RGBSB Target Modeler

[smeighan]

This thread is to talk about the portion of RGBSB that will model your megatree so RGBSB can put effects on it.

This is VERY important. If you cannot model your tree , you will NOT be able to use RGBSB.

This initial release is everything except for the editing of an existing tree. Since defining your tree should take less than 60 seconds, just build multiple models.

This release now allows you to create an account on rgbsb. One you create an account you will come into the target modeler screen.

This is what i need from you. Is there any reason you cannot model your existing or future tree?

I am aware of some people who have built tree in what i call a snake method. take a string, go up and then down and then go up again. I will be adding this soon.

Your models are being saved to the database, but it is not like you would lose alot of work. Like i said, you should be able to model your tree in a few minutes.

I expect the ability to edit an existing model will occur tonight.

Todays release is alpha, things may work and stop working. I am releasing code. I expect the stable version ot be released on Monday. I am doing the early release to get feedback.

so have fun http://meighan.net/rgbsb/login/login-form.php

thanks

[smeighan]

Jeff Millard wrote:

I've tried twice to create a tree and each time it states there are no models found under my username. Will try again later.

I am not sure what is happening for you jeff. A number other people have created models with no apparent issues.

i just created a dummy user and created a few models.

if it is happenign again, can you screen shot and mail it to
sean.meighan@oracle.com?

thanks

[Donny M. Carter]

Thanks Sean! Just created my Ray Tree!

Donny

[Donny M. Carter]

Sean, now that I created my first tree, what do I do now?

Thanks again!

[smeighan]

Donny M. Carter wrote:

Sean, now that I created my first tree, what do I do now?

Thanks again!

I have been asked "What Now"

What happens now is I verify that everyone can model their tree. I will choose some of the models entered to be come part of my test suite. This was the goal of this weekend.


the next part is you need to create effects in your user space. Think of the effects you have seen, say the barber pole, the most simple spiral model i have.
That effect has these variables.

Number of stripes. The Barber pole had this set to 2
How many rotations a stripe makes going from the top to the bottom. The barber pole on my web page had this set to 3
Color of each stripe. RED and WHITE were used for Barber Pole.
Thickness of stripe, in Barber Pole case you say to fill it in till the next stripe
Rotation cw or ccw. I think i had it cw
Do you want the whole tree used or only half a mega tree. I set this to be half a megatree


Now you will save this as say BARBER1 in your effects library.

Then you go to your personal library and select a target (Example: MTREE1)and a effect, (Example: BARBER1)
I will ask you for the time quantum, say 50ms,
and how long you want a sequence, say 5 seconds.

I now create one frame with every string#, pixel#, rgb value. In this case I will produce 100 objects

At this point I can make animated gif's. Notice so far the software is sequencer agnostic.
This point is where i have been but i was cheating by setting the variables inside the software and not pulling them from tables.

At this point I expect you will look at the animations and maybe go back and modify your effects and try again.
If you are only going to have one megatree, you will never go back to the target modeler. I do expect you will start to makde 10's or 100's of effects that you personally like.

When satisfied, you select a sequencer and I produce the Lms,vix or lsp file. You then import it into your sequencer and should see what I previewed for you,
Cut and paste it ( here I get fuzzy, since I have used any sequencer software. I expect all three sequencer groups will give me suggestions on how to make this easiest for you.)

In summary
1) you must build your rgb using the target modeler . You just finished this step.
2) u need to select an effect from your personal library of effects u like. I have not released this tool yet. It should be released within the next 1-2 weeks.
3) optional at this point is to get an animated gif to preview
4) finally, you get an output file for your sequencer

STATUS as of feb 25th:

(1) is functional now. I know I will want to change the layout, the usability, the prompts and expand it to model matrix or grids.

