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# Tutorial 9: Mesh Viewer

This tutorial show how to create a more complex application with the engine. We construct a simple mesh viewer using the user interface API and the scene management of Irrlicht. The tutorial show how to create and use Buttons, Windows, Toolbars, Menus, ComboBoxes, Tabcontrols, Editboxes, Images, MessageBoxes, SkyBoxes, and how to parse XML files with the integrated XML reader of the engine.

We start like in most other tutorials: Include all nesessary header files, add a comment to let the engine be linked with the right .lib file in Visual Studio, and declare some global variables. We also add two 'using namespace' statements, so we do not need to write the whole names of all classes. In this tutorial, we use a lot stuff from the gui namespace.

    #include <irrlicht.h>
    #include "driverChoice.h"

    using namespace irr;
    using namespace gui;

    #ifdef _MSC_VER
    #pragma comment(lib, "Irrlicht.lib")
    #endif

Some global variables used later on

    IrrlichtDevice *Device = 0;
    core::stringc StartUpModelFile;
    core::stringw MessageText;
    core::stringw Caption;
    scene::ISceneNode* Model = 0;
    scene::ISceneNode* SkyBox = 0;
    bool Octree=false;
    bool UseLight=false;

    scene::ICameraSceneNode* Camera[2] = {0, 0};

    // Values used to identify individual GUI elements
    enum
    {
            GUI_ID_DIALOG_ROOT_WINDOW  = 0x10000,

            GUI_ID_X_SCALE,
            GUI_ID_Y_SCALE,
            GUI_ID_Z_SCALE,

            GUI_ID_OPEN_MODEL,
            GUI_ID_SET_MODEL_ARCHIVE,
            GUI_ID_LOAD_AS_OCTREE,

            GUI_ID_SKY_BOX_VISIBLE,
            GUI_ID_TOGGLE_DEBUG_INFO,

            GUI_ID_DEBUG_OFF,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_BOUNDING_BOX,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_NORMALS,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_SKELETON,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_WIRE_OVERLAY,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_HALF_TRANSPARENT,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_BUFFERS_BOUNDING_BOXES,
            GUI_ID_DEBUG_ALL,

            GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_SOLID,
            GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_TRANSPARENT,
            GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_REFLECTION,

            GUI_ID_CAMERA_MAYA,
            GUI_ID_CAMERA_FIRST_PERSON,

            GUI_ID_POSITION_TEXT,

            GUI_ID_ABOUT,
            GUI_ID_QUIT,

            GUI_ID_TEXTUREFILTER,
            GUI_ID_SKIN_TRANSPARENCY,
            GUI_ID_SKIN_ANIMATION_FPS,

            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SET_SCALE,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_MUL10,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_DIV10,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_OPEN_MODEL,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_ABOUT,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_TOOLBOX,
            GUI_ID_BUTTON_SELECT_ARCHIVE,

            // And some magic numbers
            MAX_FRAMERATE = 1000,
            DEFAULT_FRAMERATE = 30
    };

Toggle between various cameras

    void setActiveCamera(scene::ICameraSceneNode* newActive)
    {
            if (0 == Device)
                    return;

            scene::ICameraSceneNode * active = Device->getSceneManager()->getActiveCamera();
            active->setInputReceiverEnabled(false);

            newActive->setInputReceiverEnabled(true);
            Device->getSceneManager()->setActiveCamera(newActive);
    }

Set the skin transparency by changing the alpha values of all skin-colors

    void SetSkinTransparency(s32 alpha, irr::gui::IGUISkin * skin)
    {
            for (s32 i=0; i<irr::gui::EGDC_COUNT ; ++i)
            {
                    video::SColor col = skin->getColor((EGUI_DEFAULT_COLOR)i);
                    col.setAlpha(alpha);
                    skin->setColor((EGUI_DEFAULT_COLOR)i, col);
            }
    }

