anyone know much about vb and 3D?

[Dr_Doggy]

just a few questions maybe someone will know ?

my first confusion is with the vb framework, when i open an app it asks if i should do a vbform, c#form or c++form, i just never know which to choose, i realize the general answer to this question, so i will start with i like windows over mac due to the wider selection in software, and would rather take the time to learn the longer route, if it enhances my vocabulary.

for example AFORGE framework was very cool and had working form first day, but i feel is a waste of time for me since i desire a greater complexity.
notmine, but good example of what I did with just few lines of code:

However, i have discovered that i need something more advanced, i would like this for my robot:

they use something called SLAM, but i cannot figure out how they are doing this. (wat framework, lang), I like the 3d point maps they use. and would like to do a mod ver of this. mostly using their mapping methods, could this be directx? or openGL?

Also for robo, i would like to do this aswell:

with more details this is called the PTAM, using OPENCV framework for c++, or OPENTK equivalent for c#, but in tutorials they dont really talk about 3d point maps:
https://opencv-srf.blogspot.ca/
I also wonder how they do their sprites in these , are they 3ds files?

ALSO i found a program called RTAB map which looks like the basis for my slam, but doesnt work for me since i dont have kinex and cannot figure out how/which code to plugin to vb to use that 3d map for myself.

"THEPLAN" = so far I think i should go with c# cos of RtabMap and OpenTK(CV's c# equivilant), I still need to figure out framework import to incorporate 3d animated sprite objects though... and knock aforge out the window

so basically my questions are:
1) what is generic file type for SLAM 3d sprite objects, and for PTAM 3d pointmaps? AND are there applications out there to preview?
3) what framework and language should i use for both SLAM and PTAM mapping simultaneously?
2) can i combine vb.net, vb.c# vbc++ at all?
4) am i in the right direction with "THEPLAN"!?

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

I modified this Direct X sample source code

to make a live, real time, 3-D navigation display of the ocean floor.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

It was a lot of work but it turned out the way I wanted. I made my own flat mesh, then applied depth soundings to it from a 4 megabyte data file in memory. That made the mesh into a height field. Then I applied the corresponding section of nautical chart to the mesh. That Dolphin sample was in the Direct X 8 Software Development Kit for C++ and VB.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

I went to a demo lately on Virtual/Augmented Reality plus 3D Printing.
Maybe you can glean some info from the slide show.

https://www.slideshare.net/LarryRosenthal/3-d2014-presentation


I didn’t realize until I saw this picture later that a space ship was about to blast my head!

 

[GaryCole]

I've receintly seen models printed on 3D printer, there were toys from game Data 2. There were awesome!

 

[Dr_Doggy]

hmm, work, not wat i want to hear clyde! but nice job with that , im still leaning most with the point clout library but its in c++ aswell, and i launched my project with c#, maybe i should reconsider this, or is there a way to get both types to work together? It was very hard to choose , as the comparisons on web were vague,... also i am just starting to get working code together for usb devices in #.
also what was coding DX like:
I read that its is no longer supported and i should use something called xml.,
also did you need to design the 3D view window, or is there easy button to set it up(sounds like project in itself)?
is there a way to access single xyz points?
what is it like setting up camera angle?
what is file format of dolphin?
what is file format of your map ?

I found a c# equivalent to openGl , which was used alot in youtube examples, called openTK, but im just starting in it, so idk if I like it yet. so far I m still getting sample program setup..

also i am learnin about printing aswell, so far my first design got estimated @250$, rep was nice enough to explain that i could not do on makerbot, my shape was basically a 10cm hollow plateau, the complexity was that the flat part at the top couldnt be done without a base to build on. now i found a photolithic 3d printer, looks smarter and simpler with design,but then cannot do chocolate!

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

I will have to look on an old computer for that info. It was before 2002 so I’m sure there are better ways now.

POV-Ray - The Persistence of Vision Raytracer https://www.povray.org/ is good for setting up camera and lighting angles and understanding 3-D.
These may be good for your purpose.

 

[Dr_Doggy]

no need to lookup, just trying to get orientated for now and wondering how all these programs worked and comes together(integrates), ie is it like writing to a array ie.. a{x,y,z}=2,
, an i imagine formats are like movies... all different compressions

thats the page i was checking out, and revisited pcl, already have maya and 123d as well as inventor and blender, also i found Rtab map which looks like what i want,
maybe its just me thou but all these progies seems more intent on creating object blobs and shaping them , as oppose i am thinking i want to create point speckles from camera, an then maybe form as object afterward,
maybe i should rethink that..

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

The Direct X mesh is triangles with all X,Y,Z points saved in text format with a filename.X extension. All points are addressable and alterable in memory. That is what I did to make it a live 3-D view of the ocean floor under your boat. The map is a 256 color bitmap that I could get sections of by their x,y coordinates.

I used their “Dolphin” sample code as a template & starting place for loading files, moving the mesh and applying the map (skin) and the 3-D view window.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

What, exactly will the finished product be? A picture? Animation like a video game? Physical 3-D printout?

 

[Ian Rogers]

Have you had a look at PureBasic???? Its VB with built in 3D Pretty cheap to...

