This reference page is linked to from the following overview topics: SDK Change Details.

Detailed Description

Provides a number of utility functions for working with MNMesh.

#include <mnmesh.h>

Inheritance diagram for MNMeshUtilities:

Public Member Functions
	MNMeshUtilities (MNMesh *mesh)
	Constructor.
DllExport bool	GetBorderFromEdge (int edge, Tab< int > &border)
	Given a one-sided edge in the MNMesh, retrieves the border loop which that edge forms with other one-sided edges.
DllExport bool	AutoSmooth (float threshold, DWORD faceFlag)
	Applies new smoothing groups to the MNMesh, smoothing between any faces that share an edge with an edge angle less than "threshold".
DllExport bool	FlipHingeAngle (Point3 &origin, Point3 &axis, int hingeEdge, DWORD faceFlag)
	Indicates whether the hinge angle should be multiplied by -1, based on the local topology and geometry of the mesh.
DllExport bool	HingeFromEdge (Point3 &origin, Point3 &axis, float angle, int segments, MNFaceClusters &fclust, int clusterID)
	New version of old "MNMesh::LiftFaceClusterFromEdge" method which doesn't require a hinge edge.
DllExport bool	MakeFlaggedPlanar (int selLev, DWORD flag, float softSel, Point3 delta=NULL)
	Determines an average plane of the flagged subobjects, and moves vertices toward it according to their soft selection value.
DllExport bool	MoveVertsToPlane (Point3 &norm, float offset, float softSel, Point3 delta=NULL)
	Moves soft-selected vertices toward the plane given according to their soft selection value, or produces an array of offsets which would do so.
DllExport bool	CollapseEdges (DWORD edgeFlag)
	Edge-based collapse function - all edges with the given flag will be collapsed, which means their vertex endpoints will be joined into a single vertex.
DllExport bool	CollapseEdges (DWORD edgeFlag, Tab< int > &pointDest)
	Edge-based collapse function - all edges with the given flag will be collapsed, which means their vertex endpoints will be joined into a single vertex.
DllExport void	ConstrainDeltaToEdges (Tab< Point3 > deltaIn, Tab< Point3 > deltaOut)
	Constrains the vectors given for each vertex so that they are limited to travel along a neighboring edge.
DllExport void	ConstrainDeltaToFaces (Tab< Point3 > deltaIn, Tab< Point3 > deltaOut)
	Constrains the vectors given for each vertex so that they are limited to travel along a neighboring face.
DllExport bool	ExtrudeOpenEdges (DWORD edgeFlag, bool clearFlagOnOldEdges, bool useTracking)
	Extrude method which creates new faces along open edges.
DllExport bool	BridgeBorders (int edge1, int twist1, int edge2, int twist2, float smoothThresh, int segments, float taper, float bias)
	Creates a bridge between two border loops.
DllExport bool	BridgePolygons (int face1, int twist1, int face2, int twist2, float smoothThresh, int segments, float taper, float bias)
	Creates a bridge between two polygons.
DllExport bool	BridgePolygonClusters (DWORD polyFlag, float smoothThresh, int segments, float taper, float bias, int twist1, int twist2)
	Creates bridges between polygon clusters.
DllExport bool	BridgeSelectedBorders (DWORD edgeFlag, float smoothThresh, int segments, float taper, float bias, int twist1, int twist2)
	Creates bridges between flagged borders.
DllExport int	FindDefaultBridgeTwist (int face1, int face2)
	Returns a good default twist for face2, when bridging between face1 and face2 with no twist for face1.
DllExport bool	TurnDiagonal (int face, int diagonal)
	"Turns" the diagonal by removing it and creating a new one going across it.
DllExport bool	Relax (DWORD vertexFlag, float softSel, float relaxAmount, int relaxIters, bool holdBoundaryPts, bool holdOuterPts, Point3 delta=NULL)
	This is a new version of the MNMesh::Relax method, which is designed to move all vertices a little closer to their neighbors.
DllExport int	SelectPolygonsByAngle (int startPolygon, float angle, BitArray &polySel)
	Starting with the polygon given, this algorithm creates a BitArray selection of all polygons it can get to without crossing any edges whose angle is greater than the angle given.
DllExport void	CutPrepare ()
	This method is used at the beginning of a series of cuts.
DllExport void	CutCleanup ()
	This method is used after a series of cuts, to "clean up" any extra edges which are necessary to have.

