Download Manual - Tcl3D

1 Introduction
Tcl3D: Doing 3D with Tcl
1 Introduction
Tcl3D enables the 3D functionality of OpenGL and various other portable 3D libraries at the Tcl
scripting level.
It’s main design requirement is to wrap existing 3D libraries without modification of their header
files and with minimal manual code writing. The Tcl API shall be a direct wrapping of the C/C++
based library API’s, with a “natural” mapping of C types to according Tcl types.
This is accomplished mostly with the help of SWIG [24], the Simplified Wrapper and Interface
Generator.
Tcl3D is based on ideas of Roger E. Critchlow, who formerly created an OpenGL Tcl binding
called Frustum [30].
Note:
Text in this manual with a light blue background color indicate changes since the last release of
this manual.
1.1 Architecture overview
The Tcl3D package currently consists of the following building blocks, also called modules
throughout the manual:
Tcl3D core module
tcl3dOgl
Togl: Enhanced Togl widget, a Tk widget for displaying OpenGL content.
OpenGL: Wrapper for core OpenGL functionality (GL Version 4.1, GLU
Version 1.2) and OpenGL extensions.
Util: Tcl3D utility library: Math functions, standard shapes, stop watch, demo
support.
Tcl3D optional modules
tcl3dCg
tcl3dSDL
tcl3dFTGL
tcl3dGl2ps
tcl3dOde
tcl3dOsg
Wrapper for NVidia’s Cg shading language.
Wrapper for the Simple DirectMedia Library.
Wrapper for the OpenGL Font Rendering library.
Wrapper for the OpenGL To Postscript library.
Wrapper for the Open Dynamics Engine.
Wrapper for the OpenSceneGraph library.
tcl3dGauges
Tcl3D package for displaying gauges.
Table 1.1: Overview of Tcl3D modules
Each module is implemented as a separate Tcl package and can be loaded explicitely with the
Tcl package command, ex. package require tcl3dsdl. All available Tcl3D modules can
be loaded with a single command: package require tcl3d.
Note
•
Package names are all lower case.
Tcl3D User Manual
Version 0.5.0, December 2010
Copyright © 2005-2010 by Paul Obermeier. All rights reserved.
Page 2 of 74