HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: reeuwijk@dutentb.et.tudelft.nl (C. van Reeuwijk)
Subject: Re: Help needed with nu splines!!!
Keywords: curves, splines, nu
Organization: Delft University of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 19:56:14 GMT

In <1992Sep25.125258.14063@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> goza@norm.JSC.NASA.GOV (Mike Goza) writes:

>I recently took the SIGGRAPH 92 class on curves and surfaces and I also purchased the book to go
>along with it called "Curves and Surfaces for Computer Aided Geometric Design."  My problem is 
>this, I wish to use nu splines for getting smooth interpolations in an animation package.  The 
>nu splines meet my criteria in that the curve passes through given data points and is second order
>continuous.  It also uses tensioning between points to define the curve which is good from a
>user interface standpoint.  How do I draw them???!!!!  I've looked through the book and the notes
>and I don't have a clue!!!  Can anyone help.  Source code to a demo program would be fantastic!

>Please post or mail responses to goza@cheers.jsc.nasa.gov

>Thanks
>Mike Goza

I don't know what 'nu' splines are, but most spline representations can
be transformed to (lists of) Bezier curves, and these Bezier curves are easily
draw by converting them to polylines: polylines are available in most graphics
support libraries.

The routine I use to convert a Bezier curve to a polyline is as follows:

1. If the curve is sufficiently flat, generate a line between starting and
   end point of the curve.
2. Else divide the curve in two sections at the point t=0.5, and generate a
   polyline for each of them recursively.

The beauty of this scheme is that a Bezier curve can be divided into
two parts at t=0.5 by a series of midpoint calculations (you know:
x_mid = (x_a+x_b)/2, y_mid = (y_a+y_b)/2) that are very fast if integer
coordinates are used since the division by 2 can be implemented with a bit
shift. This division is described in Foley and van Dam.

The hard part is determining whether the curve is 'sufficiently flat'.
The criterion I use is 'both control points of the curve are within a pixel
distance from the line between the end points', but another test may be more
appropriate in your situation.

Keep in mind that if you represent the coordinates with integers,
the representation must be able to handle fractions of pixels: the
representation I use uses 1/32th of a pixel as unit.

If you want I can send you some actual code, but it will be difficult to
understand without its context, and you will want to understand the algorithm
anyway to adapt it to your situation. Therefore you are probably better of
with this description; details can be found in Foley & van Dam et al and 
in the Graphics Gems books.

=-=-=-=
C. van Reeuwijk			e-mail: C.vReeuwijk@ET.TUDelft.NL
From: fj_maddi@csd.brispoly.ac.uk (FJ Maddix)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: MAC vs. IBM
Date: 1 Oct 92 13:20:07 GMT
Organization: Bristol Polytechnic, England

Yes.
Or, alternatively, there's this funny little British machine called
the Acorn A5000 which will provide just the environment you need, and
the software, plus the MIPs.

No reply sought or necessary.

Frank.
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
From: Peter.Gorny@arbi.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de (Peter Gorny)
Subject: META-4, Minniapolis, address?? (Was: Mac-Softw for cutting plotter..)
Organization: University of Oldenburg, Germany
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 18:12:15 GMT

teter@vixvax.mgi.com writes:

>In article <1992Sep30.185331.6911@arbi.Informatik.Uni-Oldenburg.DE>, Peter.Gorny@arbi.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de (Peter Gorny) writes:
>> We want to use a Mac plus a cutting plotter to cut the outlines of
>> shapes (letters, symbols etc.) into adhesive films.

>Try a company called META-4 based in Minneapolis.  They make software for
>vinyl cutters and other similar cutters.  I think they can take in PostScript.

Can anyone help with address / phone / fax ??

