EUCLID to i3D via Wavefront

How to create a flythrough model for i3D

You can convert a directory with Wavefront files from EUCLID to a ready-to fly i3D scene file simply using the command euc2i3d .

euc2i3d is a script which calls i3d_convert to convert from Wavefront .obj to i3D format, calls the i3d_filter to smooth and create a "Box-level of detail" (Boxlod) on the models.

Command Sequence:

• Uncompress and untar the compressed .tar file containing Wavefront files from EUCLID: zcat "my-file".tar.Z|tar xvf - This will extract the contents of the tar file into your current directory.

• Copy a material file with your materials to the Wavefront directory. (This file should be named venus.mtl unless something else is specified.)
• From the directory above the directory with Wavefront files, execute: euc2i3d {name-of-directory containing .obj files} The command will take some time to execute. A file named name.3d will be created.
• To fly through your model, type: i3d -s name.3d

  In the i3D Interactive 3D Browser you can navigate with the Mouse or Spaceball. Consult the i3D Walkthru interaction documentation for help.

Notes and hints:

• If the Wavefront files from EUCLID contain colours, the colours/materials defined in the file venus.mtl will be used by default. Otherwise colours can be added/changed in the Wavefront files.

Commands and aliases:

euc2i3d

Converts Wavefront .obj files in directory "name" to an optimized i3D model "name".3d

chcol

Changes colour (Material) in Wavefront files.

i3d_convert

Converts .obj files to i3D

i3d_filter

Used to smooth, split and boxlod .3d files

i3d

The i3D Interactive 3D Viewer

"Command -h" will usually give you help on that command. (eg: i3d -h )

How to update i3D models on the WWW server

You can refer to i3D files (.3d) through URL's just like any other file. Inside the the i3D files you can have references to other .3d files as well as any other information on the net.

Please consult the i3D Documentation and notably the description of the i3D file format for help on how to specify URL's, importing files etc.

To be continued...