Oolite Bulletins

With the OBJ to DAT converter, is the output format one specifically for use with OOlite or is it a recognised 3D file format?

!m!

DAT is Oolite specific. Somewhere in Oolite 1.74, even a new dat format was added that also stored the normals. (For instance Asteroid Storm.oxp uses that format)

The problem with the .DAT format is that it's a bit about what is actually in the file - i.e. quite a few programs can read .dat format, but might not correctly read the .dat format as (re)created by the obj2dat script.

Sorry, that's probably not the answer you want.

Could you not export to a different format directly from Wings 3D or Blender ?

Okay.

I'm currently looking at the the format of the files because I want to look at importing the DAT or the OBJ file into vPython so you can view it.
I've got in mind to write a kind of ship builders tool that loads your DAT file, displays it and allows you to place the exhaust plumes, laser position, flashers and other bits.

vPython seems pretty good at creating models from a list of faces.

!m!

maaarcooose wrote:

I've got in mind to write a kind of ship builders tool that loads your DAT file, displays it and allows you to place the exhaust plumes, laser position, flashers and other bits.

That sounds very much like a new and improved variant of DryDock (which was Mac-only, doesn't work on newer Macs, and is discontinued). I would like that.

maaarcooose wrote:

Okay.

I'm currently looking at the the format of the files because I want to look at importing the DAT or the OBJ file into vPython so you can view it.
I've got in mind to write a kind of ship builders tool that loads your DAT file, displays it and allows you to place the exhaust plumes, laser position, flashers and other bits.

vPython seems pretty good at creating models from a list of faces.

!m!

Yes please - that would be fantastic!

I just have to keep thinking up work for myself.

!m!

Commander McLane wrote:

That sounds very much like a new and improved variant of DryDock (which was Mac-only, doesn't work on newer Macs, and is discontinued). I would like that.

The source is on Berlios. Anyone can try to improve things, or just compile it for a newer mac version. (The current version does not compile on XCode 3 or 4.)

Eric Walch wrote:

Commander McLane wrote:

That sounds very much like a new and improved variant of DryDock (which was Mac-only, doesn't work on newer Macs, and is discontinued). I would like that. :D

The source is on Berlios. Anyone can try to improve things, or just compile it for a newer mac version. (The current version does not compile on XCode 3 or 4.)

It only ever worked in PowerPC builds, so I assume there’s some big-endian dependency somewhere.