Draw inside 3D world using passed vertices

[vanessaemma]

Hello,

I would like to dynamically feed (from another program) a series of
consecutive vertices (x,y, so they are all on the z=0 plane) into a 3D world in
shockwave to draw a closed polygon. I have figured out how to do this, but
then trying to figure out how to fill in the shape using a series of triangular
faces is a nightmare. Does anyone know of a way to dynamically draw a shape
inside a 3D world using vertices but having the shape be filled in once the
vertices are drawn. The sequence of vertices can make any shape (e.g. L-shape,
U-shape, others...) so trying to come up with simple logic to fill in the
triangles is not feasible. Ideally, I would like to draw a plane but instead
of it being rectangular, feed it a series of vertices to represent its size and
shape. Can anyone help me?

Thanks in advance.
Max

[Richard]

I've never done it myself, but this is a classic polygon fanning problem and
is not a trivial matter to solve by yourself.

Try a google search for "solving convex and reflex vertices".
also try "triangulating polygon algorithm"

Any job like this would be quite CPU intensive, and for your brain too!

Hope that's a start at least.

Richard

[vanessaemma]

Thanks Richard.

I actually know how to mathematically solve the problem, but it is the
processing power situation that I am trying to avoid. If I were using
Shockwave but NOT in a 3D world, I could simply draw a vector shape and add
vertices as I need them to create any shape, and it would automatically be
'filled in'. Drawing this same shape in a 3D world however, seems to be a
whole different story. Given that the shape does not need a 3rd dimension
(height), does anyone else have any suggestions on how I might solve this
problem? Can a vector shape somehow be created and then brought into the 3D
world?

Max

[Richard]

You could try and grab the image of a vector member and use it as a texture
mapped to a plane?

You may need to rescale your plane to match the dimensions of the vector
member. Or try to make the rect of the vector member you a re grabbing a
square with a power2 ratio. 2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512 etc.

You'd need to make the textureRenderFormat #rgba8888 though if you want an
alpha mapped edge.

Richard

[lukeskywalker]

You could try is a simple trick: Do you know the extruded 3D Text? You can not
only extrude text members but also vector members: 1) feed your coordinates
into a vector shape member 2) create a dummy text and extrude this into a a
3dModel of a 3d member 3) drop the 3DModel Ressource and apply the VectorList
of the vector shape member 4) Thats it, You can deine the height of the
extrude Memeber, e.g to zero as you like to do 1) --make newVector newVector
= new(#vectorShape) VectorMem = newVector.member VectorMem.vertexList = []
VectorMem.closed = True --feed Vector Member vertexCount =
VectorMem.VertexList.count + 1 VectorMem.addVertex(vertexCount, point(XKoord,
YKoord)) -- your Vertices theVertexList = VectorMem.VertexList 2) -- create
dummy text and extrude it textmember = member('DummyText') --extrude the text
member's string into a 3D cast member extruderResource =
textMember.extrude3d(member('3D')) 3) --replace dummy text with your vertex
List --update model resource extruderResource.vertexList = VectorMem.vertexList
--apply model member('3D').newModel('myModel', extruderResource) 4) --
define Height of extrusion member('3D').model('myModel').resource.tunnelDepth =
yourHeight

[Richard]

Oooh smart! Never used 3Dtext before, nice trick.

Richard

[Dave Mennenoh]

I was going to suggest the vector - extruded text trick as well. I think Tom
Higgins has had an example of that on his site for a couple years now. I
built a whole 2D - 3D gallery creator thingy using this technique. If I can
dig it up, I'll throw it online.

--
Dave
[url]http://www.blurredistinction.com/director[/url]
Team Macromedia Volunteer
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]