Update the display of the model scaling

    void UpdateScaleInfo(scene::ISceneNode* model)
    {
            IGUIElement* toolboxWnd = Device->getGUIEnvironment()->getRootGUIElement()->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_DIALOG_ROOT_WINDOW, true);
            if (!toolboxWnd)
                    return;
            if (!model)
            {
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_X_SCALE, true)->setText( L"-" );
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Y_SCALE, true)->setText( L"-" );
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Z_SCALE, true)->setText( L"-" );
            }
            else
            {
                    core::vector3df scale = model->getScale();
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_X_SCALE, true)->setText( core::stringw(scale.X).c_str() );
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Y_SCALE, true)->setText( core::stringw(scale.Y).c_str() );
                    toolboxWnd->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Z_SCALE, true)->setText( core::stringw(scale.Z).c_str() );
            }
    }

The three following functions do several stuff used by the mesh viewer. The first function showAboutText() simply displays a messagebox with a caption and a message text. The texts will be stored in the MessageText and Caption variables at startup.

    void showAboutText()
    {
            // create modal message box with the text
            // loaded from the xml file.
            Device->getGUIEnvironment()->addMessageBox(
                    Caption.c_str(), MessageText.c_str());
    }

The second function loadModel() loads a model and displays it using an addAnimatedMeshSceneNode and the scene manager. Nothing difficult. It also displays a short message box, if the model could not be loaded.

    void loadModel(const c8* fn)
    {
            // modify the name if it a .pk3 file

            core::stringc filename(fn);

            core::stringc extension;
            core::getFileNameExtension(extension, filename);
            extension.make_lower();

            // if a texture is loaded apply it to the current model..
            if (extension == ".jpg" || extension == ".pcx" ||
                    extension == ".png" || extension == ".ppm" ||
                    extension == ".pgm" || extension == ".pbm" ||
                    extension == ".psd" || extension == ".tga" ||
                    extension == ".bmp" || extension == ".wal" ||
                    extension == ".rgb" || extension == ".rgba")
            {
                    video::ITexture * texture =
                            Device->getVideoDriver()->getTexture( filename );
                    if ( texture && Model )
                    {
                            // always reload texture
                            Device->getVideoDriver()->removeTexture(texture);
                            texture = Device->getVideoDriver()->getTexture( filename );

                            Model->setMaterialTexture(0, texture);
                    }
                    return;
            }
            // if a archive is loaded add it to the FileArchive..
            else if (extension == ".pk3" || extension == ".zip" || extension == ".pak" || extension == ".npk")
            {
                    Device->getFileSystem()->addFileArchive(filename.c_str());
                    return;
            }

            // load a model into the engine

            if (Model)
                    Model->remove();

            Model = 0;

            if (extension==".irr")
            {
                    core::array<scene::ISceneNode*> outNodes;
                    Device->getSceneManager()->loadScene(filename);
                    Device->getSceneManager()->getSceneNodesFromType(scene::ESNT_ANIMATED_MESH, outNodes);
                    if (outNodes.size())
                            Model = outNodes[0];
                    return;
            }

            scene::IAnimatedMesh* m = Device->getSceneManager()->getMesh( filename.c_str() );

            if (!m)
            {
                    // model could not be loaded

                    if (StartUpModelFile != filename)
                            Device->getGUIEnvironment()->addMessageBox(
                            Caption.c_str(), L"The model could not be loaded. " \
                            L"Maybe it is not a supported file format.");
                    return;
            }

            // set default material properties

            if (Octree)
                    Model = Device->getSceneManager()->addOctreeSceneNode(m->getMesh(0));
            else
            {
                    scene::IAnimatedMeshSceneNode* animModel = Device->getSceneManager()->addAnimatedMeshSceneNode(m);
                    animModel->setAnimationSpeed(30);
                    Model = animModel;
            }
            Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_LIGHTING, UseLight);
            Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_NORMALIZE_NORMALS, UseLight);
    //      Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_BACK_FACE_CULLING, false);
            Model->setDebugDataVisible(scene::EDS_OFF);

