Professional Papervision3D Book

How to Excel Spreadsheet into SQLite

Mike Lively — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:56:41 +0000

In this video you learn how to import an Excel Spreadsheet into SQLite.

Sweet Pee Gets ready for Molehill

Mike Lively — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:54:22 +0000

Jonathan affectionately known as “Sweet Pee” has been working with 3DS Max for a few years now. His skills are improving and he is working on a new game specifically tailored for the Molehill API about to be released by Adobe.

: Sweet Pee

Below are some of the 3D models he has been developing.

: 3D Models

We are pretty fortunate to have such a talented 3D modeler in our mist. I’m sure Sweet Pee’s talents will be put to good use on many of our projects.

If you don’t know about Molehill and are wondering why we are so interested in it, check out the video below:

While Papervision3D was limited to about 2000 polygons 15fps in the Flash 9 days…Molehill can easily do 1/5 million polygons at 60Hz HD.

Wow, strap on your rocket pack, we’re about to go on a 3D adventure ride!

HTML 5: From where to where

Mike Lively — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:43:15 +0000

Sponsorship: MindWindBlowing

PHP Programming for Flash Builder Part 2 (17 Videos)

Mike Lively — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:30:17 +0000

Lesson 2: PHP Control Logic, Functions, and Classes

In this lesson you cover Control Logic, Functions and Classes. And finally, you get to Flash Builder and created your first PHP-Flash Builder application in videos 27 through 31.

PHP Programming Lesson 2 Assignment

PHP Programming 16 If Else

PHP Programming 17 Logical Expressions and Date

PHP programming 18 Switch Case and Random

PHP programming 19 While Loops and Range

PHP programming 20 For Loops Shuffle

PHP programming 21 Foreach Loops and Shuffling Cards

PHP programming 22 Generating Passwords and ASCII

PHP Programming 23 Continue, Break, and Array Pointers

PHP Programming 24 Functions Part 1

PHP Programming 25 Functions Part 2

PHP Programming 26 OOP and Classes 1

PHP Programming 27 Classes 2 and Flash Builder

PHP Programming 28 Getting Flash Builder ready for PHP

PHP Lesson 29 Getting Flash Builder Talking to a PHP Class

PHP Programming 30 Flash Builder and PHP Data Wizard

PHP Programming 31 Flash Builder Random Password App

You can get the downloads from the PHP Training Site at

http://www.professionalpapervision.com/PHPTrainingCourse/

PHP Programming for Flash Builder Part 1 (17 Videos)

Mike Lively — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:53:01 +0000

Intro

I’m moving forward with the PHP Programming series for Flash Builder. The first of 5 parts is done. You can view the training site at

http://www.professionalpapervision.com/PHPTrainingCourse/

Of course the final goal is a 3D content management system in PHP and Flash Builder. Also, the individual video links are given below (code and notes can be grabbed from the website).

PHP Programming 1 Set Up

Installing Wamp

PHP Programming 2 PHP info

PHP Programming 3 Hello World

PHP Programming 4 Variables

PHP Programming 5 Strings

PHP Programming 6 String Functions

PHP Programming 7 Eclipse

PHP Programming 8 Simple Math

PHP Programming 9 Calculator

PHP Programming 10 Pythagorean

PHP Programming 11 Math Functions

PHP Programming 12 Form Letter

PHP Programming 13 Array Functions 1

PHP Programming 14 Array Functions 2

PHP Programming 15 Booleans

PHP Programming Assignment

Cheers!

Adding Shaders and Pixel Bender to Away3dlite

Mike Lively — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:02:49 +0000

Adding Shaders

Once you’ve experienced the speed of Away3dlite you next want to bump up its appearance. The best way to do that is by using Pixel Bender shaders….and with Pixel Bender the sky is the limit! In this post, you get the code that let’s you do that, and you learn to add shaders and Pixel Bender to Away3dlite. The same approach is applicable to PV3D.

Here’s the demo

Shaders in C

Check out the video!

Download the Code

http://code.google.com/p/lv3d/downloads/detail?name=Bettershader.zip

Read Some Discussion

The key to getting this to work was to first get all the shaders over into Away3dLite, then instantiating the ExLight example in Flash Builder and using switch case to create the different materials for your model.