 

[Dr_Doggy]

well some years ago when i first learned about microcontrollers i did a quad rotor, trashy design, it was kite shape frame that used automotive break line(nice,light malleable but sturdy) sandwiched between pcb's and standoffs,. hot glue for impact buffers, and cardboard walls to hide guts.

i got as far as running microcontroller off a futaba remote, it was able to take off and land, hard to balance and control thou, never made it off "leash" tether, ESCs had relay cutoffs, linked to ir receiver (coded so i could shoot it down with tv remote(independent hardware), hardware was PIC2550(hdw ctrl) also setup with ultrasound sensor under each BLDC with servo, buttons & 232 input(for bluetooth firefly), futaba receiver, n som flashies , plus 4620 addition microcontroller dedicated to navigation & gps, , never got to coding though plan at the time was a*

with inventor & eagle i can now print a way better design , and since im doing that i want to modify body to better design , more flashies/servos and devices, plus i want to switch to gsm comm, AND have you guys seen the new pocket pc's, perfect cos now i can code on pc(replace 4620) , with lots of process power, usb to PIC(hdw ctrl), bluetooth for comm and android plugs, plus better hdw pcb, factory printed , ie not my slopy wire wrap, and POCKET PROJECTORS!!?

this has lead me to c# where i have gotten in to usb cam(s),usb xbox game controller, figured out, using aforge.video and libusbdotnet. AND attempting similar to "motioninjoy" for move, i am almost fin there, creating a complete socket, but still need to learn to say bluetooth.connect() or bluetooth.listen() ...ect... and barly flying by seat of my pants with all these methods contstructors classes namespace BLAH

the intent is to do this for my robo(using instead dual gen usb cam), position mapping and locating:

plus some of this with the wand:

plus if i had projectors and cams it would be fun to addin a r2d2 projector like this(but may not) :

From there, i would like to get in to neural nets and genetic algorithms and see what i can do from there, for smoother hardware and smarter responses and motion. 3d object recognition, path finding and the like,.. plus again with projector it would be cool to have a
Photopolymerization 3d printer since all i would need is table side(zaxis), and this style produces more complex prints and would be easier to do larger ones aswell (other than 10x10 inch)

for now:
I dont really wnt to stray from vb since i have found all these plugins for it,, ie autodesk, excel, ect.. and my ultimate goal is to improve(extend) what i can do with a cpu and code.
also i feel foolish for the million questions, i just found a whole graphics tab which has 3d viewer called scene.fbx(under add new item, vb2013) , so ima see if i can use that.. i figure all this will take a year or two which will be a good filler while i complete all my other half fin projects, plus allow for me to save up for components.

Also I am recalling why I avoided c++, the transition from c to c# wasnt that big, few extra "."s , a curve about objects(fluked), i am able to at least stitch from examples,

i am getting scared already , there are alot more semicolons and these "^" are those pointers, i remember my head is still spinning frm my last discussion re them when i was introduced. and what is this "->". already off the hop i am having problem with just calling a 2nd form inside form , also it seems according to example that they want me to do all my code in source.cpp file?

I have just invested in OOP for dummies, maybe i should get c++ dummies too?
and i think that is what things are boiling down to, c++ seems to be more wide spread for all this stuff despite its increased complexity, i guess all thats left is , is it worth going to c++?

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Cool projects.
My Visual C++ 6.0 is from 1999. I still use it but I thought C# or .net made it obsolete years ago.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Cool projects.
My Visual C++ 6.0 is from 1999. I still use it but I thought C# or .net made it obsolete years ago.

I had to update a program recently.... I downloaded from the web years ago with source... When I ran it (tried) on windows7 I was informed that windows didn't support the exe and could I contact the author for a more recent version.. Well I doubt he updated this let alone I could find him... I downloaded visual studio 2010 and it compiled straight off the bat!!! I believe only visual studio 2013 has dropped C++...

 

[Dr_Doggy]

they did cut it for 2012 furshure, but brought it back in 2013, however , watch tutorial i used, starting forms in the other language was alot simpler as well, skip to 2:55min:

I was reading here and there that ++ was obsolete aswell but concluded that they may have brought it back due to popular demand., also i notice that debugger(vb) only presents errors now, and not the suggestion box i have accustom too.

sry Ian , was going to mention this in your thread but did not see it till after you resolved

 

[Ian Rogers]

Cool projects.
My Visual C++ 6.0 is from 1999. I still use it but I thought C# or .net made it obsolete years ago.

I had to update a program recently.... I downloaded from the web years ago with source... When I ran it (tried) on windows7 I was informed that windows didn't support the exe and could I contact the author for a more recent version.. Well I doubt he updated this let alone I could find him... I downloaded visual studio 2010 and it compiled straight off the bat!!! I believe only visual studio 2013 has dropped it... However!! as you can see from Dr_Doggy.. you can still request it

 

[Dr_Doggy]

ya an error from HRESULT rite, again sry, after a week downloading like 50 things , and linking paths(which caused other probs), gave up on it, picked it up a few weeks later, and found that video,: the build was there but you need to build project manually, starting a blank c++ project, then adding the form as item.

It is funny too, cos i had a guy tell me once that there was only c# and c++, and at the time i knew c from the microcontrollers, even my book says c!, but cos of guy i decided that the c i knew was c#, and when i was using c# i thought i was learning c++, which also sent me for a spin there! and even better is that now i read c# tutorial and found out what ifndef means!
(lol guy also told me he was one of the 10 developers that created the language (i forget which, either # or ++))

neway, i wonder which of the 2 languages did you guys start with and which do you prefer? which one do you guys think will dominate the future? and how hard is the ++ learning curve?
still getting around to trying this graphics thing, but if i can get it working i will have green light that i can do this all in c#

I also wonder, has ETO ever thought of starting a code section in the forums for os levels, with sub sections for langs? I just think that communication has come along way with things like wifi and bluetooth modules along with nano android devices and such