            // we need to uncheck the menu entries. would be cool to fake a menu event, but
            // that's not so simple. so we do it brute force
            gui::IGUIContextMenu* menu = (gui::IGUIContextMenu*)Device->getGUIEnvironment()->getRootGUIElement()->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_TOGGLE_DEBUG_INFO, true);
            if (menu)
                    for(int item = 1; item < 6; ++item)
                            menu->setItemChecked(item, false);
            UpdateScaleInfo(Model);
    }

Finally, the third function creates a toolbox window. In this simple mesh viewer, this toolbox only contains a tab control with three edit boxes for changing the scale of the displayed model.

    void createToolBox()
    {
            // remove tool box if already there
            IGUIEnvironment* env = Device->getGUIEnvironment();
            IGUIElement* root = env->getRootGUIElement();
            IGUIElement* e = root->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_DIALOG_ROOT_WINDOW, true);
            if (e)
                    e->remove();

            // create the toolbox window
            IGUIWindow* wnd = env->addWindow(core::rect<s32>(600,45,800,480),
                    false, L"Toolset", 0, GUI_ID_DIALOG_ROOT_WINDOW);

            // create tab control and tabs
            IGUITabControl* tab = env->addTabControl(
                    core::rect<s32>(2,20,800-602,480-7), wnd, true, true);

            IGUITab* t1 = tab->addTab(L"Config");

            // add some edit boxes and a button to tab one
            env->addStaticText(L"Scale:",
                            core::rect<s32>(10,20,60,45), false, false, t1);
            env->addStaticText(L"X:", core::rect<s32>(22,48,40,66), false, false, t1);
            env->addEditBox(L"1.0", core::rect<s32>(40,46,130,66), true, t1, GUI_ID_X_SCALE);
            env->addStaticText(L"Y:", core::rect<s32>(22,82,40,GUI_ID_OPEN_MODEL), false, false, t1);
            env->addEditBox(L"1.0", core::rect<s32>(40,76,130,96), true, t1, GUI_ID_Y_SCALE);
            env->addStaticText(L"Z:", core::rect<s32>(22,108,40,126), false, false, t1);
            env->addEditBox(L"1.0", core::rect<s32>(40,106,130,126), true, t1, GUI_ID_Z_SCALE);

            env->addButton(core::rect<s32>(10,134,85,165), t1, GUI_ID_BUTTON_SET_SCALE, L"Set");

            // quick scale buttons
            env->addButton(core::rect<s32>(65,20,95,40), t1, GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_MUL10, L"* 10");
            env->addButton(core::rect<s32>(100,20,130,40), t1, GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_DIV10, L"* 0.1");

            UpdateScaleInfo(Model);

            // add transparency control
            env->addStaticText(L"GUI Transparency Control:",
                            core::rect<s32>(10,200,150,225), true, false, t1);
            IGUIScrollBar* scrollbar = env->addScrollBar(true,
                            core::rect<s32>(10,225,150,240), t1, GUI_ID_SKIN_TRANSPARENCY);
            scrollbar->setMax(255);
            scrollbar->setPos(255);

            // add framerate control
            env->addStaticText(L"Framerate:",
                            core::rect<s32>(10,240,150,265), true, false, t1);
            scrollbar = env->addScrollBar(true,
                            core::rect<s32>(10,265,150,280), t1, GUI_ID_SKIN_ANIMATION_FPS);
            scrollbar->setMax(MAX_FRAMERATE);
            scrollbar->setMin(-MAX_FRAMERATE);
            scrollbar->setPos(DEFAULT_FRAMERATE);

            // bring irrlicht engine logo to front, because it
            // now may be below the newly created toolbox
            root->bringToFront(root->getElementFromId(666, true));
    }

To get all the events sent by the GUI Elements, we need to create an event receiver. This one is really simple. If an event occurs, it checks the id of the caller and the event type, and starts an action based on these values. For example, if a menu item with id GUI_ID_OPEN_MODEL was selected, if opens a file-open-dialog.

