Converting 3D Studio (.3ds) Files

The command line,

	3DS2BR duck.3ds -nomatrix -mod duck.dat -scr duck.mat

Enter the following command line,

	geoconv duck.dat -l

GEOCONV 1.21 Copyright (C) 1994-1995 by Argonaut Technologies Limited
Models: 3



Materials: 2
	BLACK PLASTIC
	YELLOW PLASTIC

The following command line collapses the model hierarchy described in duck.dat into a single model. This model is then translated to the origin and scaled to fit within a sphere of radius 1.

If you again enter geoconv duck.dat -l the following listing will be displayed,

GEOCONV 1.21 Copyright (C) 1994-1995 by Argonaut Technologies Limited
Models: 1



Materials: 2
	BLACK PLASTIC
	YELLOW PLASTIC

To recap: the following command lines were used to import the 3D Studio .3ds model description file.

	3DS2BR duck.3ds -nomatrix -mod duck.dat -scr duck.mat
	geoconv duck.dat -m -c -n -o duck.dat 

The imported `duck' model is used in BRTUTOR7.C. Note that associated materials must be loaded and registered before the model is loaded (otherwise it will appear matt grey). If associated materials are not found in the registry when a model is loaded the default material is used. The application may then assign any registered material to the model.

The following code loads materials from the script file duck.mat, and adds them to the registry.

	i = BrFmtScriptMaterialLoadMany("duck.mat",mats,BR_ASIZE(mats));
	BrMaterialAddMany(mats,i);

	duck = BrActorAdd(world,BrActorAllocate(BR_ACTOR_MODEL,NULL));
	duck->model = BrModelLoad("duck.dat");
	BrModelAdd(duck->model);

duck.mat

# BRender Material Script

material =	[
		identifier = "BLACK PLASTIC";
		flags = [light,smooth];
		colour = [0,0,0];
		ambient = 0.000000;
		diffuse = 0.000000;
		specular = 1.000000;
		power = 69.309998;
	];

material =	[
		identifier = "YELLOW PLASTIC";
		flags = [light,smooth];
		colour = [202,179,52];
		ambient = 0.679216;
		diffuse = 0.679216;
		specular 0.741569;
		power = 23.770000;
	];

YELLOW PLASTIC is used for the duck body, BLACK PLASTIC for the eyes. Note that the above material description will only work in true- colour mode. In 8-bit indexed mode, the colour field is ignored. Instead, BRender looks for an index into a colour palette. We will need to edit the script file if we want to use the duck model in 8-bit mode. In the palette provided with BRender (std.pal), the `yellow' colour ramp ranges from index 224 (yellow so dark it's black) to index 255 (yellow so bright it's white). Try editing duck.mat as follows, and running the program in 8-bit indexed mode (simply pass NULL to DOSfxBegin instead of "VESA,W:320,H:200,B:15").

duck.mat

# BRender Material Script 
# 
material =	[
		identifier = "BLACK PLASTIC";
		flags = [light,smooth];
		colour = [0,0,0];
		ambient = 0.000000;
		diffuse = 0.000000;
		specular = 1.000000;
		power = 69.309998;
		index_base = 0;
		index_range = 0;
	];
material =	[
		identifier = "YELLOW PLASTIC";
		flags = [light,smooth];
		colour = [202,179,52];
		ambient = 0.679216;
		diffuse = 0.679216;
		specular 0.741569;
		power = 23.770000;
		index_base = 224;
		index_range = 24;
	];

BRTUTOR7.C

/* 
 * Copyright (c) 1996 Argonaut Technologies Limited. All rights reserved.
 * Program to Display a Revolving Yellow Duck.
 */

#include <stddef.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include "brender.h"
#include "dosio.h"

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
	br_pixelmap *screen_buffer, *back_buffer, *depth_buffer, *palette;
	br_actor *world, *observer, *duck;
	int i;	
	br_material *mats[10]; /*for storing pointers to material descriptions*/

/********* Initialise BRender and Graphics Hardware ***********/

	BrBegin();

	/*
	 * Initialise screen buffer and set up CLUT (ignored in true colour) 
	 */
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	BrZbBegin(screen_buffer->type, BR_PMT_DEPTH_16);

	back_buffer = BrPixelmapMatch(screen_buffer,BR_PMMATCH_OFFSCREEN);
	depth_buffer = BrPixelmapMatch(screen_buffer,BR_PMMATCH_DEPTH_16);

/*************** Build the World Database **********************/

	world = BrActorAllocate(BR_ACTOR_NONE,NULL);
	BrLightEnable(BrActorAdd(world,BrActorAllocate(BR_ACTOR_LIGHT,NULL)));

	/*
	 * Load and Position Camera
	 */
	observer = BrActorAdd(world,BrActorAllocate(BR_ACTOR_CAMERA,NULL));
	observer->t.type = BR_TRANSFORM_MATRIX34;  
	BrMatrix34Translate(&observer->t.t.mat,BR_SCALAR(0.0),BR_SCALAR(0.0),
	                                                      BR_SCALAR(5.0));

	/*
	 * Load and Apply Duck Materials
	 */
	i = BrFmtScriptMaterialLoadMany("duck.mat",mats,BR_ASIZE(mats));
	BrMaterialAddMany(mats,i);
	/*
	 * Load and Position Duck Model
	 */
	duck = BrActorAdd(world,BrActorAllocate(BR_ACTOR_MODEL,NULL));
	duck->model = BrModelLoad("duck.dat");
	BrModelAdd(duck->model);
	duck->t.type = BR_TRANSFORM_MATRIX34;
	BrMatrix34RotateX(&duck->t.t.mat,BR_ANGLE_DEG(30)); 

/********************** Animation Loop ***********************/

	for(i=0; i < 200; i++) {
					 BrPixelmapFill(back_buffer,0);
					 BrPixelmapFill(depth_buffer,0xFFFFFFFF);
					 BrZbSceneRender(world,observer,back_buffer,depth_buffer);
					 BrPixelmapDoubleBuffer(screen_buffer,back_buffer);
					 BrMatrix34PostRotateX(&duck->t.t.mat,BR_ANGLE_DEG(2.0));
	}

	/*
	 * Close down 
	 */
	BrPixelmapFree(depth_buffer);
	BrPixelmapFree(back_buffer);
	BrZbEnd();
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	BrEnd();
	return 0;
}