Here’s what the switch case code looks like. It is really simple…everything else is in the video and the download…cheers!

override protected function onInit():void

{

var md2:MD2 = new MD2();

var light:Light = new Light();

var _texture:Bitmap = new Texture as Bitmap;

var _bitmap:BitmapData = new BitmapData(_texture.width, _texture.height, false);

_bitmap.draw(_texture);

var _normalMap:Bitmap = new Normal as Bitmap;

switch(mySwitchNum)

{

case 0: //Normal Shader

var rLight:DirectionalLight3D = new DirectionalLight3D();

rLight.direction = new Vector3D(1, 0, 0);

rLight.color = 0xFF0000;

rLight.ambient = 0.1;

scene.addLight(rLight);

var gLight:DirectionalLight3D = new DirectionalLight3D();

gLight.direction = new Vector3D(0, 1, 0);

gLight.color = 0x00FF00;

gLight.ambient = 0.1;

scene.addLight(gLight);

var bLight:DirectionalLight3D = new DirectionalLight3D();

bLight.direction = new Vector3D(0, 0, 1);

bLight.color = 0x0000FF;

bLight.ambient = 0.1;

scene.addLight(bLight);

var material:BitmapMaterial = new Dot3BitmapMaterial(_bitmap, _normalMap.bitmapData);

material.smooth = true;

md2.material = material;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

break;

case 1: //Plane Material

/*var filter1:BevelFilter = new BevelFilter(10, 45, 0xFFFFFF, 0.5, 0×000000, 0.5, 10, 10, 50);

var filter2:GlowFilter = new GlowFilter(0xFFFFFF, 1, 50, 50);

var filter3:GlowFilter = new GlowFilter(0xFF0000, 1, 50, 50);

var planeMaterial:BitmapMaterial = new BitmapMaterial(_bitmap);

md2.material = planeMaterial;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

break;

case 2: //Flat Shader

var myFlatShader:FlatShader = new FlatShader(light);

md2.material = myFlatShader;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

break;

case 3: //Phong Color Shader

var myPhongColorShader:PhongColorMaterial = new PhongColorMaterial(light, 0x00ff00);

md2.material = myPhongColorShader;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

md2.centerMeshes = true;

break;

case 4: //Phong Shader

var myPhongShader:PhongMaterial = new PhongMaterial(light, _bitmap);

md2.material = myPhongShader;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

break;

case 5: //PBJ Filter

var mat:PBBitmapShader = new PBBitmapShader(light, _bitmap, _normalMap.bitmapData);

md2.material = mat;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

break;

case 6: //Shader

var mat2:PBTransparentShader = new PBTransparentShader(light, _bitmap, _normalMap.bitmapData);

md2.material = mat2;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

break;

case 7: //Shader

var myShader:VertexShaderMaterial = new VertexShaderMaterial(light, _bitmap);

md2.material = myShader;

md2.centerMeshes = true;

light.x=light.y =400;

light.z = -400;

scene.addChild(light);

break;

default:

trace(“Out of range”);

break;

}

var loader:Loader3D = new Loader3D();

loader.loadGeometry(“assets/torsov2.MD2″, md2);

loader.addEventListener(Loader3DEvent.LOAD_SUCCESS, onSuccess);

scene.addChild(loader);

camera.z = -200;

}

Chapter 2 Wrap Up, Videos, Demos, PDF, and Source

Mike Lively — Sun, 30 May 2010 22:45:30 +0000

Hi,

I’m wrapping up chapter 2 in this post and starting chapter 3. In addition to the code demos, videos, and source, I’ve included an old version PDF of Chapter 2 (not what is in the book)…but close enough. I’m very excited about Chapter 3. I’ve got much to show you.

Chapter 2 … wrap up videos.

Chapter Demos

Interactive Cube

Hello Plane

Orbit Example

Basic View Test

Container Pivot

Simple Particle Pivot

Sphere Pivot

Christmas Tree

Chapter 2

Old Version Chapter 2 PDF

Source

All Examples Above

3D Color Code Calculator in Away3DLite

Mike Lively — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:43:16 +0000

Color Code Calculator

I did this example to demonstrate how to interactively change the materials of a Collada file in Away3DLite. I build the model in Cinema4D and assigned bands and added colors to those bands. I looked up their names in the out putted Collada file and then assigned materials as requested form the Flash Builder ComboBox using change event methods.

Demo

Color Code Calculator

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgm14JHXyf8

Source

http://code.google.com/p/lv3d/downloads/detail?name=colorCode.zip

Code Discussion

Here’s example code for the first ComboBox

private function changeEvt1(e:Event):void

{

myOne = e.currentTarget.selectedIndex;

modelResistor.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“ID18″).material = myMatArray[myOne];

calcMyOhms();

}

Code for Calculator Ohms as discussed on the video.

private function calcMyOhms():void {

myOhms = (myOne*10 + myTwo)*Math.pow(10, multiplier[myThree]);

if (myOhms >= 1000000) {

myOhms /= 1000000;

myOutput.text = “Resistance = “ + String(myOhms) + ” MOhms, “ + tolerance[myFour];

} else {

if (myOhms >= 1000) {

myOhms /= 1000;

myOutput.text = “Resistance = “ + String(myOhms) + ” KOhms, “ + tolerance[myFour];

} else {

myOutput.text = “Resistance = “ + String(myOhms) + ” Ohms, “ + tolerance[myFour];

