United3dArtists Archive

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 14 Jan 2012, 23:50

The attached file is a step by step tutorial for setting up the VS 6 C++ compiler. The tutorial covers downloading the TS 5.1 SDK, setting up the directories, and compiling a simple TSX. Hope this helps some peeps get a handle on TSX creation in VS 6.

Fenerit · Post by **Fenerit** » 16 Jan 2012, 12:37

Thanks BNG, this helps alot. I knew that; it works also for tS SDK 6.6 without to change "return 510" string, whether one wish to hold downgrade compatibility. Of course one cannot use specific 6.6 API declarations which calls are absent for such a versions.
I've port form 3.1 to 5.10/6.6 the Bendys' tSxExtruder plugin source code without its "bulge" graphical interface, but I'm not sure to post it because I'm not sure that such a "fork" is correct and "granted" from you all. Some routines have been removed either for their out of date aims or due to their error proning: i.e tS 6.6 crash whether SDS is used after the plugin's mix/quad extrusion; hence I've left just the tri-dividing. For this purpose, I'm asking you all whether I can do it and whether it is, eventually, "granted".

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 16 Jan 2012, 16:11

I think Fenerit means is if his port of that plugin is acceptable for posting in U3DA. The moderators generally delete things that are property rights violations or otherwise illegal. I'm glad that they do that. If Fenerit's port is legal or not depends on the license for the plugin. If it uses GNU or creative commons license or is an "open source" item then this is probably legal under its license. If it is a proprietary normal product then it probably is not legal. (Decompiling is usually forbidden in commercial licenses too.)

I like TS too but sometimes there is a desperation to the efforts to preserve it. That amount of effort applied to learning other software might be better.

DesignDevil · Post by **DesignDevil** » 16 Jan 2012, 23:15

Bendys TSXtruder comes with the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE and the plugin himself is based on this one: "Extruder 1.1 by Bryce Denney".

"...This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version..."

I got the plugin and also the license text here but it is not listet on my site because i never get it to work or i never need it (i can't remember).

Anyhow, from the point of a commercial developer it would be not ok, but to modify a FREE software and make it better or do a bugfix and rerelease it under the same FREE conditions should be ok and for me himself (as a developer of tsx plugins) it would be a owner.

So i think we can not have enough developer here to write plugins and keep tS alive.

Fenerit · Post by **Fenerit** » 17 Jan 2012, 03:38

Yes guys, you are in right. The source code comes from:
http://www.bendys.com/3d/welcome.html"
and I'm/was unable to contact the author. The source code is under the GNU general public license terms and conditions. Basically, my workarounds on it are:
- changes upon the tS API/MFC calls for the standard windows' constructors, which was the main issue for its uncapability to be loaded correctly within tS versions beyond 5.10.
- hiding all the graphical and code's options concernings non-triangular extrusion and the texture/bumps maps by commenting out the default hard coded values meanwhile shifting the alternative option's functions. In this way the code isn't too much changed, it is just hidden at the user's sight. In doing so its graphical look has been removed in order to avoid confusion, since the bitmap could't be either simply cutted away, or "erased"; which should has been the same kind of "source's modification", imho. The textures/bumps options' code doesn't seem wrong also for 5.1 and above, but it crashed 6.6 with easy and I do not think one thinks to map the extrusion with the same heightfield TGA: either because too small as image to be assigned to or too big to be extruded from. Common tools do it better by working with two different scale and resolution of the image.
- added the INI routines to save the window's position.

Its HTML help must be fitted to the new graphic interface, but nonetheless can be included with the "new" source too. The only issue I reckon is the occasional tS' crash when the extrusion is quickly rendered in raycast mode before saving the scene whist scanline option doesn't get this issue. The code concerning normals seem ok; however I'll do further investigations.

Fenerit · Post by **Fenerit** » 17 Jan 2012, 04:14

P.S.
About the "death of tS" I agree as long as for me tS ended with 6.6. My works on its plugins are only a way to spend a bit of spare time if any.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 17 Jan 2012, 08:56

With reference to the tutorial this is what TS wanna be plugin writers need to see to help us get a handle on C++ TSX plugin development. TS 6.6 is not dead, but more or less in moth ball. I love the older versions of TS. The 7.6x version does not not use TSX and I've yet to see a tutorial like Ken's that does the same step by step for RSX plugin creation with C++ or other programming language. I have Visual Studio Express 8 installed on my system and am trying to adapt it for use with Ken's tutorial as there are changes to the VSE 8 version when attempting to use Ken's tutorial.

FYI: For you programmers and plugin developers current TS users are absolutely straving for some practical information on how to write simple RSX plugins or in this case TSX related plugin compiling. Seriously, I'd love to see some tutorial how to's either way. We don't really expect you all to write the plugins but help us help ourselfs by creating some tutorials on how to use the tools needed to compile plugin addons for TS. Thanks, BNG.

stan · Post by **stan** » 17 Jan 2012, 13:32

Visual Studio Express 8 will not compile rsx because the needed libraries are not included. I believe the same holds true for tsx. you need a full version of vs.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 17 Jan 2012, 16:21

stan wrote:Visual Studio Express 8 will not compile rsx because the needed libraries are not included. I believe the same holds true for tsx. you need a full version of vs.

Really? How about Borland? I thought the TS SDK's included the header and other related recources were all that was reqiured? Are there any other no cost C++ compilers for doing Truespace RSX or TSX addons? Thank, BNG.

DesignDevil · Post by **DesignDevil** » 17 Jan 2012, 16:51

Compiling TSX is possible with C++, FreeBasic ( i wrote the headers for that ) and with Delphi .

For Delphi i got the "Delphi tsx Builder 4.0b" which is for Delphi Version 4/5 and for trueSpace (i think) version 4. That means the header files are not complete with all functions for the latest trueSpace Version. but it should be no problem to add the missed functions.

stan · Post by **stan** » 17 Jan 2012, 17:05

sdk has everything but free versions of visual studio don't have atl and mfc headers needed to compile.

BNG · Post by **BNG** » 18 Jan 2012, 17:01

DesignDevil wrote:Compiling TSX is possible with C++, FreeBasic ( i wrote the headers for that ) and with Delphi .

For Delphi i got the "Delphi tsx Builder 4.0b" which is for Delphi Version 4/5 and for trueSpace (i think) version 4. That means the header files are not complete with all functions for the latest trueSpace Version. but it should be no problem to add the missed functions.

Thanks DesignDevil I have FreeBasic and your converted header files and will look in to this more. As I recall it was for TS version 6. FreeBasic has a support forum that I can search and post questions on. Perhaps some one there can help me get an understanding of how to use the compiler to make some model file converters and importers for TS 6.6. It's more or less a passive project but as time allows I research information and attempt to make some useful sense of it all. Blender uses Python to import and export model data but I don't have a clue how it related to Truespace or if it is of any use considering the diferences between the 2 modelers. Hopefully, some programmers might offer some sugestions on what to try and let the rest of us interpret the information for possible use in getting the basic tools together to create some plugins whether they be for TS 6.6 or the Rosetta version of TS.

United3dArtists Archive

Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.

Re: Ken's TSX creation tutorial using Visual Studio 6.