM, Moe.Xmesh 2.Xmesh 2.BFXM in lieu of Moe.BFXM and Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj as ~.
obj creates ~.BFXM becaue there is no direct link from obj to mesh.

Masher then instructs Mesher to turn the output-buffer file ~.BFXM (inlieu of a Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.BFXM) to ~.mesh in lieu of Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.mesh. And subsequently appends 0.BFXM, 1.BFXM and 2.BFXM resulting in the ~.mesh which is the bachard child of Larry.BFXM,Curly.obj and Moe.Xmesh gettin append with Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj.

Finally Masher returns the child ~.mesh as Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.mesh

^ - -^ wrote:<!--"meow."-->

Now had we no Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj but specified the file name Masher would have understood this to be the 'root' name and would have treated Larry.BFXM and the mother to be appended to and named the child Stooges.Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes? ...NOOO!.obj.mesh unless we did not specify a speific output file name then the child would be named Larry.mesh after teh mother.

^- - ^ wrote:<!--"meow?"-->

^ - -^ Tell me I haven't forgotten anything else, and fill me in on the details.

BFXMobjXmeshmesh-

Sorry... I couldn't follow the whole post, but ya, the "capabilities" are a bit awkward, especially while appending.

Dims I could implement with other formats... most notably .mesh.

.mesh to .obj is supposedly done with other tools - Ogre has tools for that. But, if it's really needed, perhaps I could do something. Trouble is with materials, though... it will be very lossy (creating a .mtl out of a .mesh looses a lot of info, because .mtl files have significantly less expressive power).

Appending .mesh files should be rather straight-forward... I could do that if you wish.
Appending obj to bfxms too, though there's a neat way to do that just as well: concatenate both the .obj and .mtl files, and convert. It works. If material names don't clash, of course. Still... if you want... I might work out something.

In short: if anything is a serious impedement, just ask, I might be able to quickly add that capability to Mesher.

No impediments except for a lack of documentation.

I've been working on everything but VegaStrike (ie: updating me resume and [!]). But here's a screen shot from the last time I did something.



[!] Amazing: even when I'm typing girls stil get me toungue tied.

moved image to photobucket.com wrote:

• PhotoBucket.com

That looks cool...

Would it be possible to stick in browse buttons for the mesh files, since it can be annoying to type in the full path to the file?

Also, what toolkit are you using for the GUI?

^ . .^ I must confess that I am frozen with indecision.

n ^. . ^ On the one hand I could make a functional masher for mesher that handles the essential duties of create, and append.

^ · ·^ n But newer features like paths and newer paramiters would be 'buggy' as I don't know how to handle them properly.

^ - - ^ Therefore I am limiting the scope of Masher to paramiters used in v1.2 with the intent of adding those for 1.9 later.

^ - -^ As for common dialog boxes (with buttons)
^ - - ^ Ok.

finally a windowed mesher!
you still need to type the full paths? oh well, still its windowed, better than doing it in promt. i'd request a browse button tho, if it can be done. arF!

^- - ^ Yeah... Dialog boxes.
^ - -^ Is drag-drop too complicated?

append files easily with drag and drop... Snow_Cat wrote:

• PhotoBucket.com

• meow; mesher, a front end for masher.

^ - -^ I haven't forgotten. Am coding now.

in masher for mesher (1.2) wrote:Public Structure charlie ' holds arguments

• Public basepath As String ' 10
  Public flip As CheckState
  Public flop As CheckState
  Public flips As CheckState
  Public flipt As CheckState
  Public flipn As CheckState
  Public autolod As CheckState
  Public autoedge As CheckState
  Public autotangent As CheckState
  Public forceflatshade As CheckState
  Public X As Double ' 2
  Public Y As Double ' 2
  Public Z As Double ' 2

End Structure 'charlie

Code: Select all

...

Dim brown() As charlie ' args*

^ - -^ masher works by using a GUI to write a batch-file that handles the command-line/shell interface for the user.
^- - ^ This also allows for a 'process' control that handles multiple invocations of mesher.