(2) is maybe 70% done. Actually building the models, discovering what variables need to be changed, is complete.
What is left is another form where you select from this list
Spirals, bands, meteors, pictures,text
You then get prompted for the variables that belong to that effect. U name this effect and it goes into your library

(3) is done, it needs some clean related to scheduling Linux tasks, cleaning files and such. But the guts of it is done

(4) XML output for sequencers. I have LOR maybe 40% done, vixen 10%, LSP 5%. I need some people's models to work here, what people have done this weekend will help.

I have stated all 4 of these will be done by summer.

Thanks for the feedback

[Denny]

Sequence builder does not save my model type (mega tree, half). Just enters "??" in the table.

[smeighan]

Denny wrote:

Sequence builder does not save my model type (mega tree, half). Just enters "??" in the table.

It stored your model fine, the web page has a decode and i had not added MEGA_HALF in the decode list.

It should be when you go back, you will see it now.

[smeighan]

over 40 people registered today. 30 models were created. I got some feedback and i fixed some bugs. A very good start.

Thanks

http://meighan.net/rgbsb/login/login-form.php

[smeighan]

over 40 people registered today. 30 models were created. I got some feedback and i fixed some bugs. A very good start.

Thanks

http://meighan.net/rgbsb/login/login-form.php

[smeighan]

I know that I'm one of the few, but I decorate for many more holidays than Christmas. That being said, I wonder if you would consider as part of your long term plan some models using different shapes: a heart 2d/3d, a clover 2d/3d, a rainbow with a pot of gold, a flag, a tombstone, a pumpkin 2d/3d, a skull 2d/3d.

-Rimist (via Tapatalk)

Short answer is yes.


To handle these, I will either build a web page template or give the user the ability to upload their own file.

After a target gets made, there is a file that looks like this. The bottom center of a tree is 0,0,0, vertical axis is the Z axis
This is an 8 strand megatree, with 35 pixels each strand.

The file order is
ModelName String# Pixel# X Y Z

With this file, i can project all the effects so see so far on rgbsb. When you "create a model", you give me answers that allow me to build this physical tree.



# t1_88.dat
t1 1 1 0.000 0.849 116.605
t1 1 2 0.000 1.698 113.209
t1 1 3 0.000 2.547 109.814
t1 1 4 0.000 3.395 106.418
t1 1 5 0.000 4.244 103.023
t1 1 6 0.000 5.093 99.627
t1 1 7 0.000 5.942 96.232
t1 1 8 0.000 6.791 92.836
t1 1 9 0.000 7.640 89.441
t1 1 10 0.000 8.489 86.045
t1 1 11 0.000 9.338 82.650
t1 1 12 0.000 10.186 79.254
t1 1 13 0.000 11.035 75.859
t1 1 14 0.000 11.884 72.463
t1 1 15 0.000 12.733 69.068
t1 1 16 0.000 13.582 65.672
t1 1 17 0.000 14.431 62.277
t1 1 18 0.000 15.280 58.881
t1 1 19 0.000 16.129 55.486
t1 1 20 0.000 16.977 52.090
t1 1 21 0.000 17.826 48.695
t1 1 22 0.000 18.675 45.299
t1 1 23 0.000 19.524 41.904
t1 1 24 0.000 20.373 38.508
t1 1 25 0.000 21.222 35.113
t1 1 26 0.000 22.071 31.717
t1 1 27 0.000 22.920 28.322
t1 1 28 0.000 23.768 24.926
t1 1 29 0.000 24.617 21.531
t1 1 30 0.000 25.466 18.135
t1 1 31 0.000 26.315 14.740
t1 1 32 0.000 27.164 11.344
t1 1 33 0.000 28.013 7.949
t1 1 34 0.000 28.862 4.553
t1 1 35 0.000 29.711 1.158

