Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!ndsuvax!ndsuvm1.bitnet!ud140469
From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Some beginner's questions & some objects
Message-ID: <637UD140469@NDSUVM1>
Date: 1 Mar 88 22:15:19 GMT
References: <612INFO@NDSUVM1> <618UD140469@NDSUVM1> 5327@well.UUCP
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computer Network, Fargo, ND
Lines: 76
DISCLAIMER: Author bears full responsibility for contents of this article.


[a line for the line eater]

     Thank you for the input.  Based on Leo's response and the response of
others, I've decided to keep posting objects but in a more limited fashion, and
over a longer period of time.  Below I've listed the objects I think I'll send
(deleting some of the simpler ones from my original list).  If there are any
among these that you don't think you want (or any that you really do want, or
any that I deleted from the list), let me know.  Among the objects I've
dropped is the space shuttle--I finally looked at it "up close" and decided
that it wasn't as good as the one posted earlier.  Also, the SRBs and the tank
aren't that hard to make, so I won't post those.  Before I get on with the
list, let me answer a couple of other questions that were raised and pose a
couple of my own.
     First:  yes, CAD 3D does have an ascii output--in fact the listings you'll
be getting ARE the CAD 3D ascii outputs.    I suspect it listed each of the
buildings separately because the artist (cadist?) drew the buildings
individually and then loaded and placed them in their spots in the CAD
universe.  They could have been "added" together to form a single object, but
this process takes a long time in CAD 3D, and just loading/placing individual
objects gives the same effect to CAD 3D users.  I don't particularly like the
ascii output it generates (it leaves in all the 'construction lines' it uses
for solid modeling), but haven't figured out a way to clean them up.  One
possibility is to hack at the data files it outputs, or to write a 'desk
accesory' program that could communicate with the program directly:  either of
these, however, are beyond my means at this time, so we'll have to make due
with what CAD 3D gives us.  Another thing--several people have asked me for the
Lavi fighter object.  I don't have that--I said that it exists for CAD 3D and
if you have access to that program, it can be gotten from Antic Software ($12
for "shipping and handling").  If I do get it, I'll post it (it's PD).
   One last thing before I get on with the list:  how many out there in
netland have trouble with the 'ARC' format?  It seems that while many have
no trouble UUdecoding my files, there are some that can't dearc them (in fact,
some that have never even heard of ARC--mostly mainframe users, it seems).  If
this is going to be a big problem, I can post the original ascii listings
instead of the compressed ARChive files.  This would really stretch out my
postings because that's a lot more data.
   Okay, on to the listing.  In cases where an object's name doesn't describe
it, I've put a little description (if it's really describable).  The objects
are:

    arch, bishop (a chess piece), chalice1, cone_10, cone_20, cuberoom (used in
a CAD 3D animation demo, it kind of reminds me of a space docks in Star Trek),
cyl_16, cyl_3, cyl_4, cyl_6, cyl_8, disk (once you take the construction lines
out, it looks like a 3 1/2" disk), ellipse, F-14, hexagon, hollow, hyprbola,
jack1, king (another chess piece), knight (another chess piece), octagon,
parabola, pentagn2, pentagon, queen (last chess piece), saturn, saucer (looks
like a flying saucer), sphere1, sphere2, sphere3, star1, starspn, parabola,
torus3d (a really nice torus), torus_10, torus_14, torus_5, USS1701, cruiser
(a space ship), and some new ones:  neat1, coolship (a really nice 'star
ship'), monitor (a computer monitor when you remove the construction lines),
and strwrs (a spherical death star with some tie fighters--I might just post
the tie fighters because the 'death star' is just a plain sphere).

If there are any from my original list that you REALLY WANT, I'll post those
too.  Also, I'm going to see about posting of objects from our E&S Digistar--
I'll talk this week or next with a company rep. who will be visiting us on
what is and isn't public domain (some really nice stuff is up there).


One last note.  Many have suggested that I set up some kind of file server for
these files.  For those on arpa and usenet/UUCP, I can't--I'm on bitnet and
don't have any direct access to those nets (as far as I know).  I could
possibly get a bitnet file server (but not likely for a fairly lowly undergrad)
but from my expieriance with them people on other networks have lots of
trouble accessing them.  So for now I'll continue posting to comp.graphics, but
at a much reduced rate over what I initially suggested.  If you have any
suggestions or comments, please let me know.  It may take me a while to get
back to you because of the dual problems of spring break and the fact that
a new computer is being installed on my node and my system will be down quite
a bit over the next week or so.  Despite this, I'll try to return any messages
that make it to me.  Thanks a lot for your help.

                                       Scott Udell
                                       UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET

[a line for the line eater]