Interpolators Tutorial

In this tutorial you will learn how to use the various interpolator classes to generate splines and smooth aniamtions.

You can also use an interpolator to generate paths and silhouettes for the vl::Extrusion class.

Generated by showCatmullRomPentagonOpen()	Generated by showCatmullRomPentagonClosed()	Generated by showLinearPentagon()	Generated by showInterpolatorAnimation()

[From App_Interpolators.cpp]

class App_Interpolators: public BaseDemo
{
public:
  // Constructor.
  App_Interpolators()
  { 
    mTest = 0; 
    mLinearInterpolator     = new vl::LinearInterpolatorFVec3;
    mCatmullRomInterpolator = new vl::CatmullRomInterpolatorFVec3; 
    mTransform1 = new vl::Transform; // will follow linear interpolation
    mTransform2 = new vl::Transform; // will follow Catmull-Rom interpolation
  }

  void initEvent()
  {
    vl::Log::notify(appletInfo());
    rendering()->as<vl::Rendering>()->transform()->addChild(mTransform1.get());
    rendering()->as<vl::Rendering>()->transform()->addChild(mTransform2.get());
    showCatmullRomPentagonOpen();
    showText();
  }

  void showCatmullRomPentagonOpen()
  {
    // generate the pentagon control points
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon;
    float radius = 5.0f;
    for(int i=0; i<5; ++i)
    {
      float a = (float)i/5.0f*vl::fPi*2.0f + vl::fPi/2.0f;
      pentagon.push_back(vl::fvec3(cos(a)*radius,sin(a)*radius,0));
    }
    // show the pentagon
    showPath(pentagon, vl::green);

    // Catmull-Rom interpolation over the pentagon control points
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon_spline;
    vl::CatmullRomInterpolatorFVec3 catmull;
    catmull.interpolator()->setPath( pentagon );
    // automatically generate the appropriate Catmull-Rom spline end-points
    catmull.interpolator()->setupEndPoints(false/*loop = no*/);
    // sample the spline over 41 points
    int segments = 41;
    for(int i=0; i<segments; ++i)
    {
      float t = (float)i/(segments-1); // interpolate from 0.0 to 1.0 included
      pentagon_spline.push_back( catmull.computePoint(t) );
    }
    // show the interpolated pentagon
    showPath(pentagon_spline, vl::red, true/*show points*/);
  }

  void showCatmullRomPentagonLoop()
  {
    // generate the pentagon
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon;
    float radius = 5.0f;
    for(int i=0; i<5; ++i)
    {
      float a = (float)i/5.0f*vl::fPi*2.0f + vl::fPi/2.0f;
      pentagon.push_back(vl::fvec3(cos(a)*radius,sin(a)*radius,0));
    }
    showPath(pentagon, vl::green);

    // Catmull-Rom interpolation over the pentagon
    vl::CatmullRomInterpolatorFVec3 catmull;
    catmull.interpolator()->setPath( pentagon );
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon_loop;
    // automatically generate the appropriate Catmull-Rom spline end-points
    catmull.interpolator()->setupEndPoints(true/*loop = yes*/);
    int segments = 50;
    for(int i=0; i<segments; ++i)
    {
      // interpolate from 0 to 0.9x, never reach 1.0 otherwise the last point would be the same as the first one
      float t = (float)i/segments; 
      pentagon_loop.push_back( catmull.computePoint(t) );
    }
    showPath(pentagon_loop, vl::yellow, true/*show points*/, true/*close line loop*/);
  }

  void showLinearPentagon()
  {
    // generate the pentagon
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon;
    float radius = 5.0f;
    for(int i=0; i<5; ++i)
    {
      float a = (float)i/5.0f*vl::fPi*2.0f + vl::fPi/2.0f;
      pentagon.push_back(vl::fvec3(cos(a)*radius,sin(a)*radius,0));
    }
    showPath(pentagon, vl::green);

    // linear interpolation over the pentagon
    vl::LinearInterpolatorFVec3 linear;
    linear.interpolator()->setPath( pentagon );
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon_linear;
    int segments = 20; /* 21 would perfectly overlap the pentagon */
    for(int i=0; i<segments; ++i)
    {
      // interpolate from 0 to 1.0
      float t = (float)i/(segments-1); 
      pentagon_linear.push_back( linear.computePoint(t) );
    }
    vl::Actor* line = showPath(pentagon_linear, vl::blue, true/*show points*/);
    // ensure the blue line is over the green one.
    line->setRenderRank(1);
  }

  // creates two paths one linearly-interpolated and the other Catmull-Rom-interpolated
  void showInterpolatorAnimation()
  {
    // generate a 5-points star.
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon;
    float radius = 5.0f;
    for(int i=0; i<5; ++i)
    {
      float a = (float)i/5.0f*vl::fPi*2.0f*2.0f + vl::fPi/2.0f;
      pentagon.push_back(vl::fvec3(cos(a)*radius,sin(a)*radius,0));
    }

    // Catmull-Rom interpolation over the star
    mCatmullRomInterpolator->interpolator()->setPath( pentagon );
    // generate line for visual feedback.
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon_loop;
    // automatically generate the appropriate Catmull-Rom spline end-points
    mCatmullRomInterpolator->interpolator()->setupEndPoints(true/*loop = yes*/);
    int segments = 50;
    for(int i=0; i<segments; ++i)
    {
      // interpolate from 0 to 0.9x, never reach 1.0 otherwise the last point would be the same as the first one
      float t = (float)i/segments; 
      pentagon_loop.push_back( mCatmullRomInterpolator->computePoint(t)*1.2f /*1.2f -> makes it a bit larger*/ );
    }
    showPath(pentagon_loop, vl::yellow, true/*show points*/, true/*close line loop*/);

