export all entities to obj

Posted By: Reconnoiter

export all entities to obj - 03/29/16 13:25

Hi,

I am trying to change this (http://www.opserver.de/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=185155#Post185155) code from Ventilator so it will export multiple entities into the same obj.

-update, got the geometry export working see later posts.

Now I will try skins and materials.

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 03/31/16 11:11

Pretty please with sugar on top? Just some tips to get me going in the right direction. I already read some things about the .obj format but it is not enough. Once fully working I will share it on gs3d and it will probably be handy for many others.

Posted By: EpsiloN

Re: export all entities to obj - 04/03/16 09:51

Havent played with any file formats yet to help you out, but it is an awesome contribution

I'm half way done with my animation system, so we almost have a modelling software

Too bad we're 10 years behind

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 04/03/16 11:01

lol

. That is pretty cool that you are making an animation system, does it work well? This kind of stuff can also be fun for adding modding support for games, so players can easily merge ingame models & attachments and than export/save it. (since .obj can also be used through ent_create) I only dont know if animation is supported for .obj, thought not iirc.

I just got an idea to compare the .obj text exported by this code with working .obj text exported by model programs, that should give me some clues. (suprised I hadn't thought of this sooner)

Also this seems like an interesting article (http://paulbourke.net/dataformats/obj/) I am going to dig in a bit

Posted By: EpsiloN

Re: export all entities to obj - 04/03/16 14:18

Well, the system uses its own format (records directly bone orientation in Acknex) so its not tied to any model format. This is both good and bad, but it currently serves a different purpose than to animate models for games

I do plan in the future to adapt it for models in games, because the user base of the program (lets hope its big) will create all kinds of animations and activities, which all will pass through approval, so they will definitely look good, and we'll all be able to use them in the future, even from different engines if all goes well...

But that's the plan, not an all-in-one (super hard to use) package for animating everything, but a program crafted specifically for human animation with accurate joint constraints and a lot of built-in animations to tweak.

I'm working with a Fitness Science Doctor on the body movement and constraints, so we can get the best out of this.

And if you're planning on making a modeling & animation package for Acknex I'll be happy to share and help.

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 04/03/16 16:17

Originally Posted By: EpsiloN

, I would recommend trying to let it export to e.g. fbx. Possible buy such a plugin at a later stage, cause it will make your program alot more flexible. Also it is a good idea to indeed not make it an all-in-one tool but focus on a niche, like easy and funny way to animate stuff (I know I would atleast try it and perhaps even buy it

, I hate the standard animating lol).

Quote:

And if you're planning on making a modeling & animation package for Acknex I'll be happy to share and help.

, I am still working a bit on my map editor which I want to ship later with my games to extend modding / mapping capabilities, perhaps lateron I will try to add some simple modeling stuff to it easier set up props or such. Dunno yet. But I think this can be really powerfull stuff. For example, Unity editor also has a community plugin that allows you to model things inside your map and which is a great succes.

-edit I know now that the faces are the culprit, so that is atleast one step closer to the right direction. Now the hard part, fixing it.

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 04/22/16 13:15

update geometry
Forget a bit about this thread till today, so I decided to try it and again and now have the export of geometry of all the entities in a level to 1 obj file working.

I also added the entities scales xyz and pos xyz.

Note that while importing the obj in e.g. med or possible other programs, everything needs to be rotated by 90 or 180 or 270 degrees on xy rotation. But relative to each other, the objects should be positioned and rotated correctly.

Code:

Code:

#include <acknex.h>
#include <default.c>
#include <d3d9.h>
#include <stdio.h>

void export_all_obj(ENTITY *entity, var scale)
{
	STRING* name = str_create("#256");
	STRING* objname = str_create("#256");
	STRING* mtlname = str_create("#256");
	
	int i;
	var beginVertex = 0; //for entities past the first; vertex index is not reset between entities in same obj file 
	
	//get names for obj file
	str_for_entfile(name, entity);
	str_trunc(name, 4);
	str_lwr(name);
	str_cpy(objname, name);
	str_cpy(mtlname, name);
	str_cat(objname, ".obj");
	str_cat(mtlname, ".mtl");
	
	
//	//MATERIAL + SKINS (of given *entity) 
//	int numskins = ent_skins(entity);	
//	FILE *file = fopen(mtlname->chars, "w");
//	for(i = 0; i < numskins; i++)
//	{
//		fprintf(file, "newmtl material%d\n", i);
//		BMAP *b = bmap_for_entity(entity, i + 1);
//		if(b)
//		{
//			char s[80];
//			sprintf(s, "%s%d.bmp", name->chars, i);
//			bmap_save(b, s);
//			fprintf(file, "map_Kd %s\n", s);
//		}
//		fprintf(file, "\n");
//	}
//	fclose(file);
	
