d alphadefines the transparency of the material to be alpha. The default is 1.0 (not transparent at all) Some formats use Tr instead of d;Tr alphadefines the transparency of the material to be alpha. The default is 1.0 (not transparent at all). Some formats use d instead of Tr;

Your file has d=1 and Tr=0 for the same material - which should be an error.

I can add a "SkipTransparencyValues" property on the importer if this is a common error for files exported from 3dsmax.

<Window x:Class="PipeDemo.Window1"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:ht="clr-namespace:HelixToolkit.Wpf;assembly=HelixToolkit.Wpf"
     Title="Pipe Demo" Height="480" Width="640">
	<Window.Resources>
		<MaterialGroup x:Key="dm1">
			<DiffuseMaterial>
				<DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
					<LinearGradientBrush StartPoint="0, 0.5" EndPoint="1, 0.5">
						<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
							<GradientStop Color="Yellow" Offset="0" />
							<GradientStop Color="Red" Offset=".25" />
							<GradientStop Color="Blue" Offset=".50" />
							<GradientStop Color="LimeGreen" Offset=".75" />

						</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
					</LinearGradientBrush>
				</DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
			</DiffuseMaterial>
		</MaterialGroup>
	</Window.Resources>
	<Grid>
		<ht:HelixViewport3D ZoomExtentsWhenLoaded="True" PanGesture="LeftClick"  >
			<ht:SunLight  />
			<ht:GridLinesVisual3D/>
			<ht:TubeVisual3D Path="{Binding Pipe}" Diameter="5" IsPathClosed="False" Material="{StaticResource dm1}" BackMaterial="{StaticResource dm1}" />
		</ht:HelixViewport3D>
	</Grid>
</Window>

public IList<Point3D> Pipe { get; set; }
		
public Window1()
{
	InitializeComponent();
	Pipe = this.CreatePath();
	DataContext = this;
}



private IList<Point3D> CreatePath()
{
	List<Point3D> list = new List<Point3D>();
	for (int i = -5; i < 5; i++)
	{
		list.Add(new Point3D(i * 10, 0, 5));
	}
	return list;
}



I want to create a bounding box in helix view port in MVVM.

My ViewModel has this:

var size = 6000;
var axesMeshBuilder = new HelixToolkit.Wpf.MeshBuilder();
var bb = new Rect3D(-1 * size / 2, -1 * size / 2, -1*size, size, size, size);
axesMeshBuilder.AddBoundingBox(bb, 10);
Box = axesMeshBuilder.ToMesh();

Which sets the Geometry3d type Box property in ViewModel:

public Geometry3D Box { get; set; }

And the Xaml View has:

         <h:HelixViewport3D>
            <h:SunLight />
            <ModelVisual3D>
                <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                    <GeometryModel3D Geometry="{Binding Box}" Material="{h:Material Black}"/>
                </ModelVisual3D.Content>
            </ModelVisual3D>
        </h:HelixViewport3D>

This works but unit tests on ViewModel fails with exception:

System.ServiceModel.CommunicationObjectAbortedException: The communication object, System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel, cannot be used for communication because it has been Aborted.

This is because I am setting the MeshBuilder in View Model. Ideally this logic should be in Xaml View. Can you suggest how can I move the MeshBuilder logic to XAML and bind to Rect3d?

Something like this:

         <h:HelixViewport3D>
            <h:SunLight />
            <ModelVisual3D>
                <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                    <GeometryModel3D Material="{h:Material Black}">
                        <!--Mesh Builder logic here -->
                    <GeometryModel3D />
                </ModelVisual3D.Content>
            </ModelVisual3D>
        </h:HelixViewport3D>

In case if the above answer is no we can't do that, alternatively how can we draw similar bounding box following MVVM?

