From 79eca25c945a535a7a0325999034bae17da92412 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: dan miller Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:15:33 +0000 Subject: resubmitting ode --- libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README | 158 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 158 insertions(+) create mode 100644 libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README (limited to 'libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README') diff --git a/libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README b/libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd4596f --- /dev/null +++ b/libraries/ode-0.9/ode/README @@ -0,0 +1,158 @@ +Dynamics Library. +================= + +CONVENTIONS +----------- + +matrix storage +-------------- + +matrix operations like factorization are expensive, so we must store the data +in a way that is most useful to the matrix code. we want the ability to update +the dynamics library without recompiling applications, e.g. so users can take +advantage of new floating point hardware. so we must settle on a single +format. because of the prevalence of 4-way SIMD, the format is this: store +the matrix by rows or columns, and each column is rounded up to a multiple of +4 elements. the extra "padding" elements at the end of each row/column are set +to 0. this is called the "standard format". to indicate if the data is stored +by rows or columns, we will say "standard row format" or "standard column +format". hopefully this decision will remain good in the future, as more and +more processors have 4-way SIMD, and 3D graphics always needs fast 4x4 +matrices. + +exception: matrices that have only one column or row (vectors), are always +stored as consecutive elements in standard row format, i.e. there is no +interior padding, only padding at the end. + +thus: all 3x1 floating point vectors are stored as 4x1 vectors: (x,x,x,0). +also: all 6x1 spatial velocities and accelerations are split into 3x1 position + and angular components, which are stored as contiguous 4x1 vectors. + +ALL matrices are stored by in standard row format. + + +arguments +--------- + +3x1 vector arguments to set() functions are supplied as x,y,z. +3x1 vector result arguments to get() function are pointers to arrays. +larger vectors are always supplied and returned as pointers. +all coordinates are in the global frame except where otherwise specified. +output-only arguments are usually supplied at the end. + + +memory allocation +----------------- + +with many C/C++ libraries memory allocation is a difficult problem to solve. +who allocates the memory? who frees it? must objects go on the heap or can +they go on the stack or in static storage? to provide the maximum flexibility, +the dynamics and collision libraries do not do their own memory allocation. +you must pass in pointers to externally allocated chunks of the right sizes. +the body, joint and colllision object structures are all exported, so you +can make instances of those structure and pass pointers to them. + +there are helper functions which allocate objects out of areans, in case you +need loots of dynamic creation and deletion. + +BUT!!! this ties us down to the body/joint/collision representation. + +a better approach is to supply custom memory allocation functions +(e.g. dlAlloc() etc). + + +C versus C++ ... ? +------------------ + +everything should be C linkable, and there should be C header files for +everything. but we want to develop in C++. so do this: + * all comments are "//". automatically convert to /**/ for distribution. + * structures derived from other structures --> automatically convert? + + +WORLDS +------ + +might want better terminology here. + +the dynamics world (DWorld) is a list of systems. each system corresponds to +one or more bodies, or perhaps some other kinds of physical object. +each system corresponds to one or more objects in the collision world +(there does not have to be a one-to-one correspondence between bodies and +collision objects). + +systems are simulated separately, perhaps using completely different +techniques. we must do something special when systems collide. +systems collide when collision objects belonging to system A touch +collision objects belonging to system B. + +for each collision point, the system must provide matrix equation data +that is used to compute collision forces. once those forces are computed, +the system must incorporate the forces into its timestep. +PROBLEM: what if we intertwine the LCP problems of the two systems - then +this simple approach wont work. + +the dynamics world contains two kinds of objects: bodies and joints. +joints connect two bodies together. + +the world contains one of more partitions. each partition is a collection of +bodies and joints such that each body is attached (through one or more joints) +to every other body. + +Joints +------ + +a joint can be connected to one or two bodies. +if the joint is only connected to one body, joint.node[1].body == 0. +joint.node[0].body is always valid. + + +Linkage +------- + +this library will always be statically linked with the app, for these reasons: + * collision space is selected at compile time, it adds data to the geom + objects. + + +Optimization +------------ + +doubles must be aligned on 8 byte boundaries! + + +MinGW on Windows issues +----------------------- + +* the .rc file for drawstuff needs a different include, try winresrc.h. + +* it seems we can't have both main() and WinMain() without the entry point + defaulting to main() and having resource loading problems. this screws up + what i was trying to do in the drawstuff library. perhaps main2() ? + +* remember to compile resources to COFF format RES files. + + + +Collision +--------- + +to plug in your own collision handling, replace (some of?) these functions +with your own. collision should be a separate library that you can link in +or not. your own library can call components in this collision library, e.g. +if you want polymorphic spaces instead of a single statically called space. + +creating an object will automatically register the appropriate +class (if necessary). how can we ensure that the minimum amount of code is +linked in? e.g. only one space handler, and sphere-sphere and sphere-box and +box-box collision code (if spheres and boxes instanced). + +the user creates a collision space, and for each dynamics object that is +created a collision object is inserted into the space. the collision +object's pos and R pointers are set to the corresponding dynamics +variables. + +there should be utility functions which create the dynamics and collision +objects at the same time, e.g. dMakeSphere(). + +collision objects and dynamics objects keep pointers to each other. -- cgit v1.1