}}}

A similar 2D example was done on the web by Danny Goodman at

http://www.dannyg.com/examples/res2/resistor.htm

Enjoy!

private function changeEvt1(e:Event):void {

myOne = e.currentTarget.selectedIndex;

modelResistor.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“ID18″).material = myMatArray[myOne];

calcMyOhms();

}

private function changeEvt2(e:Event):void {

myTwo = e.currentTarget.selectedIndex;

modelResistor.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“ID8″).material = myMatArray[myTwo];

calcMyOhms();

}

private function changeEvt3(e:Event):void {

myThree = e.currentTarget.selectedIndex;

modelResistor.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“ID23″).material = myMatArray[myThree];

calcMyOhms();

}

private function changeEvt4(e:Event):void {

myFour = e.currentTarget.selectedIndex;

modelResistor.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“ID13″).material = myPerArray[myFour];

calcMyOhms();

}

Creating a Shuriken in Cinema4D (four videos)

Mike Lively — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:33:50 +0000

Creating a Shuriken

In this four part series you learn how to create a Shuriken (throwing star) in Cinema4D.

1. Shuriken in Cinema4D – Photoshop

2. Shuriken in Cinema4D – Array Modifier

3. Shuriken in Cinema4D – Booleans

4. Shuriken in Cinema4D – Applying Textures

Download Model

http://code.google.com/p/lv3d/downloads/detail?name=throwingStar.zip

Humvee in Away3DLite (and PV3D) wheels and steering

Mike Lively — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:24:50 +0000

Intro

In chapter 5 of my book, I discuss how to make a car’s wheels move forwards and backwards and steer. It is actually pretty easy to do in PV3D. But in Away3DLite it is not so obvious. So in the video below I discuss the difference and show you how to get wheel movement and steering working for both PV3D and Awa3DLite.

Video

Driving a Humvee in Away3dLite

Try It Out

Driving a Humvee in Away3DLite

Code

To see the code click the link below:

xmlns:s=”library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark”
xmlns:mx=”library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx”
xmlns:components=”components.*”
minWidth=”955″ minHeight=”600″
creationComplete=”initApp()”
backgroundColor=”0×000000″
xmlns:colordataxml=”services.colordataxml.*”
xmlns:myvectorpath=”services.myvectorpath.*”
xmlns:valueObjects=”valueObjects.*”>

import away3dlite.cameras.*;
import away3dlite.containers.*;
import away3dlite.containers.ObjectContainer3D;
import away3dlite.core.utils.Cast;
import away3dlite.lights.DirectionalLight3D;
import away3dlite.loaders.*;
import away3dlite.loaders.data.GeometryData;
import away3dlite.loaders.utils.GeometryLibrary;
import away3dlite.materials.*;
import away3dlite.primitives.*;
import away3dlite.core.base.Mesh;
import away3dlite.loaders.data.ObjectData;

import flash.display.*;
import flash.display.Bitmap;
import flash.display.BitmapData;
import flash.events.*;
import flash.geom.*;

import flash.ui.Keyboard;
import flash.utils.ByteArray;
import flash.text.TextField;

import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
import mx.controls.Alert;
import mx.events.FlexEvent;
import mx.managers.SystemManager;

import spark.primitives.*;

private var frameCollada:Collada;
private var doorCollada:Collada;
private var collada:Collada;
private var braketCollada:Collada;
private var glassCollada:Collada;

private var group:ObjectContainer3D;

//texture for truck
[Embed(source="HMMWV/images/Hmv2a.jpg")]
private var HMMWVTruckMap:Class;
//texture for truck
[Embed(source="HMMWV/images/HVTread2.jpg")]
private var HMMWVTreadMap:Class;
//texture for truck
[Embed(source="HMMWV/images/HVWheel.jpg")]
private var HMMWVWheelMap:Class;

//collada file for jet
[Embed(source="HMMWV/hmmwv.DAE",mimeType="application/octet-stream")]
private var MyHMMWV:Class;

private var myCount:int =0;
private var scene:Scene3D;
private var camera:HoverCamera3D;
private var view:View3D;
private var light:DirectionalLight3D;

private var boxWidth:Number = 250;
private var boxHeight:Number = 30;
private var boxDepth:Number = 250;
private var boxThickness:Number = 10;

private var renderNow:Boolean = true;
private var myDiceScale:Number = 30;
private var myDataArray:ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection();

//material variables
private var material:BitmapMaterial;
private var materialA:BitmapMaterial;
private var materialB:BitmapMaterial;
private var materialC:BitmapMaterial;

private var topSpeed:Number = 0;
private var topSteer:Number = 0;
private var speed:Number = 0;
private var steer:Number = 0;

private var keyRight:Boolean = false;
private var keyLeft:Boolean = false;
private var keyForward:Boolean = false;
private var keyReverse:Boolean = false;