    class MyEventReceiver : public IEventReceiver
    {
    public:
            virtual bool OnEvent(const SEvent& event)
            {
                    // Escape swaps Camera Input
                    if (event.EventType == EET_KEY_INPUT_EVENT &&
                            event.KeyInput.PressedDown == false)
                    {
                            if ( OnKeyUp(event.KeyInput.Key) )
                                    return true;
                    }

                    if (event.EventType == EET_GUI_EVENT)
                    {
                            s32 id = event.GUIEvent.Caller->getID();
                            IGUIEnvironment* env = Device->getGUIEnvironment();

                            switch(event.GUIEvent.EventType)
                            {
                            case EGET_MENU_ITEM_SELECTED:
                                            // a menu item was clicked
                                            OnMenuItemSelected( (IGUIContextMenu*)event.GUIEvent.Caller );
                                    break;

                            case EGET_FILE_SELECTED:
                                    {
                                            // load the model file, selected in the file open dialog
                                            IGUIFileOpenDialog* dialog =
                                                    (IGUIFileOpenDialog*)event.GUIEvent.Caller;
                                            loadModel(core::stringc(dialog->getFileName()).c_str());
                                    }
                                    break;

                            case EGET_SCROLL_BAR_CHANGED:

                                    // control skin transparency
                                    if (id == GUI_ID_SKIN_TRANSPARENCY)
                                    {
                                            const s32 pos = ((IGUIScrollBar*)event.GUIEvent.Caller)->getPos();
                                            SetSkinTransparency(pos, env->getSkin());
                                    }
                                    // control animation speed
                                    else if (id == GUI_ID_SKIN_ANIMATION_FPS)
                                    {
                                            const s32 pos = ((IGUIScrollBar*)event.GUIEvent.Caller)->getPos();
                                            if (scene::ESNT_ANIMATED_MESH == Model->getType())
                                                    ((scene::IAnimatedMeshSceneNode*)Model)->setAnimationSpeed((f32)pos);
                                    }
                                    break;

                            case EGET_COMBO_BOX_CHANGED:

                                    // control anti-aliasing/filtering
                                    if (id == GUI_ID_TEXTUREFILTER)
                                    {
                                            OnTextureFilterSelected( (IGUIComboBox*)event.GUIEvent.Caller );
                                    }
                                    break;

                            case EGET_BUTTON_CLICKED:

                                    switch(id)
                                    {
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SET_SCALE:
                                            {
                                                    // set scale
                                                    gui::IGUIElement* root = env->getRootGUIElement();
                                                    core::vector3df scale;
                                                    core::stringc s;

                                                    s = root->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_X_SCALE, true)->getText();
                                                    scale.X = (f32)atof(s.c_str());
                                                    s = root->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Y_SCALE, true)->getText();
                                                    scale.Y = (f32)atof(s.c_str());
                                                    s = root->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_Z_SCALE, true)->getText();
                                                    scale.Z = (f32)atof(s.c_str());

                                                    if (Model)
                                                            Model->setScale(scale);
                                                    UpdateScaleInfo(Model);
                                            }
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_MUL10:
                                            if (Model)
                                                    Model->setScale(Model->getScale()*10.f);
                                            UpdateScaleInfo(Model);
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SCALE_DIV10:
                                            if (Model)
                                                    Model->setScale(Model->getScale()*0.1f);
                                            UpdateScaleInfo(Model);
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_OPEN_MODEL:
                                            env->addFileOpenDialog(L"Please select a model file to open");
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_ABOUT:
                                            showAboutText();
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_TOOLBOX:
                                            createToolBox();
                                            break;
                                    case GUI_ID_BUTTON_SELECT_ARCHIVE:
                                            env->addFileOpenDialog(L"Please select your game archive/directory");
                                            break;
                                    }