Peter
-- 
.     ________________________________________________________
      Snail-Mail:    P.O.Box 2503 - D-2900 Oldenburg - Germany 
      Voice:            +49-441-798-2901 or -4521 (Fax: -2155)
      E-Mail:     Peter.Gorny@arbi.Informatik.Uni-Oldenburg.DE 
      ________________________________________________________

Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: gpivar@maestro.mitre.org (Greg Pivarnik)
Subject: Re: Pixar goes to the Movies
Reply-To: gpivar@mitre.org
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean, Va
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 19:02:51 GMT

In article <1992Oct1.151007.14086@gserv1.dl.ac.uk>, G.Coulter@Daresbury.ac.uk (Out on a limb) writes:
|> Can anyone out there particularly Craig from pixar.com tell me
|> just a little bit of info regarding the new techniques used on
|> the Abyss and T2 productions.
|> 
|> And also who does what .......
|> 
|> Are computer graphics FX shots done by ILM (Graphics Division)
|> Or are they done by PIXAR.
|> 
|> Thanks 
|> 
|>   (*) 
|>       \    __
|>    AMIGA  ///  Gary Coulter

 I thought the special effects in the Abyss and T2 were generated and rendered
on SGI's. That would put Pixar out of the picture, so maybe it was ILM.

-- 
Greg 

--  Be still, be silent...the rest is easy.  --
From: ct54143@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Chris Trimble)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Computer of choice? (Indigo!)
Date: 6 Oct 92 13:52:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvpD7u.9uB
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

philb@cats.ucsc.edu (Philip Brown) writes:

>>>Have  you ever priced an SGI? The most reasonable system, one with a decent
>>>sized disk and memory, 24 bits graphics and a geometry engine to drive
>>>the graphics speed up to a responsive level is about $18,000 and you would
>>>have to add another drive and a backup system that SGI will gladly sell you
>>>for another 7-10,000 dollars.

>Aw, come on, you don't NEED all that stuffs. sure, it's nice< but not
>absolutely neccessary.

If you plan on doing any kind of serious animation work, you're certainly
going to need some place to put all of that data. Either a removable or
a very large hard drive. IMHO, you NEED 24-bit color to do rendering. I
don't think 8-bit dithered on a 1024x768 machine will cut it, at ALL.

>>>Add to this, some type a animation system like
>>>Wavefront, TDI, SoftImage etc for about $50,000 and I think we have passed
>>>most budgets.

>I thought Indigos came WITH 3d modelling software now?!!!

HELL NO. If you're thinking of IRIS Inventor, that's a program that allows
you to make 3-D widgets for Motif. You can use it for doing models that are
not for widgets. But let's face it - why would SGI try to make any kind of
software package that may compete against WaveFront, Alias, SoftImage or
TDI when those companies are part of the reason people buy SGIs?

-- 
 Chris Trimble 	      | "Tell me why... don't we try...not to break our hearts
 chris1@uiuc.edu      | and make it so hard for ourselves."    - Pet Shop Boys
 NeXTMail Preferred   | "Ar-oo-gull-ah, it's a vege-et-a-ble"   - Steve Martin
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: > 
From: tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 92 15:05:58 PDT
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

> Is there any way to get around the hardware lock on Autodesk's
> 3D Studio?  A friend of mine has it, and asked me to
> ask this on the net.  I think  that he is having problems,
> but wasn't very clear.  Are there any patches  or ways
> to get around this?
> 
> --                    
> INTERNET:  tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
> UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!tasdevil
> NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San
> Diego, CA (619) 453-1115

Forget about this...  My friend got the problem fixed by calling 
Autodesk.  Thanks anyways...

--                    
INTERNET:  tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!tasdevil
NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San Diego, CA (619) 453-1115
From: ekins@infonode.ingr.com (Brian Ekins)
Subject: Re: database of TV commercials?
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 01:53:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep28.041736.16007@unocal.com> stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini) writes:
>
>I am often curious who made them when I see a particularly creative one.
>Usually I am able to learn the author(s) by asking on comp.graphics.
>I realize that most commercials have multiple vendors contributing- the
>designers, the software system, the hardware platform, etc.

The magazine "Cinefex" has started covering the production of some of some
shorter works, ie. commercials and music videos.  For example they had a
few pages on the morphing done in the Michael Jackson video.  Also the
United Airlines commercial with the killer whales swimming through the
plane.

I am not affiliated with Cinefex other than being a satisfied subscriber.
I didn't know about the magazine until it was mentioned on comp.graphics
when T2 came out and they devoted an entire issue to it.  I started my
subscription then and have enjoyed the magazine very much.  I just want
to let others know about this source to this type of information.

