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sla_modeller(modeller) LYMB sla_modeller(modeller)

NAME

sla_modeller - read and model stereo lithography data

DESCRIPTION

The sla_modeller object reads a stereolithography file and creates a geometric representation. The stereolithography file may either be ASCII or binary form.

(Stereolithography can be descibed as "3D Hardcopy". The stereolithography file defines a 3D part which is then used to directly create a part without conventional machining.)

Because the sla_modeller is a subclass of new_modeller, it responds to the "data?" message and can be used in the display_data pipeline. In addition, sla_modeller also inherits the convenience routines from new_modeller (e.g., output!).

SUPERCLASS

new_modeller

INSTANCE VARIABLES

filename the name of the stereolithography file.

read_mode a flag indicating whether the data is ASCC, BINARY, or whether automatic detection of file type should be performed (AUTO_SENSE). By default, read_mode is AUTO_SENSE.

MESSAGES

filename= file set the name of the stereolithography file (usually .stl or .sla suffix).

filename? get the name of the stereolithography file

generate_data! read data file and create internal display_data representation.

ascii! force the read mode to be ASCII.

binary! force the read mode to be binary.

auto_sense! automatically determine the type of file. (Seems foolproff so far...)

read_mode? get the value of the read_mode variable (returned as an integer: 0=AUTO_SENSE, 1=ASCII, 2=BINARY.

EXAMPLES

/* * Read and display a stereolithography file */ sla_modeller new: sla filename=`fran_cut' ; actor new: fran modeller= sla ; /* * Rendering stuff */ renderer new: aren actors=[actor instances?] render! ;