	
	//MODEL (geometry of all entities) 
	FILE *file = fopen(objname->chars, "w");
	for(you = ent_next(NULL); you; you = ent_next(you)) 
	{	
		//get names
		str_for_entfile(name, entity);
		str_trunc(name, 4);
		str_lwr(name);
		str_cpy(mtlname, name);
		str_cat(mtlname, ".mtl");
		
		LPD3DXMESH mesh = (LPD3DXMESH)ent_getmesh(you, 0, 0);
		int numvertices = mesh->GetNumVertices();
		int numfaces = mesh->GetNumFaces();
		
		//add object info 
		fprintf(file, "mtllib %s\n", mtlname->chars);
		fprintf(file, "o %s\n", name->chars);
		
		D3DVERTEX *vb; mesh->LockVertexBuffer(0, (void**)&vb);
		WORD *ib; mesh->LockIndexBuffer(0, (void**)&ib);
		DWORD *ab; mesh->LockAttributeBuffer(0, &ab);
		
		for(i = 0; i < numvertices; i++)
		fprintf(file, "v %f %f %f\n",
		-(double)((vb[i].x + you.x) * you.scale_x * scale), (double)((vb[i].y + you.z) * you.scale_z * scale), (double)((vb[i].z + you.y) * you.scale_y * scale));
		
		for(i = 0; i < numvertices; i++)
		fprintf(file, "vt %f %f\n", (double)vb[i].u1, 1 - (double)vb[i].v1);
		
		for(i = 0; i < numvertices; i++)
		fprintf(file, "vn %f %f %f\n", -(double)vb[i].nx, (double)vb[i].ny, (double)vb[i].nz);
		
		fprintf(file, "s on\n");
		
		int material, a, b, c;
		int previousmaterial = -999;
		for(i = 0; i < numfaces; i++)
		{
			material = ab[i];
			if(material != previousmaterial)
			fprintf(file, "usemtl material%d\n", material);
			previousmaterial = material;
			
			a = ib[i*3+2] + 1 + beginVertex;
			b = ib[i*3+1] + 1 + beginVertex;
			c = ib[i*3+0] + 1 + beginVertex;
			fprintf(file, "f %d/%d/%d %d/%d/%d %d/%d/%d\n", a, a, a, b, b, b, c, c, c);
		}
		
		mesh->UnlockVertexBuffer();
		mesh->UnlockIndexBuffer();
		mesh->UnlockAttributeBuffer();
		
		beginVertex += numvertices; //for next entities faces
	}
	
	fclose(file);
	str_remove(name);
	str_remove(objname);
	str_remove(mtlname);
}

Call it through "export_all_obj(entitypointer, scale);" without the quotes and for entitypointer use the pointer to the entity you want for the name of the file. So e.g. if write "player" there (without the quotes) and the player entity's modelfile name is called player.mdl, the obj file is named player.obj.
And for "scale" type in some number depending on how small or big you want the obj file in other programs. If you dont know what to choose here, just type in 1.

Note: the exported mesh appears to be not always closed. So far it seems to be non-closed for higher poly models but I need to check that to be sure.

Note2: this is only geometry, not yet skins and materials.

Posted By: Dooley

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/04/16 07:02

Not sure if this will help, but I was able to get my program to export an ASCII file with vertex and triangle information about multiple models in a level. The file can be imported into MED as one model, then exported to 3DS or whatever format you need. I'd be happy to put some of the relevant parts of the code up here if you think it would help.

I used the MED export to ASCII to look at what the file should look like. I'm guessing you could do the same with an .obj file. One important thing I learned, is that you have to view the file in a hex editor, not just notepad. It had a bunch of otherwise invisible characters that it required for MED to read it properly.

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/04/16 09:02

Hi Dooley,

Sure post it here, can't hurt. Maybe it can solve the non-closed mesh problem. Although the inclusion of skin+material on expert shouldn't be to hard to implement in, for me currently it has low priority. But if anyone would find it usefull, I can add it someday.

Quote:

I used the MED export to ASCII to look at what the file should look like. I'm guessing you could do the same with an .obj file. One important thing I learned, is that you have to view the file in a hex editor, not just notepad. It had a bunch of otherwise invisible characters that it required for MED to read it properly.

, tried that before, but found it easier to just read about how obj works.

Posted By: Dooley

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/10/16 09:32

This function writes all the vertices (made up of several repeated models) into a text file...

Quote:

function write_segment_file()
{
// wait(1);

// return;
var file_handle = file_open_append("anomaly_model.txt");
var seg_loc = 1;

float cx;
float cy;
float cz;
// file_str_write(file_handle,"test");

VECTOR seg_vec;
vec_zero(seg_vec);

while(seg_loc <= ent_vertices(my))//checks if current vertex exists
{
vec_for_vertex (seg_vec,my,seg_loc);

cx = seg_vec.x;
cy = seg_vec.y;
cz = seg_vec.z;

file_asc_write(file_handle,10);//line feed

file_var_write(file_handle,cx);
file_var_write(file_handle,cy);
file_var_write(file_handle,cz);

file_str_write(file_handle,";");

seg_loc += 1;

wait(1);
}

file_close(file_handle);

segments_written += 1;//counts up to total_segments
}

This one then writes all the triangles, based on the original model's ascii file that I got with MED. It has to add the total number of vertices (skill3) to the base number for it to work as one big model.