t1 2 1 0.600 0.600 116.605
t1 2 2 1.200 1.200 113.209
t1 2 3 1.801 1.801 109.814
t1 2 4 2.401 2.401 106.418
t1 2 5 3.001 3.001 103.023
t1 2 6 3.601 3.601 99.627
t1 2 7 4.202 4.202 96.232
t1 2 8 4.802 4.802 92.836
t1 2 9 5.402 5.402 89.441
t1 2 10 6.002 6.002 86.045
t1 2 11 6.603 6.603 82.650
t1 2 12 7.203 7.203 79.254
t1 2 13 7.803 7.803 75.859
t1 2 14 8.403 8.403 72.463
t1 2 15 9.004 9.004 69.068
t1 2 16 9.604 9.604 65.672
t1 2 17 10.204 10.204 62.277
t1 2 18 10.804 10.804 58.881
t1 2 19 11.405 11.405 55.486
t1 2 20 12.005 12.005 52.090
t1 2 21 12.605 12.605 48.695
t1 2 22 13.205 13.205 45.299
t1 2 23 13.806 13.806 41.904
t1 2 24 14.406 14.406 38.508
t1 2 25 15.006 15.006 35.113
t1 2 26 15.606 15.606 31.717
t1 2 27 16.207 16.207 28.322
t1 2 28 16.807 16.807 24.926
t1 2 29 17.407 17.407 21.531
t1 2 30 18.007 18.007 18.135
t1 2 31 18.608 18.608 14.740
t1 2 32 19.208 19.208 11.344
t1 2 33 19.808 19.808 7.949
t1 2 34 20.408 20.408 4.553
t1 2 35 21.009 21.009 1.158

t1 3 1 0.849 0.000 116.605
t1 3 2 1.698 0.000 113.209
t1 3 3 2.547 0.000 109.814
t1 3 4 3.395 0.000 106.418
t1 3 5 4.244 0.000 103.023
t1 3 6 5.093 0.000 99.627
t1 3 7 5.942 0.000 96.232
t1 3 8 6.791 0.000 92.836
t1 3 9 7.640 0.000 89.441
t1 3 10 8.489 0.000 86.045
t1 3 11 9.338 0.000 82.650
t1 3 12 10.186 0.000 79.254
t1 3 13 11.035 0.000 75.859
t1 3 14 11.884 0.000 72.463
t1 3 15 12.733 0.000 69.068
t1 3 16 13.582 0.000 65.672
t1 3 17 14.431 0.000 62.277
t1 3 18 15.280 0.000 58.881
t1 3 19 16.129 0.000 55.486
t1 3 20 16.977 0.000 52.090
t1 3 21 17.826 0.000 48.695
t1 3 22 18.675 0.000 45.299
t1 3 23 19.524 0.000 41.904
t1 3 24 20.373 0.000 38.508
t1 3 25 21.222 0.000 35.113
t1 3 26 22.071 0.000 31.717
t1 3 27 22.920 0.000 28.322
t1 3 28 23.768 0.000 24.926
t1 3 29 24.617 0.000 21.531
t1 3 30 25.466 0.000 18.135
t1 3 31 26.315 0.000 14.740
t1 3 32 27.164 0.000 11.344
t1 3 33 28.013 0.000 7.949
t1 3 34 28.862 0.000 4.553
t1 3 35 29.711 0.000 1.158

.etc.

I will be crreating a chapter in the future manual, to talk to how to model other shapes besides a tree or grid.

Remember my original title for this tool "RGB Sequence Builder for Megatrees/Planes or any other arbitrary object"

that has been my architecture design

thanks

[WilliamS]

Done with tree 1. Im going to build a few more when your caught up to make sure it looks how I imagined. Thanks for the hard work.