                                    break;
                            default:
                                    break;
                            }
                    }

                    return false;
            }

Handle key-up events

            bool OnKeyUp(irr::EKEY_CODE keyCode)
            {
                    if (keyCode == irr::KEY_ESCAPE)
                    {
                            if (Device)
                            {
                                    scene::ICameraSceneNode * camera =
                                            Device->getSceneManager()->getActiveCamera();
                                    if (camera)
                                    {
                                            camera->setInputReceiverEnabled( !camera->isInputReceiverEnabled() );
                                    }
                                    return true;
                            }
                    }
                    else if (keyCode == irr::KEY_F1)
                    {
                            if (Device)
                            {
                                    IGUIElement* elem = Device->getGUIEnvironment()->getRootGUIElement()->getElementFromId(GUI_ID_POSITION_TEXT);
                                    if (elem)
                                            elem->setVisible(!elem->isVisible());
                            }
                    }
                    else if (keyCode == irr::KEY_KEY_M)
                    {
                            if (Device)
                                    Device->minimizeWindow();
                    }
                    else if (keyCode == irr::KEY_KEY_L)
                    {
                            UseLight=!UseLight;
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_LIGHTING, UseLight);
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_NORMALIZE_NORMALS, UseLight);
                            }
                    }
                    return false;
            }

Handle "menu item clicked" events.

            void OnMenuItemSelected( IGUIContextMenu* menu )
            {
                    s32 id = menu->getItemCommandId(menu->getSelectedItem());
                    IGUIEnvironment* env = Device->getGUIEnvironment();

                    switch(id)
                    {
                    case GUI_ID_OPEN_MODEL: // FilOnButtonSetScalinge -> Open Model
                            env->addFileOpenDialog(L"Please select a model file to open");
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_SET_MODEL_ARCHIVE: // File -> Set Model Archive
                            env->addFileOpenDialog(L"Please select your game archive/directory");
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_LOAD_AS_OCTREE: // File -> LoadAsOctree
                            Octree = !Octree;
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), Octree);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_QUIT: // File -> Quit
                            Device->closeDevice();
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_SKY_BOX_VISIBLE: // View -> Skybox
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            SkyBox->setVisible(!SkyBox->isVisible());
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_OFF: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+1, false);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+2, false);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+3, false);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+4, false);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+5, false);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()+6, false);
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible(scene::EDS_OFF);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_BOUNDING_BOX: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_BBOX));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_NORMALS: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_NORMALS));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_SKELETON: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_SKELETON));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_WIRE_OVERLAY: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_MESH_WIRE_OVERLAY));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_HALF_TRANSPARENT: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_HALF_TRANSPARENCY));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_BUFFERS_BOUNDING_BOXES: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem(), !menu->isItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()));
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible((scene::E_DEBUG_SCENE_TYPE)(Model->isDebugDataVisible()^scene::EDS_BBOX_BUFFERS));
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_DEBUG_ALL: // View -> Debug Information
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-1, true);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-2, true);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-3, true);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-4, true);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-5, true);
                            menu->setItemChecked(menu->getSelectedItem()-6, true);
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setDebugDataVisible(scene::EDS_FULL);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_ABOUT: // Help->About
                            showAboutText();
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_SOLID: // View -> Material -> Solid
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setMaterialType(video::EMT_SOLID);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_TRANSPARENT: // View -> Material -> Transparent
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setMaterialType(video::EMT_TRANSPARENT_ADD_COLOR);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_REFLECTION: // View -> Material -> Reflection
                            if (Model)
                                    Model->setMaterialType(video::EMT_SPHERE_MAP);
                            break;

                    case GUI_ID_CAMERA_MAYA:
                            setActiveCamera(Camera[0]);
                            break;
                    case GUI_ID_CAMERA_FIRST_PERSON:
                            setActiveCamera(Camera[1]);
                            break;
                    }
            }

Handle the event that one of the texture-filters was selected in the corresponding combobox.