Quote:

There's one other function that comes before these two, it sets up the file and writes the beginning parts:

Quote:

Also, in each segment entity, there is a while loop. In this loop, it checks if the "write_start" variable has been changed to 1, which is done in the "write_export_file" function above...

Quote:

if(write_start == 1 && my.skill2 == 0)
{
write_segment_file();//writes the coordinates for this anomaly to a file
my.skill2 = 1;//prevents this segment from writing its data more than once
}

if(write_triangles == 1 && my.skill2 == 1)
{
write_triangle_file();//write the segments triangle data to file
my.skill2 = 2;//prevents this segment from writing triangles more than once
}

And one more thing, before the while loop, each segment entity sets up it's parameters like this:

Quote:

total_segments += 1;//used by model export to determine total number of segments that need to be written
my.skill3 = vertex_total;//sets the current vertex number for exported file
total_triangles += ent_status(my,4);
vertex_total += ent_vertices(my);//add this segments number of vertices to the total count

Sorry if this is confusing. It does work, and I was able to export my "Anomalies" and even upload them to Sketchfab, and Shapeways for 3D printing. If here's an easier way to do it, I'd love to hear about it.

You can see the results here: http://www.schmidt-gallery.com/3D.html

Posted By: Dooley

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/10/16 09:45

The big limitation in my script is that it can only export the specific model. It actually exports a few different models, but they are all based on the same mesh, so they have the same triangle arrangements and number of vertices...

But it does do the thing you are looking for, it combines them all into one large mesh.

Posted By: Reconnoiter

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/10/16 11:21

Originally Posted By: Dooley

, that is indeed a big limitation. But perhaps I can learn from your posted code so I can fine tune the obj export code.
So tnx for uploading, it will take some time to let it all sink though.

Posted By: Dooley

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/11/16 20:06

Yes, my segments are very small, with around 25 vertices. Doing something like this with more complex meshes would get really messy, considering the number of triangles you would have to manually input.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/12/16 22:51

Hi,
I know I'm just jumping in here a bit under-informed.

However, D3D 9 haves it's own ability to take a 3d entity running in it's dx framework and save it as a X(file). Why not save the entity as a X and convert it off-side to obj?

DX9 D3d link https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb205428(v=vs.85).aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb205428(v=vs.85).aspx

Posted By: Dooley

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/13/16 00:05

Nice! Sounds complicated

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: export all entities to obj - 06/13/16 01:45

TOP EDIT -> Finally read the whole thread. Sorry my posts don't really go on topic and add value to the thread. I see the export problem was solved it's just materials at issue. Also what I provided below helps these problem in no way. Sorry

Well I'd have to try it first to tell you, but steps( in my thinking)

1)run http://www.conitec.net/beta/ent_mesh.htm
an get mesh //-> Might need to grab the material separate

2)run this command Same MS DX9 link from the above post

3)exit engine

4)open converter

5)convert saved X file to OBJ(or other format)?

or vice-versa

EDIT -> Well it's taking me away from other things but... The function is in the d3dx9.h. It's commented out(I don't know why), so if you try to run it you get a error. Un-commenting fixes one error only to lead to another about a syntex error.Fixing that one lead me to another syntex error. fixing the second lead me to a third syntex error...

It's there in dx9 and partly there in the engine, but I've no idea how to get it up and running. If I did your code would look like thtis.

Code:

#include <acknex.h>
#include <default.c>
#include <d3d9.h>

function main()
{
	// ..... The basic sart to main here

	ent_dBox=ent_create("grass.mdl", vector(0,0,25),NULL);
		
		if(key_g)
		{
			while(key_g)
			wait(1);
			
			ID3DXMesh*    m_pMesh;           // Mesh object to be saved to a .x file
			D3DXMATERIAL* m_pMaterials;      // Array of material structs in the mesh
			DWORD         m_dwNumMaterials;  // Number of material structs in the mesh
			
			DWORD dwFormat = 1;  // Binary-format .x file (default)
			// MALICE COMMENTED// DWORD dwFormat = D3DXF_FILEFORMAT_TEXT; // Text-format .x file
			
			// Load mesh into m_pMesh and determine values of m_pMaterials and 
			// m_dwNumMaterials with calls to D3DXLoadMeshxxx or other D3DX functions
			
			// ...
			m_pMesh=ent_getmesh(ent_dBox,0,0);
			D3DXSaveMeshToX(
			L"outputxfilename.x",
			m_pMesh,
			NULL,
			m_pMaterials,
			NULL,
			m_dwNumMaterials,
			dwFormat );
			
		}
		wait(1);
	}
}

That's kind of simple really... if it worked at all