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I am looking for a free C++ compiler that is 100% compatible with Win Vista Home
Premium 64 bit... and is free of bugs. For now this could be a SIMPLE
programming tool, as long as it can manipulate random access files up to 2 Gb
in length.
I might consider another language. It could even be an interpreter. It doesn't
have to be "fast".
Failing that, if someone *already has* a Vista compatible compiler installed,
you could maybe build, test, finalize this? I'm sure the community would then
be grateful if you distribute it.
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
For now, I need to be able to build a program(s) that can:
(a) Create a "blank" (filled with zeros... preceeded by the 6 byte header) DF3
file given the dimensions (x,y,z). Probably, it should do some checking...
refuse to create a .DF3 exceeding 2 Gb in size, refuse to create one where the
dimensions don't make sense (example X = -237 voxels, Y = 1 voxel, Z =
"CatSaliva" voxels). SIMPLE error checking.
(b) Write into a DF3 file given the dimensions, (3D) offsets and data (the
dimensions, of course are imbedded in the header data anyway... strictly
speaking, input from the user is not required, but some error checking should
be done). Maybe "fed" by a text file... running the program, you specify a
..DF3, it reads the header from the .DF3 and tells the user (just FYI) what the
dimensions are.. then you specify a .TXT file containing X Y Z coords and data.
The .TXT file could contain data of the form:
(x, y, z, data)
....
52 134 63 255
53 135 64 208
....
2 255 128 1
....
As indicated, the 3D coords shouldn't HAVE TO BE consecutive. A halt-on-error
and close-all-files should be done if there is an error (A .DF3 of 256x256x256,
but you specify an X-coord of > 255, values that are meaningless / typos, a data
value that exceeds 8, 16, 32 bits).
UNmandatory nice to have Bells and whistles...
(1) Can handle 8, 16, 32 bit DF3s. I consider this *fairly* important.
(2) Ranges can be either 0 to MaxDimension-1, *or* 1 to MaxDimension. IE you
have a 256x256x256 .DF3, and the text file can specify coords as 0 to 255, and
used as-is. *OR*; coords 1 to 256. Based on query / user input. The program
itself takes care of adjusting things. BTW (based on my own experiments... I am
using a HEX EDITOR at present on DF3s, to quote a passage from "The Fly",
"HEEeellpp MEeeee!") the coords / offsets should be converted:
(simple example, 10x10x10 DF3);
example User input = "use 1 to MaxDimension"
offset into DF3 = (x-1) + ((y-1)*10) + ((z-1)*100) (or ((z-1)*10*10))
(simple example, 100x100x100)
example User input = "use 1 to MaxDimension"
offset into DF3 = x + (Y*100) + (z*100000) ( ... or z*100*100)
.... doing it this way, I know that the orientations are correct, from
experiments I've done.
This particular "Bell Whistle" isn't that important.
(2) READ a DF3, print to text file? Not that important.
(3) ZERO (or "clear) a DF3... "Fill" a DF3. Zero = not that important. One could
always just delete a DF3 that was "hosed up" and re-do the work. FILL a DF3 with
other-than-zeros? Dunno... there might be a need sometime.
(4) Anthing else nice-to-have (add to the thread).
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
Okay - I've checked on a few... there was ONE reference that a certain version
of the Bloodshed C++ system is Vista compatible. Long story short: after
reading some online docs, I just don't want to trust it; the ONE reference was
a comment in a forum and it is suspect.
I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to register it
(to use it past 30 days), and to register it you need a "Microsoft Live ID". (I
hate to keep track of those things). Apparantly, there are occasional problems
UNinstalling the product in Vista. The online readme has a "Known Bugs"
section. I hate bugs... we ALL hate bugs. "Known" bugs? EXECUTE them (no I
don't mean "run" them... I mean use the headsman's AXE! There shouldn't be any
"KNOWN" bugs!)
Any advice would be appreciated... reminder, I have Win Vista Home Premium *64
bit*.
Failing that... again, if anyone is equipped to do so, maybe someone could build
these two apps? (I indicated 2 major functions; 1 to create a DF3, one to
manipulate it, but there isn't any reason these two things couldn't be in the
same app).
- Thanks
- Jeff
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JeffBTX wrote:
> Failing that... again, if anyone is equipped to do so, maybe someone could build
> these two apps?
If you're not worried about speed or fancy graphics, pretty much any
scripting language should be able to handle this. Having it run on both
32-bit and 64-bit should be easy as well. Most scripting languages nowadays
can be packaged up into raw executables that don't need installation too.
--
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
There's no CD like OCD, there's no CD I knoooow!