    // linear interpolation over the star (loop)
    mLinearInterpolator->interpolator()->setPath( pentagon );
    // close the pentagon
    mLinearInterpolator->interpolator()->path().push_back(pentagon[0]);
    // generate line for visual feedback.
    std::vector<vl::fvec3> pentagon_linear;
    segments = 20;
    for(int i=0; i<segments; ++i)
    {
      // interpolate from 0 to 0.9x, never reach 1.0 otherwise the last point would be the same as the first one
      float t = (float)i/segments; 
      pentagon_linear.push_back( mLinearInterpolator->computePoint(t) );
    }
    showPath(pentagon_linear, vl::blue, true/*show points*/, true/*close line loop*/);

    // display animated arrows
    vl::ref<vl::Geometry> arrow = vl::makePyramid(vl::vec3(0,0,0),0.5f,1.0f);
    arrow->transform( vl::mat4::getRotation(-90.0f,1,0,0) );
    arrow->computeNormals();
    vl::ref<vl::Effect> arrow_fx = new vl::Effect;
    arrow_fx->shader()->enable(vl::EN_DEPTH_TEST);
    arrow_fx->shader()->enable(vl::EN_LIGHTING);
    arrow_fx->shader()->setRenderState(new vl::Light, 0);
    sceneManager()->tree()->addActor( arrow.get(), arrow_fx.get(), mTransform1.get() );
    sceneManager()->tree()->addActor( arrow.get(), arrow_fx.get(), mTransform2.get() );
  }

  // displays a closed or open path, with or without points
  vl::Actor* showPath(const std::vector<vl::fvec3>& ctrl_points, const vl::fvec4& color, bool points=false, bool loop=false)
  {
    // simple effect
    vl::ref<vl::Effect> effect = new vl::Effect;
    effect->shader()->enable(vl::EN_DEPTH_TEST);
    effect->shader()->gocPointSize()->set(4);
    effect->shader()->gocColor()->setValue(color);

    // generates the line/points geometry
    vl::ref<vl::Geometry>   geom       = new vl::Geometry;
    vl::ref<vl::ArrayFloat3> vert_array = new vl::ArrayFloat3;
    geom->setVertexArray( vert_array.get() );
    vert_array->initFrom(ctrl_points);
    geom->drawCalls()->push_back(new vl::DrawArrays(loop ? vl::PT_LINE_LOOP : vl::PT_LINE_STRIP, 0, (int)vert_array->size()));
    if (points) 
      geom->drawCalls()->push_back(new vl::DrawArrays(vl::PT_POINTS, 0, (int)vert_array->size()));

    // adds the geometry to the scene
    return sceneManager()->tree()->addActor( geom.get(), effect.get(), NULL );
  }

  // Animates the arrows along the path.
  void updateScene()
  {
    if (mTest == 3)
    {
      float delta = 1.0f/50.0f;
      vl::fvec3 up(0,0,1);
      // get the fractional part of the time to loop 0..1
      float eye  = vl::fract((float)vl::Time::currentTime() * 0.1f);
      float look = vl::fract(eye+delta); // we have to remain in the range 0..1
      vl::fmat4 m;
      // linear interpolation
      m = vl::fmat4::getLookAtModeling(mLinearInterpolator->computePoint(eye),mLinearInterpolator->computePoint(look),up);
      mTransform1->setLocalMatrix((vl::mat4)m);
      // Catmull-Rom interpolation
      m = vl::fmat4::getLookAtModeling(mCatmullRomInterpolator->computePoint(eye)*1.2f,mCatmullRomInterpolator->computePoint(look)*1.2f,up);
      mTransform2->setLocalMatrix((vl::mat4)m);
    }
  }

  // Press the left/right arrow buttons to navigate through the examples.
  void keyPressEvent(unsigned short ch, vl::EKey key)
  {
    BaseDemo::keyPressEvent(ch,key);

    if (key == vl::Key_Left || key == vl::Key_Right)
    {
      if (key == vl::Key_Left)
        mTest--;
      if (key == vl::Key_Right)
        mTest++;
      if (mTest < 0) mTest = 3;
      if (mTest > 3) mTest = 0;
      sceneManager()->tree()->actors()->clear();
      switch(mTest)
      {
        case 0: showCatmullRomPentagonOpen(); break;
        case 1: showCatmullRomPentagonLoop(); break;
        case 2: showLinearPentagon(); break;
        case 3: showInterpolatorAnimation(); break;
      }
      showText();
    }
  }

  // displays the text
  void showText()
  {
    vl::ref<vl::Text> text = new vl::Text;
    text->setText("Press the left/right arrow keys to change test.");
    text->setFont( vl::defFontManager()->acquireFont("/font/bitstream-vera/VeraMono.ttf", 10) );
    text->setAlignment( vl::AlignHCenter | vl::AlignTop );
    text->setViewportAlignment( vl::AlignHCenter | vl::AlignTop );
    text->translate(0,-5,0);
    text->setColor(vl::white);
    vl::ref<vl::Effect> effect = new vl::Effect;
    effect->shader()->enable(vl::EN_BLEND);
    sceneManager()->tree()->addActor(text.get(), effect.get());
  }

protected:
  int mTest;
  vl::ref<vl::LinearInterpolatorFVec3>     mLinearInterpolator;
  vl::ref<vl::CatmullRomInterpolatorFVec3> mCatmullRomInterpolator;
  vl::ref<vl::Transform> mTransform1;
  vl::ref<vl::Transform> mTransform2;
};

// Have fun!