Hello. I am looking at a modeler that can export data in the following
formats:
.shade .dxf .obj .rib .lwo .3ds and .wrl

All things being equal, which would be the best to use for importing to POV?
Thanks much,
Dennis

-- 

dhm### [at] comcastnet
http://www.dennismiller.neu.edu

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I tend to use .obj and convert with 3DWin which can deal with batch
conversions - I take it this is a follow on from the XFrog group
disscussions? 3ds also works well - try both and choose the one best for
you.

If you are converting from XFrog to Pov be aware that Xfrog uses Tiff  image
maps with an alpha channel which will also need converting to jpg. Contact
me directly if you need help on this - the good news is that you only need
to do the conversion once for each plant.

example:

#declare PigPatLeaf = pigment{image_map{jpeg"GC12lefTR.jpg"}}  // B/W
transparency channel
#declare OpaquePigLeaf = pigment{image_map{jpeg"GC12lef.jpg"}}// Coloured
image map
#declare TransPig = texture{pigment{Clear}}


#declare T_Default_Leaf_TL = texture{
pigment_pattern{PigPatLeaf}
texture_map{
  [0 TransPig]
  [1 OpaquePigLeaf
  finish{ambient 0 diffuse 1 specular .1 }
  ]
  }
 }

All the best

Mick

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> Hello. I am looking at a modeler that can export data in the following
> formats:
> .shade .dxf .obj .rib .lwo .3ds and .wrl

Both Wings3D and Blender support most of them, if not all, either built-in
or by plugins. I recommend both.

> All things being equal, which would be the best to use for importing to
POV?

Both Wings3D and Blender have plugins for direct exporting to POV.

Regards,

Roberto

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news:40bb4028$1@news.povray.org...
> .shade .dxf .obj .rib .lwo .3ds and .wrl

OBJ is a good format :
- it is supported in import by most software (except native Rhino?).
UVMapper only works with OBJ.
- it's a text format so it's possible to open an obj file and look for
problems if necessary.
- obj file are often quite similar in size to mesh2 files. This is useful to
get an early idea (before conversion) of a mesh2 size. It's frequent that I
export an obj, look at the size and then go back to the original app (Rhino,
Xfrog, C4D...) to reduce the number of polys until I get something
acceptable.
- I've run in relatively few problems with OBJ, unlike DXF or LWO (due to
the different flavours available for these formats). The problems I had with
OBJ were caused by faulty exporters, but these problems also exist for other
formats.

3DS is also a good format to consider: it's well supported and binary files
are smaller, but it has a limitation in the number of polys (32000 I think)
for a single object, so large objects sometimes end up being cut up in
smaller pieces or disappear after conversions.

G.

-- 

**********************
http://www.oyonale.com
**********************
- Graphic experiments
- POV-Ray and Poser computer images
- Posters




-- 

**********************
http://www.oyonale.com
**********************
- Graphic experiments
- POV-Ray and Poser computer images
- Posters

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Great stuff - thanks for the input. Sounds like OBJ might be the best option
in this case. I'll do some comparisons and see what happens.
Thanks again,
Dennis
"Gilles Tran" <tra### [at] inapginrafr> wrote in message
news:40bcb884$1@news.povray.org...

> news:40bb4028$1@news.povray.org...
> > .shade .dxf .obj .rib .lwo .3ds and .wrl
>
> OBJ is a good format :
> - it is supported in import by most software (except native Rhino?).
> UVMapper only works with OBJ.
> - it's a text format so it's possible to open an obj file and look for
> problems if necessary.
> - obj file are often quite similar in size to mesh2 files. This is useful
to
> get an early idea (before conversion) of a mesh2 size. It's frequent that
I
> export an obj, look at the size and then go back to the original app
(Rhino,
> Xfrog, C4D...) to reduce the number of polys until I get something
> acceptable.
> - I've run in relatively few problems with OBJ, unlike DXF or LWO (due to
> the different flavours available for these formats). The problems I had
with
> OBJ were caused by faulty exporters, but these problems also exist for
other
> formats.
>
> 3DS is also a good format to consider: it's well supported and binary
files
> are smaller, but it has a limitation in the number of polys (32000 I
think)
> for a single object, so large objects sometimes end up being cut up in
> smaller pieces or disappear after conversions.
>
> G.
>
> -- 
>
> **********************
> http://www.oyonale.com
> **********************
> - Graphic experiments
> - POV-Ray and Poser computer images
> - Posters
>
>
>
>
> -- 
>
> **********************
> http://www.oyonale.com
> **********************
> - Graphic experiments
> - POV-Ray and Poser computer images
> - Posters
>
>

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I'm sorry, I misunderstood your question. I use .OBJ myself, I've found it
to be the most "compatible" and dependable one.

Regards,

Roberto

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