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On Thu, 28 May 2009 19:09:58 -0400, JeffBTX wrote:
> The
> online readme has a "Known Bugs" section. I hate bugs... we ALL hate
> bugs. "Known" bugs? EXECUTE them (no I don't mean "run" them... I mean
> use the headsman's AXE! There shouldn't be any "KNOWN" bugs!)
You'd prefer they didn't publicize the problems?
Sometimes bugs are found between releases. I know I for one would rather
know about them as they're found than have to juggle minute releases in
between major releases (for any software product, that is, not just
compilers).
As long as there is complex software, there will be bugs. That's
guaranteed.
Jim
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JeffBTX wrote:
Boop me some test files and I'll give what I've written a whirl.
Right now my code assumes you start at offset zero, not one, and that each
line has four values on it (x,y,z,v). Bop me a test file like that and I'll
see what comes out, then pass you the code when it's working.
> I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to register it
You don't have to register it, by the way.
--
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
There's no CD like OCD, there's no CD I knoooow!
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> I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to
> register it
> (to use it past 30 days), and to register it you need a "Microsoft Live
> ID". (I
> hate to keep track of those things). Apparantly, there are occasional
> problems
> UNinstalling the product in Vista. The online readme has a "Known Bugs"
> section. I hate bugs... we ALL hate bugs. "Known" bugs? EXECUTE them (no I
> don't mean "run" them... I mean use the headsman's AXE! There shouldn't be
> any
> "KNOWN" bugs!)
Been using the MS free C++ compiler for a while now, even converted over
some projects that used to be on the the full VS Pro compiler. Never had
any issue with bugs and have written a wide range of apps from moderately
complex .net form based to 3D games in DirectX.
Once you've activated VC++ Express you never have to log in again to Live,
so just create an account and then forget about it if you don't like to keep
track of such things.
> Failing that... again, if anyone is equipped to do so, maybe someone could
> build
> these two apps? (I indicated 2 major functions; 1 to create a DF3, one to
> manipulate it, but there isn't any reason these two things couldn't be in
> the
> same app).
I would attempt this, but a) I have almost zero free-time at the moment due
to work, and b) if I did attempt it I would end up making it far too complex
with a nice GUI, hmm I wonder how big a DF3 you can render in real time on
the GPU... :-)
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Darren New <dne### [at] san rrcom> wrote:
> JeffBTX wrote:
>
> Boop me some test files and I'll give what I've written a whirl.
> Right now my code assumes you start at offset zero, not one, and that each
> line has four values on it (x,y,z,v). Bop me a test file like that and I'll
> see what comes out, then pass you the code when it's working.
>
> > I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to register it
>
> You don't have to register it, by the way.
>
>
> --
> Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
> There's no CD like OCD, there's no CD I knoooow!
Ooops - Thanks, Darren, I don't have any test files at the moment, but I'll post
something off-the-top-of-my-head (what was THAT doing up there?) in a moment.
I am getting back into POVRay after a long hiatus (actually just started
yesterday), using: "version 3.6.1.msvc8.win64". Previously, I used POVRay 3.5
on an older machine (WinME). I've had this computer since 2007 (Win Vista Home
Premium 64). I am just now getting back into it; when I lost my previous
computer in an accident, I had started some work modeling tornadoes with .DF3
files.
The procedure I am using (at present, with a calculator (for hex conversion) and
a *hex editor* of all things);
The offset into the DF3 is x + (y*MaxDim) + (z*MaxDim*MaxDim) + 6 (6 for the DF3
header)
.... if using "zero base" coords (zero to Max Dimension-1, versus 1 to MaxDim),
assuming a symmetrical cube shape (otherwise for 1-base, it is (x-1) +
((y-1)*MaxDim) + ((z-1)*MaxDim*MaxDim) + 6).
Doing it this way the render of a DF3 is *exactly* as visualized (x = LeftRight,
y=UpDown, z=ForwardBack). (I think the TGA2DF3 utility "reverses" an axis in an
unexpected way, if I recall... its been a while since I used it. Not a BIG
problem.... ). Orientation was one of my concerns when I started experimenting
yesterday morning.
BUT because of my limitations (no compiler) I've only used 10x10x10 and
100x100x100 DF3s in my first couple of experiments.
A simple test, though... for say, a 100x100x100 DF3 (8 bit) ... to test
orientation, play with density a little (this will be zero based; coords 0 to
99, 8 bit data values);
1,1,1,127
3,1,1,64
49,49,49,255
49,98,49,255
98,98,98,32
.... so that is 1 voxel away from the forward left corner and 1 away from the
front face... then a blank voxel to the right, and then another voxel; density
127 and 64
.... a voxel in the middle and one on "on top", full density.