^_ _^ ...

^ - -^ As expected, I will not have the time necessary to complete this project in the near future.
^ - - ^ Therefore I am uploading these buggy incomplete remnants.

^ . . ^ These are the files that I have managed to retrieve from my disc.
^- - ^ these are not representative of the 'final' version(s) of masher, and lack the essential functionality of earlier release version(s).
^ - -^ However, these should be sufficient to develop a full solution.

Hi, snow_Cat!

Might need a third file input box for a texture. Working on trying to figure out how to bake tangents to a texture from Blender. If successful, we'll want mesher to use the uv coords for each vertex, read the color for that pixel from the "tangents.png" texture, and stick that color into the mesh as 'vertex color'. On the other hand, there's probably a way to have Blender append the colors from the texture to the vertices, and write an obj file that already has vertex colors in it. I'm not sure. Just thought I'd mention...

^ - -^ I need explicit documentation of [parameter] [value] to implement.
^- - ^ working examples wouldn't hurt either.

^ - -^ Also,
^ - -^ It is not necessary to type the path to a file, by dragging the file from any common-dialogue into the input of masher will get the file location, without pesky typos.
< >< ^ try not to drag command.com into the output box or //windows// into the append list-box.

Ok, i hate doing this.., because, apparently, i'm the only one who seems' to be having this problem..

I cant' get the Masher utility to work. I extract it, then double click on it and it gives me a weird application error - "The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application. ".

Since no one else has had this problem, i'm going to assume it's a mistake on my part, but, i don't know what i' am doing wrong.

I really need this utility to get my ship into VS. I cannot work with the earlier "mesher", cmd utility, that thing won't even start..
And ...youknow.. . @$@ .. ????
helpme.

How did you try starting the old versions?

No one has had the problem because your the first to use it and unfortunately snow_Cat is taking one of his periodic naps. what problems is the cmd line version giving you as it is the only one that builds a bfxm that the current version of the engine understands.

Enjoy the Choice

The old version ?
..Well, i tried double clicking on it, then using the CMD, also known as ms dos, but failed. Now, it's probably my fault, because i'm not that familiar with dos, so i looked it up here - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutoria ... ial76.html
And followed the instruction the best that i could, but still, i dont' know whats wrong.
So, i thought "Masher" would solve my problems..

Let's go back to the old version.
There is no readme, it really needs a readme.

How am i suppose to start it.
Do i double click on the mesher and objconv utility ?
Because that does not do anything.

And if i start it using Command Prompt, from the start menu, then how ?
The utility is located in "F:\Program Files\Vegastrike\Vegastrike-0.4.3\bin"
on my computer.

That was the hope of several of us but the cat's naps are kinda unpredictable i use mesher under linux myself so cmd line i'm used to it has to be run from the bin folder that it lives in.

Enjoy the Choice

loki1950 wrote: it has to be run from the bin folder that it lives in.

But that is what i have done. I have double/ triple quadrapole clicked on it but it does nothing.

The ms dos window pops up for a second and then disappears.

Open the DOS prompt first then change to the proper directory it can not be used from the gui at all try mesher --help the first time.

Enjoy the Choice

Ok i got objconv to run from cmd dos, but, mesher still won't run.
Its giving me a "This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way. Please contact the application's support team for more information. "

Do i really need mesher ?
Objconv does the same job, does it not ?

Not sure always told to use mesher.

Enjoy the Choice

Try downloading a newer version of the mesher here:
http://vegastrike.svn.sourceforge.net/v ... sion=11540

And save it into the same directory--it might fix the problems.

Not sure... Okay.

Hmm... then, about the objconv. what do i do ?
It says - Where command is a three letter sequence of:
Inputfiletype:
b:BFXM
o:OBJ
x:XMESH
outputfiletype:
b:BFXM
o:OBJ
x:XMESH
commandflag:
a:appand to output file
c:create output file


I have a file obj file named text in the same directory, exactly what do i write ?