            void OnTextureFilterSelected( IGUIComboBox* combo )
            {
                    s32 pos = combo->getSelected();
                    switch (pos)
                    {
                            case 0:
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_BILINEAR_FILTER, false);
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_TRILINEAR_FILTER, false);
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_ANISOTROPIC_FILTER, false);
                            }
                            break;
                            case 1:
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_BILINEAR_FILTER, true);
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_TRILINEAR_FILTER, false);
                            }
                            break;
                            case 2:
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_BILINEAR_FILTER, false);
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_TRILINEAR_FILTER, true);
                            }
                            break;
                            case 3:
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_ANISOTROPIC_FILTER, true);
                            }
                            break;
                            case 4:
                            if (Model)
                            {
                                    Model->setMaterialFlag(video::EMF_ANISOTROPIC_FILTER, false);
                            }
                            break;
                    }
            }
    };

Most of the hard work is done. We only need to create the Irrlicht Engine device and all the buttons, menus and toolbars. We start up the engine as usual, using createDevice(). To make our application catch events, we set our eventreceiver as parameter. As you can see, there is also a call to IrrlichtDevice::setResizeable(). This makes the render window resizeable, which is quite useful for a mesh viewer.

    int main(int argc, char* argv[])
    {
            // ask user for driver
            video::E_DRIVER_TYPE driverType=driverChoiceConsole();
            if (driverType==video::EDT_COUNT)
                    return 1;

            // create device and exit if creation failed
            MyEventReceiver receiver;
            Device = createDevice(driverType, core::dimension2d<u32>(800, 600),
                    16, false, false, false, &receiver);

            if (Device == 0)
                    return 1; // could not create selected driver.

            Device->setResizable(true);

            Device->setWindowCaption(L"Irrlicht Engine - Loading...");

            video::IVideoDriver* driver = Device->getVideoDriver();
            IGUIEnvironment* env = Device->getGUIEnvironment();
            scene::ISceneManager* smgr = Device->getSceneManager();
            smgr->getParameters()->setAttribute(scene::COLLADA_CREATE_SCENE_INSTANCES, true);

            driver->setTextureCreationFlag(video::ETCF_ALWAYS_32_BIT, true);

            smgr->addLightSceneNode(0, core::vector3df(200,200,200),
                    video::SColorf(1.0f,1.0f,1.0f),2000);
            smgr->setAmbientLight(video::SColorf(0.3f,0.3f,0.3f));
            // add our media directory as "search path"
            Device->getFileSystem()->addFolderFileArchive("../../media/");

The next step is to read the configuration file. It is stored in the xml format and looks a little bit like this:

    	<?xml version="1.0"?>
    	<config>
    		<startUpModel file="some filename" />
    		<messageText caption="Irrlicht Engine Mesh Viewer">
    			Hello!
    		</messageText>
    	</config>

We need the data stored in there to be written into the global variables StartUpModelFile, MessageText and Caption. This is now done using the Irrlicht Engine integrated XML parser:

            // read configuration from xml file

            io::IXMLReader* xml = Device->getFileSystem()->createXMLReader( L"config.xml");

            while(xml && xml->read())
            {
                    switch(xml->getNodeType())
                    {
                    case io::EXN_TEXT:
                            // in this xml file, the only text which occurs is the
                            // messageText
                            MessageText = xml->getNodeData();
                            break;
                    case io::EXN_ELEMENT:
                            {
                                    if (core::stringw("startUpModel") == xml->getNodeName())
                                            StartUpModelFile = xml->getAttributeValue(L"file");
                                    else
                                    if (core::stringw("messageText") == xml->getNodeName())
                                            Caption = xml->getAttributeValue(L"caption");
                            }
                            break;
                    default:
                            break;
                    }
            }

            if (xml)
                    xml->drop(); // don't forget to delete the xml reader

            if (argc > 1)
                    StartUpModelFile = argv[1];

That wasn't difficult. Now we'll set a nicer font and create the Menu. It is possible to create submenus for every menu item. The call menu->addItem(L"File", -1, true, true); for example adds a new menu Item with the name "File" and the id -1. The following parameter says that the menu item should be enabled, and the last one says, that there should be a submenu. The submenu can now be accessed with menu->getSubMenu(0), because the "File" entry is the menu item with index 0.