//objectvariables
private var model1:ObjectContainer3D = new ObjectContainer3D;

private function initApp():void{

initaway3dlite();
initMaterials();
createModel();
initListeners();
myPos.visible = false;

}

//Materials
private function initMaterials():void
{

materialA= new BitmapMaterial(Cast.bitmap(HMMWVTruckMap));
materialB = new BitmapMaterial(Cast.bitmap(HMMWVTreadMap));
materialC = new BitmapMaterial(Cast.bitmap(HMMWVWheelMap));

}

private function initaway3dlite():void {
scene = new Scene3D();
camera = new HoverCamera3D();
camera.distance = 600;
camera.zoom = 4;
//camera.x = systemManager.stage.stageWidth/2;

view=new View3D(scene,camera);
view.x=systemManager.stage.stageWidth/2;
view.y=systemManager.stage.stageHeight/2;
mySprite.addChild(view);
}

//Create your model
private function createModel():void {

collada = new Collada();
collada.scaling = 30;
model1 = collada.parseGeometry(MyHMMWV) as ObjectContainer3D;
model1.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“Humvee-material”).material = materialA;
model1.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“HVWheel-material”).material = materialC;
model1.materialLibrary.getMaterial(“HvTread-material”).material = materialB;
//Initiate position of model
myInitialPos();
scene.addChild(model1);

}

//Initiate position
private function myInitialPos():void{

model1.rotationY = 90;
model1.x=200;
model1.y=model1.z=100;

}

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Car Mesh Stuff
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//Method not used in this application
private function rollWheels(myRot:Number) : void
{
//FL…1
//RL…2
//FR…3
//RR…4

this.getObject(1).rotationY -= myRot;
this.getObject(2).rotationY -= myRot;
this.getObject(3).rotationY += myRot;
this.getObject(4).rotationY += myRot;

}

private function getObject(myWheel:Number) : Mesh

{
return Mesh(ObjectContainer3D(this.model1.getChildAt(myWheel)).children[0]);
}
//Listeners
private function initListeners():void {
systemManager.stage.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, render);
systemManager.stage.addEventListener( KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, mykeyDownHandler );
systemManager.stage.addEventListener( KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, mykeyUpHandler );

}
//Animation Loop
private function render( e:Event ):void {

driveCar();
updateCar();
view.render();
camera.hover();

myText.text =”Coordinates”+”\n”+”x: “+model1.x+”\n”+”y: “+model1.y+”\n”+”z: “+model1.z+”\n”;

}

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Driving Car Methods
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

private function updateCar():void
{

var roll :Number = speed*.2;

if(Math.abs(steer)<60){
//Negatives where a hack since model had issues
this.getObject(1).rotationZ = steer;
this.getObject(3).rotationZ = -steer;
}else{
this.getObject(1).rotationZ = 60;
this.getObject(3).rotationZ = -60;
}

//Negagives where a hack since the Model had issues

rollWheels(roll);

// Steer car
model1.rotationY+= speed * steer/500 ;
model1.y=model1.z;

model1.x+=1.4*speed*Math.sin(3.1415*(model1.rotationY)/180)/20;
model1.z+=1.4*speed*Math.cos(3.1415*(model1.rotationY)/180)/100;

if(model1.z<0){model1.z=0;}
}

private function driveCar():void
{
// Speed
if( keyForward )
{
topSpeed = 55;
speed += 10;
}
else if( keyReverse )
{
topSpeed = -55;
}
else
{
topSpeed = 0;
}

speed -= ( speed – topSpeed ) / 10;

// Steer
if( keyRight )
{
if( topSteer < 35 )
{
topSteer += 1.5;
speed += 10;
}
}
else if( keyLeft )
{
if( topSteer > -35 )
{
topSteer -= 1.5;
speed += 10;
}
}
else
{
topSteer -= topSteer / 24;
}

steer -= ( steer – topSteer ) / 2;
}

private function mykeyDownHandler( event :KeyboardEvent ):void
{
switch( event.keyCode )
{
case “W”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.UP:
keyForward = true;
keyReverse = false;
break;

case “S”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.DOWN:
keyReverse = true;
keyForward = false;
break;

case “A”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.LEFT:
keyLeft = true;
keyRight = false;
break;

case “D”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.RIGHT:
keyRight = true;
keyLeft = false;
break;
}
}

private function mykeyUpHandler( event :KeyboardEvent ):void
{
switch( event.keyCode )
{
case “W”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.UP:
keyForward = false;
break;

case “S”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.DOWN:
keyReverse = false;
break;

case “A”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.LEFT:
keyLeft = false;
break;

case “D”.charCodeAt():
case Keyboard.RIGHT:
keyRight = false;
break;
}
}

]]>