[heystew]

Sean,
I notice none of the trees built are using CCR.. only Lynx.
I've tried several times and it never takes. I am now getting this error:

REPLACE into MODELS( username,object_name, object_desc, model_type, string_type,  		pixel_count, pixel_first,  pixel_last,  		unit_of_measure, pixel_length,    		total_strings, direction, orientation, topography, h1, h2, d1, d2, d3 , d4) 		values ('','CCB_32', '32 string CCB mega tree', 'MTREE', 'CCR',  		100, 1,  100,  		in, 600,  		32, 'CW', 180, 'UP_DOWN_NEXT', 260, 0, 144, 0, 0, 0)

Error on REPLACE into MODELS( username,object_name, object_desc, model_type, string_type, pixel_count, pixel_first, pixel_last, unit_of_measure, pixel_length, total_strings, direction, orientation, topography, h1, h2, d1, d2, d3 , d4) values ('','CCB_32', '32 string CCB mega tree', 'MTREE', 'CCR', 100, 1, 100, in, 600, 32, 'CW', 180, 'UP_DOWN_NEXT', 260, 0, 144, 0, 0, 0)

hope that helps,
dave

[smeighan]

heystew wrote:

Sean,
I notice none of the trees built are using CCR.. only Lynx.
I've tried several times and it never takes.  I am now getting this error:

REPLACE into MODELS( username,object_name, object_desc, model_type, string_type,  		pixel_count, pixel_first,  pixel_last,  		unit_of_measure, pixel_length,    		total_strings, direction, orientation, topography, h1, h2, d1, d2, d3 , d4) 		values ('','CCB_32', '32 string CCB mega tree', 'MTREE', 'CCR',  		100, 1,  100,  		in, 600,  		32, 'CW', 180, 'UP_DOWN_NEXT', 260, 0, 144, 0, 0, 0)

Error on REPLACE into MODELS( username,object_name, object_desc, model_type, string_type, pixel_count, pixel_first, pixel_last, unit_of_measure, pixel_length, total_strings, direction, orientation, topography, h1, h2, d1, d2, d3 , d4) values ('','CCB_32', '32 string CCB mega tree', 'MTREE', 'CCR', 100, 1, 100, in, 600, 32, 'CW', 180, 'UP_DOWN_NEXT', 260, 0, 144, 0, 0, 0)

hope that helps,
dave

well, you notice the the sql snippet: h1, h2, d1, d2, d3 , d4) values ('','CCB_32',

This indicates that the first parameter, the username you logged in, is being passed in as a null.

Can you PM me your user name? I will go into the database and see what i can find.

We are now at 80 users and 70 models created. It is always strange when someone has an error that others dont. I am going to guess that somehow what navigation path you went through is different than the normal one. I have a design principal that the user is never wrong. In other words, i must protect from any combinations. I just need to find what happened and then i can fix it.

you might also create another username, anything maybe dave1234 and then try creating a model.



thanks

[smeighan]

On another thread, i said sometime this year i plan on supporting Google Sketchup as an input for the target models.

This resulted in this thread


Hi;

"So if I send you an .ipt or .dwg, that's cool?"

it will be when i write the parser. i use google docs and have thought of expanding the places i can get a source file. i was thinking these three sources for target models.

1) rgbsb builds the target model
2) User provides and ascii file , they do all the work
3) take google docs, dwg files .etc.

Today, (1) is the only choice. I said i would look into google docs after i get some major milestones done

1) Build targets using rgnsb, Mostly Done. Need to allow user to delete models they dont want and to edit an existing model
2) Allow users to create effects into their library, In Progress
3) Allow user to select from a pull down of effects from their library and also select a target, this week
4) Produce an animated gof so user can see what that effect will look like on their virtual tree by next week
5) produce xml files for sequencers, 2-8 weeks
6) Create models for other rgb targets , maybe by june
7) New effects, movies, snowstorms, fireworks i will do this as a break from (5)
8) Write a user manual, before june
9) Look to using a google docs file as a target summer, fall

I am working on 2 & 3 now. I hope within the week people will be trying effect son their trees and seeingg the result on the web page.

I expect #5 to take 2-8 weeks.,

I want to be done with 1-5 by june.

thanks

[smeighan]

Released new target builder code Feb 27

This release now has

1) editing (yeah!0. Click on a model name and it will laod the form, edit and save. Still dont have the ability for you to delte models.
2) a unit of measure (inches or cm)
3) There is a summary at the bottom for the form showing what sequencers the users want to support.
4) Changed fields to light blue in form. I had a hard time seeing wher ei should type.
5) Fixed bug where "Ho will you build your tree" = UP/DOWN 180 was not working.
6) modified wording of this prompt.
old: **Total number of Pixels on this string
new: **Total number of Pixels on this string (Note, this is NOT the total pixels on your tree, just the count on one string):
Some people had inputted the total pixel count of their tree. Sorry, if it was not clear.