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

MNMeshUtilities ( MNMesh * mesh ) [inline]

Constructor.

Takes MNMesh pointer, which is the mesh that is operated upon in all MNMeshUtilities methods.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

{ mpMesh = mesh; }

Member Function Documentation

DllExport bool GetBorderFromEdge	(	int	edge,
		Tab< int > &	border
	)

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Given a one-sided edge in the MNMesh, retrieves the border loop which that edge forms with other one-sided edges.

The border loop produced will be in sequential order going CCW around the hole, starting with the edge given.

Parameters:

edge	The edge to start from. (If it is not a border edge, the "border" table will be left empty.
border	A reference to a table into which the border loop edge indices can be written.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool AutoSmooth	(	float	threshold,
		DWORD	faceFlag
	)

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Applies new smoothing groups to the MNMesh, smoothing between any faces that share an edge with an edge angle less than "threshold".

Parameters:

threshold	The threshold angle for smoothing across edges, in radians.
faceFlag	If nonzero, this indicates that only faces with this flag set should have their smoothing groups affected. (If faceFlag has multiple bits set, any flag matches are considered a match.)

Remarks:: Similar to MNMesh::AutoSmooth, but allows the use of any flag or flags, not just MN_SEL

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool FlipHingeAngle	(	Point3 &	origin,
		Point3 &	axis,
		int	hingeEdge,
		DWORD	faceFlag
	)

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Indicates whether the hinge angle should be multiplied by -1, based on the local topology and geometry of the mesh.

When users pick hinge edges, they may pick edges oriented in either direction, with the result that rotating around the edge by the hinge angle can produce inconsistent results. This method analyses the hinge orientation and indicates whether a correction should occur.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool HingeFromEdge	(	Point3 &	origin,
		Point3 &	axis,
		float	angle,
		int	segments,
		MNFaceClusters &	fclust,
		int	clusterID
	)

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New version of old "MNMesh::LiftFaceClusterFromEdge" method which doesn't require a hinge edge.

Does a "hinged extrusion", where selected face clusters are rotated around a hinge axis, and new faces are created connecting the selected faces to the unselected ones.

Parameters:

origin	The origin point for the hinge
axis	The axis direction for the hinge
angle	The amount to rotate, in radians
segments	The number of segments for the sides of the extrusion
fclust	The current set of Face Clusters
clusterID	The ID of the cluster to rotate

Remarks:: This extrusion has a slightly different topology from a regular extrusion, in that no new faces are created for edges between selected and unselected faces that lie exactly along the hinge.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool MakeFlaggedPlanar	(	int	selLev,
		DWORD	flag,
		float *	softSel,
		Point3 *	delta = `NULL`
	)

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Determines an average plane of the flagged subobjects, and moves vertices toward it according to their soft selection value.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool MoveVertsToPlane	(	Point3 &	norm,
		float	offset,
		float *	softSel,
		Point3 *	delta = `NULL`
	)

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Moves soft-selected vertices toward the plane given according to their soft selection value, or produces an array of offsets which would do so.

(Similar to MNMesh::MoveVertsToPlane, but with soft selection support.)

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool CollapseEdges ( DWORD edgeFlag )

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Edge-based collapse function - all edges with the given flag will be collapsed, which means their vertex endpoints will be joined into a single vertex.

Parameters:

edgeFlag The edge flag that marks the edges to be collapsed.

Returns:: True if any edges were actually collapsed, else false.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool CollapseEdges	(	DWORD	edgeFlag,
		Tab< int > &	pointDest
	)

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Edge-based collapse function - all edges with the given flag will be collapsed, which means their vertex endpoints will be joined into a single vertex.

The pointDest Tab is populated with information about which vertices were collapsed and which vertices they were collapsed onto. If pointDest[i] >= 0, vertex i was collapsed onto vertex pointDest[i]. If pointDest[i] == -1, vertex i was not collapsed. If pointDest[i] < -1, (-pointDest[i]) vertices were collapsed onto vertex i (including itself).

Parameters:

edgeFlag	The edge flag that marks the edges to be collapsed.
pointDest	The Tab in which to return the collapse information.

