Drawing a spline

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On 06/02/2011 at 19:34, xxxxxxxx wrote:

User Information:
Cinema 4D Version:   12 
Platform:   Windows  ;   
Language(s) :     C++  ;

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Okay so I am delving into doing some work with splines.  I am able to create a spline object with...

SplineObject *sp = SplineObject::Alloc(6, SPLINETYPE_CUBIC);
  if(!sp) return NULL;

and can insert that spline in to the scene,

But how do I set the value of each of the 6 points that I created?  As of right now, this just creates a spline object that has no points.  How can I create a spline and specify the individual points of that spline before it gets inserted in to the scene?

Thanks,

Shawn

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On 06/02/2011 at 21:35, xxxxxxxx wrote:

In Coffee one can use "sp->SetPoint( int i, vector pos); " if you want to set just one Point. If the point does not exist it will be automatically created.
If you have an array of vectors, one can use "sp->SetPoints( array arr);".

I don't think it's much different in C++, it should be documented in the SDK. ( PointObject )

Cheers, nux

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On 07/02/2011 at 00:37, xxxxxxxx wrote:

The SplineObject class is derived from the PointObject class. Look at the methods of the PointObject class to modify spline points. The SplineObject class has additional methods to access tangent data.

cheers,
Matthias

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On 07/02/2011 at 03:21, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Thanks to both of you.  I see in the C++ docs that SetPoint() and SetPoints() are part of the Modeling Class.  Are these the methods that I would use to insert the points of the spline?

Thanks,

Shawn

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On 07/02/2011 at 04:41, xxxxxxxx wrote:

I usually access the writeable point array.

  
Vector *padr = ((PointObject* )splineop)->GetPointW();   

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On 07/02/2011 at 05:24, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Originally posted by xxxxxxxx

I usually access the writeable point array.

 
Vector *padr = ((PointObject* )splineop)->GetPointW();   

Casting is not necessary because SplineObject is derived from PointObject.

Just write:

Vector *padr = splineop->GetPointW();

cheers,
Matthias

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On 07/02/2011 at 05:58, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Okay so let's see fi I understand right.   I create the spline the way I did at teh top and because I point a point number in the allocation, that is the number of points I will have in teh spline,   then, I access those points through the points array like listed above? 
 
~Shawn

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On 07/02/2011 at 06:14, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Yes, that's correct so far. Please check the circle.cpp file of the SDK examples, especially the stuff in the GenerateCircle fucnction.

cheers,
Matthias

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On 07/02/2011 at 06:34, xxxxxxxx wrote:

cool.. thanks Matthias.  I'll check it out when I get home tonight., 

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On 07/02/2011 at 10:55, xxxxxxxx wrote:

I looked at the Circle.cpp example. But It's dealing with creating a spline primitive. Not a new spline from scratch. So I'm still not sure how to properly create a spline from scratch.

This code will create a spline for me:
SplineObject *sp = SplineObject::Alloc(3, SPLINETYPE_LINEAR); // create a spline with 3 verts
  if(!sp) return NULL;
  doc->InsertObject(sp, NULL, NULL, 0); // Add it to the OM

Vector *gp = sp->GetPointW();// The point array of the spline
  gp[0] = Vector(0,0,-100);// Place the first point here
  gp[1] = Vector(0,0,0);// Place the second point here
  gp[2] = Vector(0,0,100);// Place the third point here
EventAdd();//Update all the changes

But the problem is the spline doesn't show up properly in the view until I physically move the points around a little bit.

In Coffee you have to use this code with the spline class:
var vc = new(VariableChanged);
vc->Init(0,pointcount);
myspline->Message(MSG_POINTS_CHANGED,vc);

So I was wondering if I need to also use this same code in C++ for the splines to draw properly?
I'm having a hard time converting that to a C++ version.

-ScottA

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On 07/02/2011 at 11:49, xxxxxxxx wrote:

probably because all points are created at world center?  That's just a guess.  I have to get home to see the docs to be sure.

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On 07/02/2011 at 12:11, xxxxxxxx wrote:

The three vector lines of code place the points so they aren't at the origin. So that's not it.
I'm pretty sure the problem is C4D needs to be told that points have been changed for it to work properly. I just don't know how to write the C++ version of that.

BTW: I'm a Coffee user and new to the whole C++ API thing. But I've learned a lot from your posts. So keep posting those questions and code snippets.

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On 07/02/2011 at 12:23, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Howdy,

Try adding the line:

sp->Message(MSG_UPDATE);

...after you change the points. 

Adios,
Cactus Dan

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On 07/02/2011 at 13:10, xxxxxxxx wrote:

@ScottA:
You forgot to set the points back to the SplineObject. I'm just using Coffe, so i can't give you the C++ code, but it should be similiar to what i said in the second post.

sp->SetPoints(gp);

Btw: As far as I know, one have to use VariableChanged only when the SplineObject has tags on it like a selectiontag for e.g. which depends on the points of it's Object.

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On 07/02/2011 at 13:40, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Thanks Dan. That seems to help.
I'm also using Vista64 without Aero enabled. Which causes draw issues in C4D for me.
That was also making the spline look like it wasn't there, when it really was there.

So this whole VariableChanged stuff for splines is only for things with tags on them then?
I just want to make sure I understand how the spline class works.

-ScottA

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On 07/02/2011 at 13:48, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Howdy,

In C++, there is no SetPoints() function. Calling the GetPointW() function returns a pointer to the points array, giving you direct access to the points.

In the documentation for the MSG_UPDATE:

MSG_UPDATE_<_h4_>_

Must be sent if the bounding box has to be recalculated. (Otherwise you can use [MSG_CHANGE](file:///Users/danlibisch/Documentation/%20C4D%20Manuals/R10%20SDK/pages/c4d_baselist/enum_MSG_Atom845.html#msg_change5).)

... since the point's positions have been changed, the bounding box of the spline must be recalculated. I'm not exactly sure but I think some other things get updated, too, when that message is received. In any case, when a point object receives that message it seems to update the point positions.

By the way, an object's points are stored in a hidden variable tag (Tpoint), so every spline and polygon object has that hidden tag on it. 

In the C++ documentation, if you go to the C4DAtom class and then to the Message() function of that class, you'll see a list of messages from the MSG_Atom with explanations of their use.

Adios,
Cactus Dan

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On 07/02/2011 at 13:59, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Oh, thanks, couldn't imagine it's different in C++, but now i know better.

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On 07/02/2011 at 14:05, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Howdy,

Yeah, coffee is very similar to c++, but from what I remember about coffee, there were more functions you had to call to perform an operation, where in c++ you simply performed the operation.

Adios,
Cactus Dan

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On 07/02/2011 at 16:04, xxxxxxxx wrote:

hey scott would you mind sharing with me the final working code you got.  The4 code above keeps making my c4d crash out.

Thanks,

Shawn

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On 07/02/2011 at 21:11, xxxxxxxx wrote:

Sure. Here's the code again:

SplineObject *sp = SplineObject::Alloc(3, SPLINETYPE_LINEAR); // create a linear spline with 3 verts
  if(!sp) return NULL;
  doc->InsertObject(sp, NULL, NULL, 0); // Add it to the OM

Vector *gp = sp->GetPointW();// The point array of the spline
  gp[0] = Vector(10,0,-100);// Place the first point here
  gp[1] = Vector(0,0,0);// Place the first point here
  gp[2] = Vector(-10,0,100);// Place the first point here
  EventAdd();//Update all the changes
  sp->Message(MSG_UPDATE);

I'm a little surprised that there's no code block formatting option for this forum. To make posting code snippets easier to read.

-ScottA