            // set a nicer font

            IGUISkin* skin = env->getSkin();
            IGUIFont* font = env->getFont("fonthaettenschweiler.bmp");
            if (font)
                    skin->setFont(font);

            // create menu
            gui::IGUIContextMenu* menu = env->addMenu();
            menu->addItem(L"File", -1, true, true);
            menu->addItem(L"View", -1, true, true);
            menu->addItem(L"Camera", -1, true, true);
            menu->addItem(L"Help", -1, true, true);

            gui::IGUIContextMenu* submenu;
            submenu = menu->getSubMenu(0);
            submenu->addItem(L"Open Model File & Texture...", GUI_ID_OPEN_MODEL);
            submenu->addItem(L"Set Model Archive...", GUI_ID_SET_MODEL_ARCHIVE);
            submenu->addItem(L"Load as Octree", GUI_ID_LOAD_AS_OCTREE);
            submenu->addSeparator();
            submenu->addItem(L"Quit", GUI_ID_QUIT);

            submenu = menu->getSubMenu(1);
            submenu->addItem(L"sky box visible", GUI_ID_SKY_BOX_VISIBLE, true, false, true);
            submenu->addItem(L"toggle model debug information", GUI_ID_TOGGLE_DEBUG_INFO, true, true);
            submenu->addItem(L"model material", -1, true, true );

            submenu = submenu->getSubMenu(1);
            submenu->addItem(L"Off", GUI_ID_DEBUG_OFF);
            submenu->addItem(L"Bounding Box", GUI_ID_DEBUG_BOUNDING_BOX);
            submenu->addItem(L"Normals", GUI_ID_DEBUG_NORMALS);
            submenu->addItem(L"Skeleton", GUI_ID_DEBUG_SKELETON);
            submenu->addItem(L"Wire overlay", GUI_ID_DEBUG_WIRE_OVERLAY);
            submenu->addItem(L"Half-Transparent", GUI_ID_DEBUG_HALF_TRANSPARENT);
            submenu->addItem(L"Buffers bounding boxes", GUI_ID_DEBUG_BUFFERS_BOUNDING_BOXES);
            submenu->addItem(L"All", GUI_ID_DEBUG_ALL);

            submenu = menu->getSubMenu(1)->getSubMenu(2);
            submenu->addItem(L"Solid", GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_SOLID);
            submenu->addItem(L"Transparent", GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_TRANSPARENT);
            submenu->addItem(L"Reflection", GUI_ID_MODEL_MATERIAL_REFLECTION);

            submenu = menu->getSubMenu(2);
            submenu->addItem(L"Maya Style", GUI_ID_CAMERA_MAYA);
            submenu->addItem(L"First Person", GUI_ID_CAMERA_FIRST_PERSON);

            submenu = menu->getSubMenu(3);
            submenu->addItem(L"About", GUI_ID_ABOUT);

Below the menu we want a toolbar, onto which we can place colored buttons and important looking stuff like a senseless combobox.

            // create toolbar

            gui::IGUIToolBar* bar = env->addToolBar();

            video::ITexture* image = driver->getTexture("open.png");
            bar->addButton(GUI_ID_BUTTON_OPEN_MODEL, 0, L"Open a model",image, 0, false, true);

            image = driver->getTexture("tools.png");
            bar->addButton(GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_TOOLBOX, 0, L"Open Toolset",image, 0, false, true);

            image = driver->getTexture("zip.png");
            bar->addButton(GUI_ID_BUTTON_SELECT_ARCHIVE, 0, L"Set Model Archive",image, 0, false, true);

            image = driver->getTexture("help.png");
            bar->addButton(GUI_ID_BUTTON_SHOW_ABOUT, 0, L"Open Help", image, 0, false, true);

            // create a combobox with some senseless texts

            gui::IGUIComboBox* box = env->addComboBox(core::rect<s32>(250,4,350,23), bar, GUI_ID_TEXTUREFILTER);
            box->addItem(L"No filtering");
            box->addItem(L"Bilinear");
            box->addItem(L"Trilinear");
            box->addItem(L"Anisotropic");
            box->addItem(L"Isotropic");

To make the editor look a little bit better, we disable transparent gui elements, and add an Irrlicht Engine logo. In addition, a text showing the current frames per second value is created and the window caption is changed.

