hi,

some time ago I came across an animation of a fireplace on a website,
done with povray and DF3s, really nice, still managed to lose the
reference though :-(  anyway, that lead to a (fruitless) search for
software to work with DF3 files and, eventually, to a decision to
write my own "df3 tools".

the first tool, df3util, is now "feature complete"[1], documented,
and builds cleanly from a regular source tarball.  it is a "Swiss army
knife"-type utility, providing ten commands from the command-line.
quoting from the man page, the program can "copy, merge, and recode DF3
data, mirror, shift, and rotate it, and output informative summaries
of volumes and their contents", and more.

df3util uses a small 'C' language library "libdf3" to provide an API
for accessing DF3s.  df3util also requires "libpng", which should not
be a problem since povray uses that too.

I've attached the sources for both library and df3util, hoping that
people here will find the first instalment of df3 tools useful,
and will give me some feedback (and help) to make the code better.
the project is licensed under the GPL v3+.

there are still some problems:

o the code has been installed and tested on 64-bit hardware only,
  with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the same GNU/Linux
  distribution (Slackware 14.1).  I'm guessing it won't build at
  all on 32-bit machines (hoping actually since there are no
  guards/conditionals in the code for when (off_t) isn't large
  enough, etc).

o no homepage.  I have not yet found a suitable home for df3 tools.
  I'm torn between buying domain name + hosting (ideal, but requires
  monthly/annual payments) and putting the sources on chiselapp (a
  free fossil repository host, but small and future uncertain).
  if you know of other options, not involving github or sourceforge
  or loads of cash, please tell.

o no unified project build.  soon, I hope, there'll be a single df3
  tools package, but I'm still learning how to use the GNU autotools
  and progress is .. slow; for now, unfortunately, two tarballs.

anyway, the project is very much a wip, so please treat this as a
"beta" until I get on top of the homepage and things.

enjoy, jr.  (the jr hoping there won't be [m]any red-faced moments)

[1] the code contains still quite a few todo notes to self and
corners that need tidying.  also, following a recent mention of
R Suzuki's float extension in one of the povray newsgroups,
I plan to add support for reading 'dfd' data.  however,
without more specific information than is given on the website,
some functionality (like '[Cyclic]') may not get included.

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Attachments:
Download 'libdf3-0.2.0.tar.gz' (335 KB) Download 'df3util-0.3.0.tar.gz' (160 KB)

On 7/27/2017 2:31 PM, jr wrote:
> the first tool, df3util, is now "feature complete"[1], documented,
> and builds cleanly from a regular source tarball.  it is a "Swiss army
> knife"-type utility, providing ten commands from the command-line.
> quoting from the man page, the program can "copy, merge, and recode DF3
> data, mirror, shift, and rotate it, and output informative summaries
> of volumes and their contents", and more.

You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or 
something that could be run from a DOS box?


It sounds useful.
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Am 27.07.2017 um 16:58 schrieb Stephen:
> On 7/27/2017 2:31 PM, jr wrote:
>> the first tool, df3util, is now "feature complete"[1], documented,
>> and builds cleanly from a regular source tarball.  it is a "Swiss army
>> knife"-type utility, providing ten commands from the command-line.
>> quoting from the man page, the program can "copy, merge, and recode DF3
>> data, mirror, shift, and rotate it, and output informative summaries
>> of volumes and their contents", and more.
> 
> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
> something that could be run from a DOS box?

Modern Windows 10 can build and run Linux software, thanks to the
confusingly named "Windows Subsystem for Linux" (aka "Bash on Windows"),
which is based on Ubuntu (14.04 if I recall correctly). IIRC there's a
Windows setting to be frobbed first, and then the feature needs to be
actually installed, but once that's done, a Unix terminal environment is
at your fingertips. And ever since the Creator's Update, it even no
longer crashes when trying to rename a directory.

Post a reply to this message

hi,

On 27/07/2017 15:58, Stephen wrote:
> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
> something that could be run from a DOS box?

'fraid not Stephen.  however, VirtualBox (other VM s/wares available)
plus an installation of one the 64-bit GNU/Linux distributions should
see you right; note that many of the "mainstream" distros will require
you to install the "*-dev" versions of the toolchain separately.  still,
no big deal, installing a modern GNU/Linux won't take half an hour.

also, the df3util expects POSIX.1 file names, which means no colon nor
backslashes, so you'd need a *NIX anyway)

regards, jr.

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Le 17-07-27 à 13:20, clipka a écrit :
> Am 27.07.2017 um 16:58 schrieb Stephen:
>> On 7/27/2017 2:31 PM, jr wrote:
>>> the first tool, df3util, is now "feature complete"[1], documented,
>>> and builds cleanly from a regular source tarball.  it is a "Swiss army
>>> knife"-type utility, providing ten commands from the command-line.
>>> quoting from the man page, the program can "copy, merge, and recode DF3
>>> data, mirror, shift, and rotate it, and output informative summaries
>>> of volumes and their contents", and more.
>>
>> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
>> something that could be run from a DOS box?
> 
> Modern Windows 10 can build and run Linux software, thanks to the
> confusingly named "Windows Subsystem for Linux" (aka "Bash on Windows"),
> which is based on Ubuntu (14.04 if I recall correctly). IIRC there's a
> Windows setting to be frobbed first, and then the feature needs to be
> actually installed, but once that's done, a Unix terminal environment is
> at your fingertips. And ever since the Creator's Update, it even no
> longer crashes when trying to rename a directory.
> 

Present on Windows 7 as well.