Returns:: True if any edges were actually collapsed, else false.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport void ConstrainDeltaToEdges	(	Tab< Point3 > *	deltaIn,
		Tab< Point3 > *	deltaOut
	)

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Constrains the vectors given for each vertex so that they are limited to travel along a neighboring edge.

It's acceptable for deltaIn to be equal to deltaOut.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport void ConstrainDeltaToFaces	(	Tab< Point3 > *	deltaIn,
		Tab< Point3 > *	deltaOut
	)

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Constrains the vectors given for each vertex so that they are limited to travel along a neighboring face.

It's acceptable for deltaIn to be equal to deltaOut.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool ExtrudeOpenEdges	(	DWORD	edgeFlag,
		bool	clearFlagOnOldEdges,
		bool	useTracking
	)

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Extrude method which creates new faces along open edges.

Parameters:

edgeFlag	The edges which should be extruded. (Non-open edges that have this flag set always have it cleared.)
clearFlagOnOldEdges	If true, the "edgeFlag" is cleared on the edges used as the base of the extrusion.
useTracking	If true, the new edges at the "top" of the extrusion have their "track" data member set to the edge at the base of their extrusion.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool BridgeBorders	(	int	edge1,
		int	twist1,
		int	edge2,
		int	twist2,
		float	smoothThresh,
		int	segments,
		float	taper,
		float	bias
	)

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Creates a bridge between two border loops.

Parameters:

edge1	An edge on the first border loop
twist1	The twist for the first border loop. (The edge which is "twist1" edges around the loop from "edge1" will be bridged to the edge which is "twist2" edges around the loop from "edge2".
edge2	An edge on the second border loop
twist2	The twist for the second border loop. (The edge which is "twist1" edges around the loop from "edge1" will be bridged to the edge which is "twist2" edges around the loop from "edge2".
smoothThresh	The threshold angle, in radians, for smoothing between successive columns of the bridge.
segments	The number of segments for the bridge
taper	The amount that the bridge should taper in
bias	The bias for the location of the most tapered-in spot on the bridge. Range: -100 to 100, with 0 indicating that the taper should fall naturally in the middle of the bridge.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool BridgePolygons	(	int	face1,
		int	twist1,
		int	face2,
		int	twist2,
		float	smoothThresh,
		int	segments,
		float	taper,
		float	bias
	)

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Creates a bridge between two polygons.

Parameters:

face1	The first polygon
twist1	The twist for the first polygon. (The twist1'th edge of polygon face1 will be bridged to the twist2'th edge on polygon face2.)
face2	The second polygon
twist2	The twist for the second polygon. (The twist1'th edge of polygon face1 will be bridged to the twist2'th edge on polygon face2.)
smoothThresh	The threshold angle, in radians, for smoothing between successive columns of the bridge.
segments	The number of segments for the bridge
taper	The amount that the bridge should taper in
bias	The bias for the location of the most tapered-in spot on the bridge. Range: -100 to 100, with 0 indicating that the taper should fall naturally in the middle of the bridge.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool BridgePolygonClusters	(	DWORD	polyFlag,
		float	smoothThresh,
		int	segments,
		float	taper,
		float	bias,
		int	twist1,
		int	twist2
	)

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Creates bridges between polygon clusters.

Parameters:

polyFlag	The flag indicating faces in the clusters.
smoothThresh	The threshold angle, in radians, for smoothing between successive columns of the bridge.
segments	The number of segments for the bridge
taper	The amount that the bridge should taper in
bias	The bias for the location of the most tapered-in spot on the bridge. Range: -100 to 100, with 0 indicating that the taper should fall naturally in the middle of the bridge.
twist1	The twist for each "start" cluster.
twist2	The twist for each "end" cluster.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool BridgeSelectedBorders	(	DWORD	edgeFlag,
		float	smoothThresh,
		int	segments,
		float	taper,
		float	bias,
		int	twist1,
		int	twist2
	)

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Creates bridges between flagged borders.