I think I got it.
This works:

<h:BoundingBoxVisual3D Diameter="10" BoundingBox="{Binding Box}" Fill="White"/>

Thanks for the cool library.

  private Geometry3D LoadGeoFromFile(string objPath)
        {
            Model3DGroup group = ModelImporter.Load(objPath);
            GeometryModel3D model = group.Children[0] as GeometryModel3D;
           
            return model.Geometry;

        }

 <helix:HelixViewport3D>
                <ModelVisual3D>
                    <helix:DefaultLights/>
                    <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                        <GeometryModel3D Geometry="{Binding TestFile}" Changed="GeometryModel3D_Changed">
                            <GeometryModel3D.Material>
                                <DiffuseMaterial>
                                    <DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                                        <SolidColorBrush Color="Gray"/>
                                    </DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                                </DiffuseMaterial>
                            </GeometryModel3D.Material>
                        </GeometryModel3D>
                        
                    </ModelVisual3D.Content>
                </ModelVisual3D>
            </helix:HelixViewport3D> 



and was therefore able to display the geometry just with a plain brush (to improve performance). Right now I tried 
the newest source code (to check if loading times etc. improved) but the described procedure isn't working anymore.
The ViewPort only shows parts of the whole model at best.  
Did something substantial change which could forbid this way of doing it or is it just a minor thing which I am not seeing ('cause 
I am still starting to learn programming)?

Cheers

Mede

 

private Geometry3D LoadFromFile(string objPath)
        {
            Model3DGroup group = ModelImporter.Load(objPath);
            MeshBuilder TestMesh = new MeshBuilder(false, false);


            foreach (var m in group.Children)
            {
                var mGeo = m as GeometryModel3D;
                var mesh = (MeshGeometry3D)((Geometry3D)mGeo.Geometry);
                if (mesh!=null) TestMesh.Append(mesh);
            }
            return TestMesh.ToMesh();

        }

How can I change this stock (non-Helix) function to work with things like CubeVisual3D?

Right now I get

Value of type 'Helixtoolkit.Wpf.CubeVisual3D' cannot be converted to 'System.Windows.UIElement'. ...which makes sense. Any thoughts?

• To Be Clear: I don't want to change the cube's type at all, but merely be able to clone it in the way below, returning the correct UIElement equivalent in the Helix namespace...*
  

    Public Function CloneElement(ByVal orig As UIElement) As UIElement
        If orig Is Nothing Then
            Return (Nothing)
        End If
        Dim s As String = System.Windows.Markup.XamlWriter.Save(orig)
        Dim stringReader As New StringReader(s)
        Dim xmlReader As XmlReader = XmlTextReader.Create(stringReader, New XmlReaderSettings())
        Return CType(System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.Load(xmlReader), UIElement)
    End Function

The call to this function looks like this (pardon this editor's formatting):

Task.Factory.StartNew(
    Function() { 
        Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(New Action(Sub()
            Dim clone As CubeVisual3D = CType(CloneElement(cube1), CubeVisual3D)
            Messenger.Default.Send(Of HelixToolkit.Wpf.CubeVisual3D)(cube1) ' sends to AddAChildMvvm()
    End Sub))})

It's a threading problem, and the Function creates an instance of the cube in thsi thread, not the thread it was originally created under/in.

Thanks!

pat
:)

Hi,

I am trying to load a simple .3ds file with a texture that I exported from Blender. It appears to read some garbage into the texture image name here (StudioReader.cs):

                case ChunkID.MAT_MAP:
                    texture = this.ReadMatMap(reader, size - 6);
                    break;

Then when it tries to load the image, it borks with "System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path".

I'm not familiar enough with the .3ds format to know if this is a problem with the reader or with the model, but it does seem to load fine in the OpenSceneGraph viewer.

I have the file and texture available if that would help, but I'm not sure how to attach them to this discussion (if that is even possible).

Thanks!

Hithere,

anyone knows something about transparency and sorting with the sharpdx fork?
In the Helix3D lib there's an container object called HelixToolkit.Wpf.SharpDX. It is sorting faces/models related to their camera position. It's quite a bit slow on huge amount of faces. Thats why I'm switched to try the sharpdx fork.

With no sorting, models in the back of the transparent model are often invisible, what destroys the effect of transparency.

In the sharpdx fork, there's no equivalent on the first sight. If it is coded managed, I'd like to say it's same kind of slow. (what is ok for lower count of faces)

Is there a "natural" way of sharpdx, even the use of shaders, for sorting / natural looking transparency / see-through?
Anyone knows?
Thanks in advance!
eon

Sorry, I don't think transparency is supported yet in the SharpDX library.