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On 7/27/2017 8:56 PM, jr wrote:
> hi,
>
> On 27/07/2017 15:58, Stephen wrote:
>> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
>> something that could be run from a DOS box?
>
> 'fraid not Stephen.  however, VirtualBox (other VM s/wares available)
> plus an installation of one the 64-bit GNU/Linux distributions should
> see you right; note that many of the "mainstream" distros will require
> you to install the "*-dev" versions of the toolchain separately.  still,
> no big deal, installing a modern GNU/Linux won't take half an hour.
>
> also, the df3util expects POSIX.1 file names, which means no colon nor
> backslashes, so you'd need a *NIX anyway)
>
> regards, jr.
>

Drat! I thought not. :(
That means more reading and stuffing my overcrowded brain to the limits.
[Or beyond. ;)]


-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 7/27/2017 6:20 PM, clipka wrote:
> Am 27.07.2017 um 16:58 schrieb Stephen:
>> On 7/27/2017 2:31 PM, jr wrote:
>>> the first tool, df3util, is now "feature complete"[1], documented,
>>> and builds cleanly from a regular source tarball.  it is a "Swiss army
>>> knife"-type utility, providing ten commands from the command-line.
>>> quoting from the man page, the program can "copy, merge, and recode DF3
>>> data, mirror, shift, and rotate it, and output informative summaries
>>> of volumes and their contents", and more.
>>
>> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
>> something that could be run from a DOS box?
>
> Modern Windows 10 can build and run Linux software, thanks to the
> confusingly named "Windows Subsystem for Linux" (aka "Bash on Windows"),
> which is based on Ubuntu (14.04 if I recall correctly). IIRC there's a
> Windows setting to be frobbed first, and then the feature needs to be
> actually installed, but once that's done, a Unix terminal environment is
> at your fingertips. And ever since the Creator's Update, it even no
> longer crashes when trying to rename a directory.
>

Interesting, thanks.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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hi,

On 27/07/2017 22:24, Stephen wrote:
>> On 27/07/2017 15:58, Stephen wrote:
>>> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
>>> something that could be run from a DOS box?

> Drat! I thought not. :(
> That means more reading and stuffing my overcrowded brain to the limits.
> [Or beyond. ;)]

if you're comfortable with DOS, and ignoring some fundamental
differences for the moment, you'll find your typical *NIX shell is a bit
like DOS on steroids.  I'm quite certain that with some reading and
trial + error :-) etc you'll transition quickly.

regards, jr.

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On 7/27/2017 11:44 PM, jr wrote:
> hi,
>
> On 27/07/2017 22:24, Stephen wrote:
>>> On 27/07/2017 15:58, Stephen wrote:
>>>> You wouldn't happen to have a Windoze executable about your person or
>>>> something that could be run from a DOS box?
>
>> Drat! I thought not. :(
>> That means more reading and stuffing my overcrowded brain to the limits.
>> [Or beyond. ;)]
>
> if you're comfortable with DOS, and ignoring some fundamental
> differences for the moment, you'll find your typical *NIX shell is a bit
> like DOS on steroids.  I'm quite certain that with some reading and
> trial + error :-) etc you'll transition quickly.
>
> regards, jr.
>


Thanks for the encouragement jr.
But it will take more than that to make me leave the dark side. ;)
I am comfortable with DOS and I take it out and look at it a couple of 
times a year.
I hadn't thought about using a VM. I might put that on my list of things 
to be done.


-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> hi,
>
> some time ago I came across an animation of a fireplace on a website,
> done with povray and DF3s, really nice, still managed to lose the
> reference though :-(  anyway, that lead to a (fruitless) search for
> software to work with DF3 files and, eventually, to a decision to
> write my own "df3 tools".
>
Thanks, and great effort, but just so we know what's wrong with it from your
opinion...
Were you aware that Blender's POV-Ray exporter/importer uses a the DF3 python
library to use the format, previews in 3D view, and can also cache smoke in the
other Blender cache format?

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Attachments:
Download 'file_blendertopovraysmoke[1].gif.htm' (15 KB)

hi,

On 28/07/2017 14:18, Mr wrote:
> jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> hi,
>>
>> some time ago I came across an animation of a fireplace on a website,
>> done with povray and DF3s, really nice, still managed to lose the
>> reference though :-(  anyway, that lead to a (fruitless) search for
>> software to work with DF3 files and, eventually, to a decision to
>> write my own "df3 tools".
>>
> Thanks, and great effort, but just so we know what's wrong with it from your
> opinion...

not sure what you mean by "wrong with it" -- with what?