            // disable alpha

            for (s32 i=0; i<gui::EGDC_COUNT ; ++i)
            {
                    video::SColor col = env->getSkin()->getColor((gui::EGUI_DEFAULT_COLOR)i);
                    col.setAlpha(255);
                    env->getSkin()->setColor((gui::EGUI_DEFAULT_COLOR)i, col);
            }

            // add a tabcontrol

            createToolBox();

            // create fps text

            IGUIStaticText* fpstext = env->addStaticText(L"",
                            core::rect<s32>(400,4,570,23), true, false, bar);

            IGUIStaticText* postext = env->addStaticText(L"",
                            core::rect<s32>(10,50,470,80),false, false, 0, GUI_ID_POSITION_TEXT);
            postext->setVisible(false);

            // set window caption

            Caption += " - [";
            Caption += driver->getName();
            Caption += "]";
            Device->setWindowCaption(Caption.c_str());

That's nearly the whole application. We simply show the about message box at start up, and load the first model. To make everything look better, a skybox is created and a user controled camera, to make the application a little bit more interactive. Finally, everything is drawn in a standard drawing loop.

            // show about message box and load default model
            if (argc==1)
                    showAboutText();
            loadModel(StartUpModelFile.c_str());

            // add skybox

            SkyBox = smgr->addSkyBoxSceneNode(
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_up.jpg"),
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_dn.jpg"),
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_lf.jpg"),
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_rt.jpg"),
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_ft.jpg"),
                    driver->getTexture("irrlicht2_bk.jpg"));

            // add a camera scene node
            Camera[0] = smgr->addCameraSceneNodeMaya();
            Camera[0]->setFarValue(20000.f);
            // Maya cameras reposition themselves relative to their target, so target the location
            // where the mesh scene node is placed.
            Camera[0]->setTarget(core::vector3df(0,30,0));

            Camera[1] = smgr->addCameraSceneNodeFPS();
            Camera[1]->setFarValue(20000.f);
            Camera[1]->setPosition(core::vector3df(0,0,-70));
            Camera[1]->setTarget(core::vector3df(0,30,0));

            setActiveCamera(Camera[0]);

            // load the irrlicht engine logo
            IGUIImage *img =
                    env->addImage(driver->getTexture("irrlichtlogo2.png"),
                            core::position2d<s32>(10, driver->getScreenSize().Height - 128));

            // lock the logo's edges to the bottom left corner of the screen
            img->setAlignment(EGUIA_UPPERLEFT, EGUIA_UPPERLEFT,
                            EGUIA_LOWERRIGHT, EGUIA_LOWERRIGHT);

            // draw everything

            while(Device->run() && driver)
            {
                    if (Device->isWindowActive())
                    {
                            driver->beginScene(true, true, video::SColor(150,50,50,50));

                            smgr->drawAll();
                            env->drawAll();

                            driver->endScene();

                            core::stringw str(L"FPS: ");
                            str.append(core::stringw(driver->getFPS()));
                            str += L" Tris: ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(driver->getPrimitiveCountDrawn()));
                            fpstext->setText(str.c_str());

                            scene::ICameraSceneNode* cam = Device->getSceneManager()->getActiveCamera();
                            str = L"Pos: ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getPosition().X));
                            str += L" ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getPosition().Y));
                            str += L" ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getPosition().Z));
                            str += L" Tgt: ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getTarget().X));
                            str += L" ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getTarget().Y));
                            str += L" ";
                            str.append(core::stringw(cam->getTarget().Z));
                            postext->setText(str.c_str());
                    }
                    else
                            Device->yield();
            }

            Device->drop();
            return 0;
    }

| The Irrlicht Engine Documentation © 2003-2010 by Nikolaus Gebhardt. Generated on Sun Feb 14 13:06:59 2010 by Doxygen (1.6.2)