STEP simply has no provision for entities required for photo-realistic rendering. Even VRML is somewhat limited in that respect but it's leagues ahead of STEP.
- Cirilo On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 9:27 PM, David Novak <david.no...@dajac.com> wrote: > Please enlighten me. I've always thought of STEP as the best end game, but > haven't had much time to investigate advantages and disadvantages. What > prevents STEP models from looking just as good as VRML models? > > Best Regards, > David > > > On 11/6/2017 4:17 PM, Cirilo Bernardo wrote: > > I wouldn't worry about the STEP file having numerous small parts; > this happens all the time anyway unless the model can be fused. > I don't see us abandoning VRML. I wrote the new parser but never > use VRML except when testing the VRML parser. However, many > people out there like to have VRML to make shiny models to show > people. I suspect there are more users who want VRML rather > than STEP and that the STEP models are used mostly by > professional users and hobbyists who happen to have an MCAD > package. VRML is also used by some professionals for brochures > or web page images; there is no disputing that STEP models look > terribly ugly. > > On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 4:17 PM, José Ignacio <jose.cyb...@gmail.com> wrote: > > The only thing i really have against this is that it would make a pretty > messy step file because the component would be broken up in tiny parts. > Wouldn't there be a space saving with just ditching wrl altogether? the next > stable won't need them > > On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 9:53 AM, Kristoffer Ödmark > <kristofferodmar...@gmail.com> wrote: > > To be fair, as it stands now, even if it is "only" for the pin headers, > this is close to half of the 3d library size as of now. > > The pin headers can now be of an arbitrary size as well. Someone can now > create a 4x6 pin header for example, and the current footprints can be > converted to this array system, thus reducing the size. > > Arbitrary pin headers are a step up anyway. > > This being said, I have not tested the patch yet, but even if it is "only" > for pin headers, the idea is sound to me. > > > > On 11/06/2017 04:22 PM, easyw wrote: > > Hi Oliver, > > I'm sorry not to be on your side for this option... > > 1) for which kind of modules this array is applicable? > I see only pin-headers straight and angled... > for example box headers are not easily done unless you consider to manage > by the code the box for each model > 2) the problem related to the big 3D library dimension will not be > covered unless for some little family that can be managed by this on the fly > generator > > As I already suggested, the issue with the huge 3D github library can be > managed in a different way: > 1) give the kicad users only a basic 3D library (i.e. most used smd and > th families) > 2) give an option to pcbnew to automatically create a list of the missing > models needed for a project and collecting only them through a wget > process... > > This will give a very low downloading band need and will not increase the > need of disk space for having all the 3D library locally, full of unwanted > models. > > Here a conversation of this issue: > https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-library/issues/1532#issuecomment-341707706 > > my two-cents > Maurice > > On 11/06/2017 3:01 PM, Oliver Walters wrote: > > To provide an option to reduce the size of the 3D model library, I have > implemented an "array" feature for 3D models. A module (footprint) can > reference a single model multiple times, with a dimensional offset between > each copy. > > (Note - just the PinHeader models are currently over 1GB! This feature > lets you use a single 3D model for all pin headers or similar repetitive > footprints within a certain series). > > Features: > > 1. Specify repeat count and repeat step in x/y/z axes > 2. Save / load implemented. (If no repeat option used, no extra output > is generated - old files are not touched) > 3. Render in 3D viewer > 4. Render in raytracing viewer > 5. Export to VRML (multiple references to single file) > 6. Export to STEP > > Notes: > > a. An exported STEP file will now be (possibly) much smaller as it > references a single small object multiple times > b. There were a couple of bugs I found where model offset units were > incorrectly translated between INCHES and MM > > A couple of screenshots: > > https://imgur.com/a/EOwPh > > > Testing: > > Wayne verified that the file units for 3D model data are in mm - I > *think* this means that there was previously a bug regarding 3D model > offset, where the scaling factor in the file was interpreted as inches when > exporting (e.g. to STEP) > > I believe I have fixed this bug - confirmation would be great. > > Cheers, > Oliver > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > -- > -Kristoffer > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp