Algorithmic 3D mesh generators

[pennamacoor]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me find some applications (Mac, OS9 or OSX) that can produce 3D meshes (that can be exported as 3DS or DXF to Bryce) from either explicitly mathematical formulae (user-defined, as in graph-drawing programs) or from inputting a bunch of parameters (as in tree, fractal, knot, etc programs, but NOT confined to trees, knots, etc). I want to be able to import algorithmic and mathematical objects as meshes to be rendered in Bryce 5.

regards

and thanks in advance

michael

[CADTutor]

Interesting question. I don't know for sure but I suspect that Blender (http://www.blender3d.org/) might be able to do what you want. It's available for Mac OSX and best of all it's open source so it will cost you nothing to try it out.

Do let us know how you get on.

[f700es]

I would look at (if you have not yet ;) ) www.sourceforge.net and see what you can find there. I don't know if there is any there but you might get lucky. I use Vue and Bryce too and that would be a cool way to use those applications :) Do let us know what you find. Shoot, I might look myself ;)

[fuccaro]

Maybe a short Lisp program to create the mesh? But I must admit: a new mesh probable will need a new Lisp -not really a good solution.
Maybe you will wish to have a look here:http://cadtutor.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1461

[pennamacoor]

Interesting question. I don't know for sure but I suspect that Blender (http://www.blender3d.org/) might be able to do what you want. It's available for Mac OSX and best of all it's open source so it will cost you nothing to try it out.

Do let us know how you get on.

Hi, thanks for the suggestion: I have downloaded 2 versions of Blender; the blurb looks great; trouble is --> I have absolutely no idea what to do next! Do I need anything else (another application or system extension...) to run such an application (i.e., I have never dabbled in Open Source before and whilst I have heard of it and utterly support the idea and its projects, I haven't a clue how to make it work). Blender might well be just what I need, but how do I get it to run on my iMac G4 (OS9 & OSX 10.2)?

Thanks again

michael

[CADTutor]

Take a look at the installation instructions (http://download.blender.org/documentation/html/chapter_installation.html).

[pennamacoor]

Take a look at the installation instructions (http://download.blender.org/documentation/html/chapter_installation.html).

thanks, I saw, I did, I opened, and there it was with its strange interface; I'm exploring it slowly, but it appears at first sight not to have algorithmic generation (of say, purely mathematical objects like 'webs', tree-like structures (but not trees...), knots, crystals, particles, etc)...

regards

michaelP

[pennamacoor]

Maybe a short Lisp program to create the mesh? But I must admit: a new mesh probable will need a new Lisp -not really a good solution.
Maybe you will wish to have a look here:http://cadtutor.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1461

thanks, fuccaro: I haven't got a LISP interpreter on my Mac, and, of course, I do not have AutoCad (which appears to have such an interpreter) since it doesn't run on the Mac.

regards

michaelP

[pennamacoor]

I would look at (if you have not yet ;) ) www.sourceforge.net and see what you can find there. I don't know if there is any there but you might get lucky. I use Vue and Bryce too and that would be a cool way to use those applications :) Do let us know what you find. Shoot, I might look myself ;)

thanks for this suggestion, f700es, I'm still hunting and I'll let you know if something interesting pops up.

regards

michaelP