	Cinefex
	P.O. Box 20027
	Riverside, CA  92516
	(714)781-1917

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    __  o      Brian Ekins                                                 |
|    _ </-      Intergraph Corp.             205-730-3638                   |
|      />       brian@ekins.b30.ingr.com                                    |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+


Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: mabini@hp-11.cae.wisc.EDU (Francisco Mabini)
Subject: .dl and .gl files
Organization: College of Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
Distribution: usa
Date: 6 Oct 92 12:47:51 CDT
Originator: mabini@hp-11.cae.wisc.edu



Can anyone tell me about these type of files?  I heard that they were
some sort of animation files.  Also can anyone tell me where I might
get some .dl files to look at, because I have access to a .dl viewer,
and I want to see if it works.

Thanks
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: saeed@a.cs.okstate.edu (SAEED FAISEL)
Subject: what do you know about IDS model ?
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Computer Science, Stillwater
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 92 23:07:54 GMT

I need some info on the IDS model suggested by Cornsweet & Yellot.
And I want to start with a comprehensive bibliography on IDS.

Any email containing any pointers like any work done related to IDS,
specially any publications, etc will be appreciated.

I would also like to correspond with anyone currently working on it.


-- 

Faisel Saeed
Computer Science Department,   Oklahoma State University,   Stillwater, OK 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: jk87377@cc.tut.fi (Juhana Kouhia)
Subject: Re: Pixar goes to the Movies
Organization: Tampere University of Technology
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 13:16:27 GMT


In article <23772@alice.att.com> td@alice.att.com (Tom Duff) writes:
>
>Md stands for `motion design' -- I also called
>the program `the Motion Doctor' for a joke.  
>There were previously existing programs called mc and mi, the
>model compiler and model interpreter -- the language they operated on
>was called ml, the Model Language.

Are there published articles or technical reports for public available
on these?

Actually, I have only read about animation language by
Magnenat-Thalmann and Thalmann -- but I would like to
get references for several animation languages.
If there's an animation reference list around I would
like to get it.


Juhana Kouhia
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: studer@physics.su.OZ.AU (Andrew Studer)
Subject: Re: 3D Studio..
Organization: School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 03:36:16 GMT

In article <woosRB2w165w@netlink.cts.com> tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg) writes:
>...
>
>> From: hliao@calstatela.edu (Henry Liao)
>> Date: 23 Sep 92 20:10:31 PDT
>> Reply-To: hliao@calstatela.edu
>> Distribution: world
>> Organization: Cal State University, Los Angeles
>> Keywords: autodesk, 3d studio
>> Nntp-Posting-Host: venus.calstatela.edu
>> Lines: 9
>> 
>> Does anyone know of any good book on Autodesk 3D Studio?
>> 
>> -Henry Liao                                     o
>> California State University, Los Angeles         )>
>> Networks & Distributed Systems Group         ___./]___
>> VOICE:  (213) 343-4537, 343-4530        hliao@calstatela.edu
>> FAX:    (213) 343-4575                  hliao@csula.bitnet
>> #include <std/disclaimer.h>
>
>
>yeah, me too! me too!  If there was ever an answer to this, could it 
>please be posted or mailed to me?  I have a book called Using Animator 
>from QUE.  Is there any similar book?  Thanks...
>
>--                    
>INTERNET:  tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
>UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!tasdevil
>NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San Diego, CA (619) 453-1115

Don't want to be a spoilsport here, but what's wrong with the documentation
that comes with the package? I have no trouble following the tutorials,
it's reasonably complete, it's possibly the easiest to follow documentation
AutoDesk's produced. Wherein lies the problem?

Andrew Studer... studer@physics.su.oz.au
"John Hewson is a vacuum that other vacuums abhor"- Andrew Denton
From: gray@celia.UUCP (Steve Gray)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: computer animation schools/career
Date: 2 Oct 92 19:05:12 GMT
Reply-To: celia!gray@usc.edu (Steve Gray)
Distribution: na
Organization: Rhythm & Hues, Inc., Hollywood

> Topix is in Toronto isn't it?