> Were you aware that Blender's POV-Ray exporter/importer uses a the DF3 python
> library to use the format, previews in 3D view, and can also cache smoke in the
> other Blender cache format?

no, never used Blender.

regards, jr.

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hi,

On 28/07/2017 16:02, jr wrote:
> On 28/07/2017 14:18, Mr wrote:
>> jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>>> some time ago I came across an animation of a fireplace on a website,
>>> ...
>> Thanks, and great effort, but just so we know what's wrong with it from your
>> opinion...
> 
> not sure what you mean by "wrong with it" -- with what?

well I re-read the sentence, and still don't understand it.

I should, however, been more positive + thanked you; can I read "great
effort" to mean that you installed the program + played with it?  if
yes, I'd love to know which GNU/Linux + kernel version, and whether
there were any "hiccups".

regards, jr.

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jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> hi,
>
> On 28/07/2017 16:02, jr wrote:
> > On 28/07/2017 14:18, Mr wrote:
> >> jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> >>> some time ago I came across an animation of a fireplace on a website,
> >>> ...
> >> Thanks, and great effort, but just so we know what's wrong with it from your
> >> opinion...
> >
> > not sure what you mean by "wrong with it" -- with what?
>
> well I re-read the sentence, and still don't understand it.
>
> I should, however, been more positive + thanked you; can I read "great
> effort" to mean that you installed the program + played with it?  if
> yes, I'd love to know which GNU/Linux + kernel version, and whether
> there were any "hiccups".
>
> regards, jr.

Sorry, I use Windows.
I meant to bring to your knowledge the existence of a tool you might have
ignored. and since you said you had a (fruitless) search for it, i figured maybe
you found it and still disqualified it for some reason, which i ask because
Lanuhum and I being contributors to the development of this tool (the Blender
exporter with DF3 support)...if we receive no feedback, we just can't know when
anything's wrong. Am I clearer?  :-)

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hi,

On 29/07/2017 23:27, Mr wrote:
> jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> well I re-read the sentence, and still don't understand it.
> Sorry, I use Windows.
> I meant to bring to your knowledge the existence of a tool you might have
> ignored. and since you said you had a (fruitless) search for it, i figured maybe
> you found it and still disqualified it for some reason, ...
> Lanuhum and I being contributors to the development of this tool (the Blender
> exporter with DF3 support)...if we receive no feedback, we just can't know when
> anything's wrong. Am I clearer?  :-)

very much clearer Mr, thanks.  I only use Windows for web access and
running one (occasionally two) virtual machines, and have no other
s/wares installed on that machine.  my "fruitless" search appears to
have missed some programs (like the viewer Stephen mentioned), but no, I
never looked at Blender + its plugins at all, so cannot offer any
comment.  fwiw, I know exactly how the "no feedback, we just can't know
when anything's wrong" feels, fingers crossed for you + LanuHum.

regards, jr.

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jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> hi,
>
> On 29/07/2017 23:27, Mr wrote:
> > jr <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> >> well I re-read the sentence, and still don't understand it.
> > Sorry, I use Windows.
> > I meant to bring to your knowledge the existence of a tool you might have
> > ignored. and since you said you had a (fruitless) search for it, i figured maybe
> > you found it and still disqualified it for some reason, ...
> > Lanuhum and I being contributors to the development of this tool (the Blender
> > exporter with DF3 support)...if we receive no feedback, we just can't know when
> > anything's wrong. Am I clearer?  :-)
>
> very much clearer Mr, thanks.  I only use Windows for web access and
> running one (occasionally two) virtual machines, and have no other
> s/wares installed on that machine.  my "fruitless" search appears to
> have missed some programs (like the viewer Stephen mentioned), but no, I
> never looked at Blender + its plugins at all, so cannot offer any
> comment.  fwiw, I know exactly how the "no feedback, we just can't know
> when anything's wrong" feels, fingers crossed for you + LanuHum.
>
> regards, jr.

Thanks and the same to you.

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hi,

On 27/07/2017 14:31, jr wrote:
> ... "df3 tools".> there are still some problems:

still no homepage.  still no unified build.  and still no feedback wrt
building on other GNU/Linux platforms.

> ...  also, following a recent mention of
> R Suzuki's float extension in one of the povray newsgroups,
> I plan to add support for reading 'dfd' data.  however,
> without more specific information than is given on the website,
> some functionality (like '[Cyclic]') may not get included.
> 

updated versions of both library and df3util are attached.  the library
now has "__attribute__((warn_unused_result))" on two prototypes
(df3_open_file + df3_create_file), and the df3Handle has been made more
robust.  df3util now has fewer bugs (I hope) and a partial
implementation of the Extended Density File Description format via a new
command: 'dfd'.  there's no "[format] binary" yet, "[cyclic]" must be
'off', and the program doesn't do any data interpolation (beyond my
abilities anyway).

enjoy, jr.

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Attachments:
Download 'libdf3-0.2.1.tar.gz' (335 KB) Download 'df3util-0.3.8.tar.gz' (170 KB)