The hyperlink for editing was not complete and caused people to have a blank user name. I believe this is now fixed since editing should work.

thanks

[smeighan]

Hi all;

All of the original mega tree targets on the web page were 32 strands of lights, each strand had 35 pixels.
http://meighan.net/rgbsb/index.html

i am getting ready to release the next phase of rgbsb.

Phase 1) user can create a target modeling their tree. DONE
Phase 2) User will select from the effects classes (Spirals, Bands, text, Pictures, Meteors, .etc.) , customize the effect and save it in their private library. IN PROGRESS. Probably will be finished within next 7 days.
Phase 3) User select a target model and and effect and produces an animated GIF. IN PROGRESS, This is 75% complete, it will come one oine within next 14 days. This will be a big deal for the users. With this release you can try hundreds of effects on your tree and get a visual idea of what different effects look like. I think this ability to simulate your tree will be popular.
Phase 4) User now chooses to output their data into an xml file for the 3 different sequencers. 2-12 weeks.

I will also start writing a user manual when Phase 3 comes online.

So to give you an idea of what this might look like, i built a different target model. Instead of 32 strands x 35 pixels, here is effects projected onto a 48 strand by 60 pixel tree.

6 spirals, 100ms delay, only show front half of tree



The pictures, as expected, project with better clarity.








And finally, text looks better



thanks

[smeighan]

Question/suggestion:

Should "pixel size" be introduced into your model?

With the current visualizations I see these nicely done pictures projected onto a tree and I think "that's nice!" but I suspect when this is applied to my tree that the images may not be as recognizable. My reason for suggesting this? When I look at the nutcrackers I see one tree with a pixel size that is just as big as the gap between that pixel and the next. in another nutcracker, the is very little gap. i reality the smart pixels are about .39in... and the gap between pixels is 2.61in.

In a different element -- like a coroflake, the pixels sit behind corrugated plastic, and there is no "gap"... instead light from one pixel blends into the area of the pixels around it.

there are other coro examples -- like david moore's candy canes -- where pixels are segregated into separate compartments so that there is little blending/bleeding.

...in the coro examples we might define a pixel as a much larger visible area... maybe 3" circles or 3" squares.

yep, never any lack of tasks. We get one idea, it opens 3 more.

The answer is yes to all of your questions. They can be modeled more and more accurately. as Phase 3 of rgbsb (The ability to have your tree display your effects on an animated gif) comes online, I think people will want to use the tool to do some initial sizing.


So in gnuplot you can specify how big the dots are drawn (in world coordinates).

So i removed the background skeleton that i draw in gray. This was so people could visualize the tree.

Here are 4 images drawn in different dot sizes

0.3" dots


0.6"


1.0"


let gnuplot pick the default dot size


I dont think i can draw them exactly to size, because a gif images is not glowing like a light. maybe 0.6" is closest to real life?

[WilliamS]

very nice Sean, I cant wait to bog down your server with images and crazy tree ideas.

[jimswinder]

smeighan wrote:

I have been asked "What Now"

the next part is you need to create effects in your user space.

Okay..I admit I am pretty lame...but I don't see any "user space" or how to create effects...

[smeighan]

jimswinder wrote:

smeighan wrote:

I have been asked "What Now"

the next part is you need to create effects in your user space.

Okay..I admit I am pretty lame...but I don't see any "user space" or how to create effects...

You dont see it because it is not released yet. You will see it (Phase 2, create effects and store in the user library) by this next weekend.

That will be followed immediately by Phase 3, put a target and an effect together and get an animated gif on the web page.

thanks
sean