Topix has an office in LA as well.
From: philb@cats.ucsc.edu (Philip Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Computer of choice?
Date: 4 Oct 1992 21:05:27 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: si.ucsc.edu


spiff@bert.eecs.uic.edu (Jason Leigh) writes:


>This might be a biased opinion, but pick up any of the recent SIGGRAPH
>evening show video reviews and count how many SGI's are listed as the
>machine used and how many Macs or PC's.

yeah, well this whole thing was asked because most folks DON'T HAVE the
SIGGRAPH reviews, etc. so most people don't know which way you mean. but
if you mean to say that more people use mac's or pc's, well, so what?
just cause there's more stupid people out there, don't mean everyone else
has to follow suit. Just look at how many poeple there are out there
running DOS.What a boneheaded, backward, braindead "operating system"
that is.

-- 
  --------------------------------------------------
"How do I love sea? Let me count the waves.." |philb@cats.ucsc.edu
P.Anthony, "The Colo(u)r of her panties"      |philb@soda.berkeley.edu
From: larry@celia.UUCP (Larry Weinberg)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: computer animation schools/career
Summary: jobs exist
Date: 26 Sep 92 23:42:52 GMT
Reply-To: celia!larry@usc.edu (Larry Weinberg)
Distribution: na
Organization: Rhythm & Hues, Inc., Hollywood

In article <Bv0B08.BKr@chinet.chi.il.us> katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago) writes:
>   Some sexy Pixar-type jobs are rumored to exist on the west coast, but
>I have never seen them. Here in Chicago, there are fewer than fifty
>people working in computer animation by my estimate.
>

There are several sexy Pixar-type computer animation and digital
effects companies on the West Coast.  There are also a good number of job
openings in several of these companies for talented (especially experienced) 
people.

Rhythm & Hues employs about 15-20 animators.  Metrolight and PDI
are fairly similar in size.  Industrial Light and Magic expands and
contracts as films are in progress.  They have a good sized staff now
with Jurasic Park in production.  Video Image, Rezn8, Topix, Xaos, 
Angel Studios, Kleiser-Walczak, Sony, Kroyer Film, and yes, even Disney, 
(and some new companies that are just starting up) , and others
are all doing business and are usually looking for good people.  

It is probably the case with most of these companies that they would
do more work if they could only find more highly qualified experienced
computer animators.  The talented people have absolutely no problem of
finding work.  Because of this lack of a talent pool,  these companies 
have started to hire good prospects directly out of schools like
School of Visual Arts, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Cornell, Harvard, MIT,
Cal Arts, New York Inst Tech, and others.  

   This job market will only heat up as computer animation becomes more
economical and as visual effects for films become more and more digitally
based.  It is only a matter of time before feature length Computer generated
films are in continual production in several of these studios.

Larry
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Re: Computer to Videotape / Unix Exabyte
Keywords: exabyte, single frame recording, videotape
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 17:49:31 GMT

In article <Bv4ytG.29D@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca> broehl@sunee.uwaterloo.ca (Bernie Roehl) writes:
>
>That's not what the original poster meant.  He meant writing
>the animation directly to the Exabyte, not putting it out in Abekas format
>or whatever and then sending it somewhere to be converted.  (i.e. he's
>like to be able to take the 8 mm tape out of the Exabyte drive and put
>it into an 8 mm camcorder for playback).

    Sorry for the misunderstanding. No, it is not possible to use a 8mm
tape drive that has no analog video input to record analog video signals.
The thread put to this point had been about transferring _digital_ frames
of an animation to an transfer format, to a _digital_ video device that
has a huge amount of RAM and very fast hard disks and will output up to
three minutes of animation/video in real time in _analog_.

   That said, using Exebyte/Abekas 8mm backup tapes is one of the best
and most reliable ways to put an animation to videotape.

   1: No single framing- 
       Less wear on the video decks
       _Much_ faster - no preroll
   2: Multiple first generation masters
       Just play the animation on the Abekas again
   3: Never have to go analog
       Produce your animation, lay it off to a 4:4:4:4 Abekas, the animation
     is played and recorded on D1 or used live in the on-line session.
   4: Record 32-bit
       Record the alpha channel info from your images at the same time,

                                Chris Williams
                                   katefans@chinet.chi.il.uc


Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: peterm@writer.yorku.ca (Peter Mitchell)
Subject: Re: Animation Programs on the PC
Summary: Autodesk Animator sort of inexpensive
Organization: Computer Assisted Writing Centre, York University, Toronto, Canada
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 01:15:52 GMT

Autodesk animator is good for basic animation building as long as you
don't need resolution higher that 320x200 pixels.  I've used it mainly
to string together GIF's into an animation, but is has its own set of
drawing/animation effects tools for creating your own.  When Autodesk
released Animator Pro, the original Animator went way down in price,
or at least it did here in Canada (I've seen it for under Cdn$100).
The animation player program that comes with it is public domain, so
that you can distribute your "flicks".

