Anyone considered writing a new exporter?
by Don Leuenberger · in Artist Corner · 05/31/2007 (7:32 pm) · 4 replies
I'm wondering if anyone else has considered writing an exporter for XSI. In a way it seems like a waste of time since there is one already sort of done and in beta for a while. But looking through the history of the XSI exporter, I don't have a good feeling that it will ever be finished nor maintained. I'm sure Matt has/had good intentions but it is clear he has a life and this is nowhere near the top of things to work on. Matt has certainly done epic work on other areas and earned everyone's respect. But still as a potential XSI user that doesn't help much.
So just a quick look around it seems like it may be possible to utilize the OGRE xsi exporter for a quick way to read the xsi data. Then there is the source for the 3dsmax exporter or the dts tools for writing out the dts, dsq, etc. Using OGRE exporter means it would have to be GPL which is a good thing so that anyone could chip in and pick up the slack. Another possibility may be a python exporter using some of the blender dts code. I don't know if there is some python source for reading xsi files yet though. Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud here.
Don
So just a quick look around it seems like it may be possible to utilize the OGRE xsi exporter for a quick way to read the xsi data. Then there is the source for the 3dsmax exporter or the dts tools for writing out the dts, dsq, etc. Using OGRE exporter means it would have to be GPL which is a good thing so that anyone could chip in and pick up the slack. Another possibility may be a python exporter using some of the blender dts code. I don't know if there is some python source for reading xsi files yet though. Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud here.
Don
#2
Don
I looked again and the ogre exporter is actually LGPL.
06/01/2007 (9:54 am)
Yea, I thought about the GPL/GG mix after I posted. If Garage Games would be open to open-sourcing their dts code and putting it up as a seperate, free product then that would work. But that may be a stretch. I'm thinking about starting one or the other but I haven't made a decision to buy XSI yet, still using the 30 day trial. Maybe the current exporter is sufficient. But if so, I don't yet know how to adjust all the settings that other exporters have.Don
I looked again and the ogre exporter is actually LGPL.
#3
His name is Matt Summers. He has been at odds tring to complte it along with the 3dsmax version.
I just recently made an XSI purchase and I would like to help however my programming skill is not as good as others.
The Code for the exporter is there with the license copy of TGE. I have looked it over and am still going through it to unravel what is needed for proper export.
09/06/2007 (12:23 pm)
I was going to create a plugin. However there is someone already working on one. His name is Matt Summers. He has been at odds tring to complte it along with the 3dsmax version.
I just recently made an XSI purchase and I would like to help however my programming skill is not as good as others.
The Code for the exporter is there with the license copy of TGE. I have looked it over and am still going through it to unravel what is needed for proper export.
#4
Now a tool that converts the .mesh xml schema to the DTS format would be worthwhile and would not be constrained to the LGPL.
09/06/2007 (12:48 pm)
You're forgetting though that the OGRE .mesh format is not GPL, and the OGRE team has a track history of encouraging and welcoming its use elsewhere. I do believe however that all the code involved in converting the .mesh xml format to the .mesh binary format is under the LGPL, IRC.Now a tool that converts the .mesh xml schema to the DTS format would be worthwhile and would not be constrained to the LGPL.
Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
You can't mix GPL and non-GPL DTS code, however. The Blender scripts should be fine. In fact, I was thinking of using them as a jumping off point for Modo at one time, but since I use LW and Modo with each other, there was little point.