Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Add Mesh/Data Surface/Z Data Surface

Script Detail

This page is to explain how Z Data Surface addon works.

The key file is the python scripts: add_mesh_z_data_surface.py. This page only points out the unique informations, others are similar with Text Data Surface.

add_mesh_z_data_surface.py

The input parameters are different from Text Data Surface.

class AddZDataSurface(bpy.types.Operator):
    ...

    zFile = StringProperty(name="Data File of Z(X,Y)",
        description="Z=z(X,Y). (Table Text)",
        default=addon_utils.paths()[0]+"/add_mesh_DataSurface/csvdata.csv", subtype="FILE_PATH")
    loop = BoolProperty(name="Loop in X Direction",
        description="Loop in X direction or not?",
        default=False)
    flip = BoolProperty(name="Flip Normal Vector",
        description="Flip the normal vector of surfaces or not?",
        default=False)
    tran = BoolProperty(name="Switch X <-> Y vec",
        description="Switch x <-> y, same with transposing matrix",
        default=False)

    ...

There is only table data in one file. This gives convenience to one have data in a table form.

Since table forms are different from common matrices, the parsing method should be modified.

In execute(), I use

    uNum, vNum, zValue, xValue, yValue = loadZData(zFile)

to acquire all coordinate information needed to create mesh.

In loadZData(), try to read the 1st line as x vector

    textLine = fileHandler.readline()
    textDataLine = re.split('[^(0-9|e|E|\+|\-|\.)]+', textLine) # use regular expression to split data
    try:
      while True:
        textDataLine.remove('')
    except:
      pass
    if textDataLine:
      uNum = len(textDataLine)
      xList=[float(it) for it in textDataLine]

Then loop reading the rest lines as (y element + z element vector). Due to y elements in the beginning of these lines, the length of data list is one more than the 1st line.

    textLine = fileHandler.readline()
    while textLine:
      textDataLine = re.split('[^(0-9|e|E|\+|\-|\.)]+', textLine) # use regular expression to split data
      try:
        while True:
          textDataLine.remove('')
      except:
        pass
      if textDataLine:
        if (uNum!=0):
          vNum = vNum + 1
          if (uNum!=len(textDataLine) - 1):
            raise Exception("Error: Raw data matrix!",
                            "Hint: Horizontal length of each line should be the same. ("
                            +str(uNum)+"!="+str(len(textDataLine)-1)+")")
          yList.append(float(textDataLine.pop(0)))
          dataList.append([float(it) for it in textDataLine])
        else:
          uNum = len(textDataLine)
          xList=[float(it) for it in textDataLine]
      textLine = fileHandler.readline()

The if (uNum!=0) condition ensures that empty lines or text comments will not influence data reading process.

These are how it is different from Text Data Surface module.

Thanks

Same with Text Data Surface, "makeFaces" method and "create_mesh_and_object" method are from Blender addon add extra objects. Thank Pontiac.

If you are still not satisfied, please go to the source scripts.

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