Parameters:

edgeFlag	Any borders with at least one edge that has this flag set will be considered for bridging. (Only borders that match up in pairs will be bridged, of course.)
smoothThresh	The threshold angle, in radians, for smoothing between successive columns of the bridge.
segments	The number of segments for the bridge
taper	The amount that the bridge should taper in
bias	The bias for the location of the most tapered-in spot on the bridge. Range: -100 to 100, with 0 indicating that the taper should fall naturally in the middle of the bridge.
twist1	The twist for each "start" cluster.
twist2	The twist for each "end" cluster.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport int FindDefaultBridgeTwist	(	int	face1,
		int	face2
	)

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Returns a good default twist for face2, when bridging between face1 and face2 with no twist for face1.

Default twist is based on an analysis of local geometry.

Parameters:

face1	The first polygon
face2	The second polygon

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool TurnDiagonal	(	int	face,
		int	diagonal
	)

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"Turns" the diagonal by removing it and creating a new one going across it.

This is like the traditional "Turn Edge" in Editable Mesh. (Any "diagonal" in a polygon separates two triangles. If you remove that diagonal, you're left with a quad; this algorithm replaces the original diagonal with the diagonal you'd get by connecting the other two vertices of that quad.)

Parameters:

face	The polygon face in which to turn the diagonal
diagonal	The index of the diagonal to turn. A polygon of degree "deg" has (deg-3) diagonals.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport bool Relax	(	DWORD	vertexFlag,
		float *	softSel,
		float	relaxAmount,
		int	relaxIters,
		bool	holdBoundaryPts,
		bool	holdOuterPts,
		Point3 *	delta = `NULL`
	)

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This is a new version of the MNMesh::Relax method, which is designed to move all vertices a little closer to their neighbors.

Neighbors are defined as vertices that share an edge. This variation on the Relax method also accepts a soft selection.

Parameters:

vertexFlag	If "softSel" is NULL, only vertices with this flag set are relaxed.
softSel	This is an optional soft selection. It may be NULL. If not, it should point to an array of MNMesh::numv floats representing the selection value for each vertex.
relaxAmount	This indicates the proportion of relaxing. If it's zero, nothing happens; if it's one, each vertex is moved to the average of its neighbors. Values of less than zero or more than one are accepted, but lead to unstable results. The default in Editable Poly is .5f.
relaxIters	This is the number of iterations of relax. This is the number of times the relaxation is applied. The more iterations, the more relaxed the result.
holdBoundaryPts	If true, "boundary" points should be held in place, unaffected by the Relax. "boundary" points are defined as those that are used by more edges than faces, which basically means they're on some sort of border of the mesh. This is turned on by default in Editable Poly, because if it's off, boundary points recede into the mesh very quickly.
holdOuterPts	If true, "outer" points should be held in place. "outer" points are defined as those where the sum of all the face angles is less than 2Pi (360 degrees). This basically means the point is some sort of outer corner. All the points on a 1-segment Box or on a Geosphere are "outer" points. On a multiple-segment plane, none of the interior points are "outer" points. This parameter is most important in models like the Geosphere, which could relax down into nothing if outer points are not fixed in place.
delta	If non-NULL, this should point to an array into which the effect of this relax should be placed, in the form of a Point3 offset per vertex.

Returns:: True if any relaxing occurred, false in cases where nothing happened, for instance because no vertices were selected.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport int SelectPolygonsByAngle	(	int	startPolygon,
		float	angle,
		BitArray &	polySel
	)

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Starting with the polygon given, this algorithm creates a BitArray selection of all polygons it can get to without crossing any edges whose angle is greater than the angle given.

Parameters:

startPolygon	The polygon to start on. If this polygon is already set in "polySel", nothing will happen.
angle	The maximum crossable edge angle, in radians
polySel	The BitArray where polygons should be selected

Returns:: The number of newly-selected polygons

Remarks:: This method can be called multiple times with the same polySel parameter, for instance to turn a set of face hits from hit-testing into a select-by-angle region, and is designed to be used in Editable Poly and Edit Poly's "Select by angle" feature

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport void CutPrepare ( )

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This method is used at the beginning of a series of cuts.

It sets things up so that "CutCleanup" will work.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

DllExport void CutCleanup ( )

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This method is used after a series of cuts, to "clean up" any extra edges which are necessary to have.

while cutting, but which aren't what the user actually intended to create. "CutPrepare" should be called at the beginning of the series of cuts.

Example: See example usage in the Editable Poly object, in maxsdk/samples/mesh/EditablePoly

MNMeshUtilities Class Reference

Detailed Description

Public Member Functions

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

Member Function Documentation