.... and finally a somewhat faint density 32 voxel that is 1 away from the back
right corner.
The reason for NOT putting pixels AT corners and edges is that I've noticed
artifacts... a kind of "edge-wrapping"/"bleeding" that occurs if you place a
voxel in a corner (and I assume an edge). The "opposite" corner also shows some
density, when it shouldn't. This is another topic, and I've thought about
posting / asking about it, but it's obvious what is happening.
"What you've thrown together"; can it handle 16 and 32 bit DF3s? (just
curious... most of the time of course 8 bit would be used, and 8 bit is
suitable for almost every purpose. Perhaps all purposes. I'm not experienced
enough yet).
-Thanks
- Jeff
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JeffBTX <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to register it
> (to use it past 30 days), and to register it you need a "Microsoft Live ID".
You register it once and that's it. You can use it forever. It's not such
a big problem.
You can create command-line programs, native Win32 programs and C++.NET
programs with it, so it should meet your needs. (The graphical interface
designer can only be used with C++.NET, which is somewhat of a bummer, but
if that's not a problem, then it's surprisingly easy to use.)
--
- Warp
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"scott" <sco### [at] scottcom> wrote:
> > I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to
> > register it
> > (to use it past 30 days), and to register it you need a "Microsoft Live
> > ID". (I
> > hate to keep track of those things). Apparantly, there are occasional
> > problems
> > UNinstalling the product in Vista. The online readme has a "Known Bugs"
> > section. I hate bugs... we ALL hate bugs. "Known" bugs? EXECUTE them (no I
> > don't mean "run" them... I mean use the headsman's AXE! There shouldn't be
> > any
> > "KNOWN" bugs!)
>
> Been using the MS free C++ compiler for a while now, even converted over
> some projects that used to be on the the full VS Pro compiler. Never had
> any issue with bugs and have written a wide range of apps from moderately
> complex .net form based to 3D games in DirectX.
>
> Once you've activated VC++ Express you never have to log in again to Live,
> so just create an account and then forget about it if you don't like to keep
> track of such things.
>
> > Failing that... again, if anyone is equipped to do so, maybe someone could
> > build
> > these two apps? (I indicated 2 major functions; 1 to create a DF3, one to
> > manipulate it, but there isn't any reason these two things couldn't be in
> > the
> > same app).
>
> I would attempt this, but a) I have almost zero free-time at the moment due
> to work, and b) if I did attempt it I would end up making it far too complex
> with a nice GUI, hmm I wonder how big a DF3 you can render in real time on
> the GPU... :-)
Scott - thats good news... I dialogued with a programmer in a games forum, and
he indicated the same thing a few minutes ago. Just to verify: you are using
VC++Express under WinVista? (and if it matters, I am using WinVista Home
Premium 64 bit).
There is something in the MSDN forums about problems UNinstalling VC++Express
under Vista. Possibly (hopefully) a rare problem.
Okay then, I will dig further into the MSDN forums, and educate myself (bugs,
problems, work-around, etc) before I decide... looks like I juts might end uop
downloading & installing it.
-Thanks
-Jeff
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Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> JeffBTX <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> > I've checked on Microsoft Visual C++ Express. Free, but you have to register it
> > (to use it past 30 days), and to register it you need a "Microsoft Live ID".
>
> You register it once and that's it. You can use it forever. It's not such
> a big problem.
>
> You can create command-line programs, native Win32 programs and C++.NET
> programs with it, so it should meet your needs. (The graphical interface
> designer can only be used with C++.NET, which is somewhat of a bummer, but
> if that's not a problem, then it's surprisingly easy to use.)
>
> --
> - Warp
Thanks for the info, Warp - it looks like I will be downloading & installing it
soon, after I do a little bit of research on MSDN.
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> Scott - thats good news... I dialogued with a programmer in a games forum,
> and
> he indicated the same thing a few minutes ago. Just to verify: you are
> using
> VC++Express under WinVista? (and if it matters, I am using WinVista Home
> Premium 64 bit).
I am using it mainly under WinVista Business 64bit, but also have installed
and used it under Vista Pro 32bit and XP Pro 32bit.
> There is something in the MSDN forums about problems UNinstalling
> VC++Express
> under Vista. Possibly (hopefully) a rare problem.
Don't know about that because I have never tried to uninstall it :-)
> Okay then, I will dig further into the MSDN forums, and educate myself
> (bugs,
> problems, work-around, etc) before I decide... looks like I juts might end
> uop
> downloading & installing it.
Well it's always worth a try, just give it a go and see what happens.
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