Just transparency is supported via:

          // model materials
            this.RedMaterial = PhongMaterials.Red;
            var diffColor = this.RedMaterial.DiffuseColor;
            diffColor.Alpha = 0.5f;

...a material thing. But sorting is the problem.
I'll gonna try a shader approach.
Thank you...

Let us know if you solve this with shaders, getting transparency working properly with SharpDX would be a really nice feature!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order-independent_transparency

I struggled with a more basic problem:
How to bind in a custom shader to my HELIX app?

Experts,

This is just getting to the point where it is dragging me down mentally. I hate being stuck on something long after I've 'paid my dues' (searched & tried way more than I should have to on a single issue)...

It is actually simple:

-Do what the OnMouseDown() does i the Flights Demo, but programmatically.

Private Overloads Sub OnMouseDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As MouseButtonEventArgs)
Dim ftv = New ConnectionVisual3D(Me, ConnectionPoints(0), ConnectionPoints(1))
ftv.MyOpacity = 1.0
view1.Children.Add(ftv)

2014-07-18 EDIT:

I neglected to show how I am calling my child WPF window (the Flight Demo). This is probably important:

Private Sub mnuDisplay_DisplayEarth_click(sender As Object, e As RoutedEventArgs)
            Dim wpfEarth As New TheEarthWindow(Me)
            wpfEarth.Show()
            Dim newWindowThread As New Thread(New ThreadStart(Sub()
                                                                  Dim tempWindow As New TheEarthWindow(Me)
                                                                  AddHandler tempWindow.Closed, Sub(s2, e2) Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher.BeginInvokeShutdown(DispatcherPriority.Background)
                                                                  tempWindow.Show()
                                                                  System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
                                                              End Sub))
            ' required for WPF:
            newWindowThread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA)
            ' Make the thread a background thread
            newWindowThread.IsBackground = True
            ' Start the thread
            newWindowThread.Start()

Q: I tried DOZENS of ways to open up a child WPF window, and this was the best I could do. How does spawning a child WPF Window like this impact addressing and adding children in the child window (I called the Flight Demo window "TheEarthWindow" here)?

TIA!

ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS

I have the main thread watching a MSMQ, which feeds it 'connections'. Al lthis is fine. The problem comes when I go to add the 'connecction' to the 'earth', and I get either:

1. The dread "The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it."
2. Or the less frequent "This API was accessed with arguments from the wrong context."
   

...no matter WHAT I try... I have even gone as far as creating events & delegates, adding connections to the ObservableCollection, creating my own OCs, and every manner of delegates, invokes, and Dispatchers.

I have even tried creating my own ItemsControl in XAML, but I can't figure out how to code it for the tubes (no intellisense accepts it), or where in the 'tree' to place the following:

        <ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding Flights}">
            <ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
                <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                        <Viewport3D /> <---???
                </ItemsPanelTemplate>
            </ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
        </ItemsControl>

Here is how I last was configured to

    Private Sub AddTheConnection(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
        Try
            Me.childConn.MyOpacity = 1.0
            TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childConn)
            Me.Connections.Add(childConn) ' for reference so they can be removed later...
        Catch ex As Exception
            Dim m As String = "AddTheConnection"
            log.Fatal(m & "() Exception.Message(): " & ex.Message)
            log.Fatal(m & "() Exception.ToString(): " & ex.ToString)
            log.Fatal(m & "() Exception.StackTrace(): " & ex.StackTrace)
        End Try
    End Sub

This was called any number of ways, and some attempts were without an event signature on the methods. Here is a commented summary of failures:

 ' this crashed App.run:
        'If Not Application.Current.Dispatcher.CheckAccess() Then
        '    Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(New MyFunctionDelegate(AddressOf AddChildToScene))
        '    Return ' Important to leave the culprit thread
        'End If
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'Me.TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childObject)
        'TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childObject)
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'Me.Dispatcher.Invoke(Sub()
        '                         TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childObject)
        '                     End Sub)
        '' yields: This API was accessed with arguments from the wrong context.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        ' MyBase.AddChild(childObject)
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        ' Me.AddChild(childObject)
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'stackPanel.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(DispatcherPriority.Normal, Sub() stackPanel.Children.Add(New TextBlock With {.Text = text})))
        'TheEarthSphere.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(Sub()
        '                                          TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childObject)
        '                                      End Sub)
        ' yields: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
        ' from this line in Firsty: System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'Me.view1.Children.Add(childObject)
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'Me.view1.Dispatcher.Invoke(Sub()
        '                               view1.Children.Add(childObject)
        '                           End Sub)
        ' yields: This API was accessed with arguments from the wrong context.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        ' Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(New Action(Sub()
        'Me.Dispatcher.Invoke(New Action(Sub()
        '                                    TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childObject)
        '                                End Sub))
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        'Me.view1.Dispatcher.Invoke(New Action(Sub()
        '                                          'TheEarthSphere.Children.Add(childConn)
        '                                          Me.Conns.Add(childConn)
        '                                      End Sub))
        ' yields: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.
        '=========================================================================
        ' this:
        'Me.Dispatcher.Invoke(New Action(Sub()
        '                                    Me.Conns.Add(childConn)
        '                                End Sub))
        ' yields:
        '=========================================================================
        ' an event to allow thread communication?

        'RaiseEvent ConnectionAdded(Me, EventArgs.Empty)

        '=========================================================================

tried view1.Children.Add(childConn) and got: The calling thread cannot access this object because a different thread owns it.

Seriously, what am I going to have to do to get past this and move on?

Yours in desperation...

pat
:(

Experts,

Maybe I can get some help with this problem.

I have the Flights Demo code running fine in a WPF window-as long as that window is the "Startup URI" in my project's Properties -> Application -> Statup URI. It responds to mouse & keyboard as expected.

BUT, when I call that same class from code as a child of a parent WPF window, the child displays fine-and even animates-but is completely unresponsive to mouse & keyboard (except to close the window itself.

Now here is the weird part/hint that might tell the right person what the issue is:

When I close the child WPF window by clicking the close("x") widget, the window goes away, but I can see it still generating log entries!

Figuring on a thread-centric need, I have tried the following with no change in symptoms:

A. Just call it:

Dim wpfEarth As New vASA.TheEarthWindow
wpfEarth.Show()

B. Dispatchers:
(calling function/sub):

Dim thread = New Thread(New ThreadStart(AddressOf Me.DisplayEarthOnThread))
thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA)
thread.Start()
thread.Join()
[...]

Private Sub DisplayEarthOnThread()
    Try
        Dim wpfEarth As New vASA.TheEarthWindow
        wpfEarth.Show()
        AddHandler wpfEarth.Closed, Sub(s, e) wpfEarth.Dispatcher.InvokeShutdown()
        System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
    Catch ex As Exception
        [...]
    End Try
End Sub

C. A ton of random variations on:

Dispatcher.Invoke(Sub()
    Dim wpfEarth As New vASA.TheEarthWindow
    wpfEarth.Show()
    AddHandler wpfEarth.Closed, Sub(sender2, e2) wpfEarth.Dispatcher.InvokeShutdown()
    System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
        End Sub)

D. This is SUPPOSED to kill the child window when it closes, but doesn't (still unresponsive like the above ones):

Dim newWindowThread As New Thread(New ThreadStart(Sub()
                                                                  ' When the window closes, shut down the dispatcher
                                                                  ' Start the Dispatcher Processing
                                                                  Dim tempWindow As New TheEarthWindow()
                                                                  AddHandler tempWindow.Closed, Sub(s2, e2) Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher.BeginInvokeShutdown(DispatcherPriority.Background)
                                                                  tempWindow.Show()
                                                                  System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
                                                              End Sub))
newWindowThread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA)
' Make the thread a background thread
newWindowThread.IsBackground = True
' Start the thread
newWindowThread.Start()

...
I could really use some insight... The parent is a stock WPF Window Project, and the Child is a HelixViewport3D window...

TIA!

pat
:)

I'm such an idiot...

I always tell people, and it may well be a part of Murphy's or Man Law, but if you are really stuck, just ask someone for help. The fact that you posted a request for help almost guarantees it is a stupid, silly oversight on your part.

Now, with the answer at hand, it WAS a stupid, silly thing, and one which had (relatively) little to do with Helix.

Suitably embarrassed, let's just leave it at "RTFM", shall we? :)

Thanks!

pat
:)

I am glad you solved it! I did not understand much of that code!
Maybe there should be a special forum for rubber duck problem solving? :-)