Scott Mitchell
smitch@geog.utoronto.ca


Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: canau@muttley.fc.ul.pt (Carlos.Canau)
Subject: Line-Test
Keywords: line-test, animation, pc, mac, cartoons
Reply-To: Carlos.Canau@ul.pt
Organization: PUUG - Portuguese Unix Users's Group
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 11:50:13 GMT



   Hi,there!

   I was looking for a system capable of doing line-test for professional  
animation that works in the IBM-PC or in the APPLE MACINTOSH. I need  
information about hardware (boards, ...) and software (memory,...).
   I know that there is something for the Atari-ST called "Toki line-test"
but, I'm really interested in the IBM-PC or in the MAC.

   If someone could help me please e-mail me at  canau@ul.pt .

   Thanxs,
   by(e) khanau


--
>----------------------------------------------------+-------------------- 
----<
> -@-                                            -@- | Carlos Canau            
<
>  I When I was dreaming, I was still falling...  I  |                 ,    
,  <
>  I ...when I was falling, I was still dreaming. I  |                  9  
3   <
> -@-                                            -@- |  canau@ul.pt      '     
<
>----------------------------------------------------+-------------------- 
----<
From: vivek gupta <vigupta@tope.cs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Rayshade?
Organization: Computer Science, Indiana University
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 10:31:39 -0500

Hi,

I know I saw a post some time ago about where Rayshade could be ftped from, but the post seems to have disappeared. Could someone please post where it is available, I guess send mail directly to me and I will post the answer. 

BTW I would like to use it on either a MAC or a Sun Workstation, is it usable in both these environments??

Thanx,
Vivek Gupta
vigupta@greatwhite.cs.indiana.edu
From: hunky@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (D U D L E Y)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Computer to Videotape / Unix Exabyte
Date: 29 Sep 1992 19:23:44 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Keywords: exabyte, single frame recording, videotape

katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago) writes:

>   That said, using Exebyte/Abekas 8mm backup tapes is one of the best
>and most reliable ways to put an animation to videotape.

[...reasons deleted...]

Ok ... I'm sold. 

Now I ask the following:

- Anyone have the name or phone number of ASDG?
- Anyone have the format for the Exabyte/Abekas backup tapes?
- Has anyone written a filter (or driver) for Exabyte/SunOS that writes to
  Abekas format?
- Is there anyone with an A60|65 that would be willing to (for a small fee)
  do the backup->videotape conversion for me?

Any help will be GREATLY appreciated...believe me, my mouth is frothing
already! :)

-- 
D U D L E Y   is hunky@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Re: computer animation schools/career
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 20:43:42 GMT

In article <2014@celia.UUCP> celia!larry@usc.edu (Larry Weinberg) writes:
>In article <Bv0B08.BKr@chinet.chi.il.us> katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago) writes:
>>   Some sexy Pixar-type jobs are rumored to exist on the west coast, but
>>I have never seen them. Here in Chicago, there are fewer than fifty
>>people working in computer animation by my estimate.
>>
>
>There are several sexy Pixar-type computer animation and digital
>effects companies on the West Coast.  There are also a good number of job
>openings in several of these companies for talented (especially experienced) 
>people.

   I said that somewhat in jest. I am aware that most of the real oportunities
in my field are on the west coast, but some of us _like_ snow. I've had job
offers in LA, but I couldn't imagine ever living there.

>Rhythm & Hues employs about 15-20 animators.  Metrolight and PDI
>are fairly similar in size.  Industrial Light and Magic expands and
>contracts as films are in progress.  They have a good sized staff now
>with Jurasic Park in production.  Video Image, Rezn8, Topix, Xaos, 
>Angel Studios, Kleiser-Walczak, Sony, Kroyer Film, and yes, even Disney, 
>(and some new companies that are just starting up) , and others
>are all doing business and are usually looking for good people.  

   Topix is in Toronto isn't it?

                                    Chris Williams
                                       katefans@chinet.chi.il.us