data visualisation
Hi all,
trying to use max (or touch designer) to make some interesting data visualisation. The elements in the visualisations are obj models and glyphs. Imported the obj models, all good there. For the data, there is a text file, which I can parse and save in a jitter matrix made of 4 channels (x y z and value) and 1 x many pixels. All done so far.
Now, the challenge.
In touchdesigner I can use instances and it is rather simple to copy a square where each point is and use texture instancing to change colour depending on value (the fourth channel) if I use a PC (which I'd rather not).
But what about max?
Is using jit.gl.multiple is still valid now that there is jit.mo?
And is this fast enough for very large datasets (6+ millions data points)?
Is using particles any better?
And what about changing colour of instances/particles with the 4th channel?
Is this possible? How?
I am not looking for the patch, happy to sort this out.
Nut I am truly asking for a discussion on the topic as it seems to me TD has much superior graphics capabilities but I prefer max interface and working on a mac...
Thanks
G>
jit.gl.multiple is the best way to display many instances of the same geometry.
make sure you enable displaylist on the geometry (if supported, and if the geometry isn't changing), set the geometry dimensions as low as necessary, enable back-face culling if appropriate, and if using lighting then shade with jit.gl.material instead of the fixed function (depending on the GPU this is usually faster).
jit.mo does not replace, but augments jit.gl.multiple
you can use the gl.multiple color input to change color, or texture input to change texture. happy to provide an example if the help file doesn't clarify.
Hi, and thanks for the reply. GOOD ADVICE, which I can now understand, after taking some time to experiment (enclosed is the compressed patch, it requires a jitter matrix of data saved with x y z and value (4 columns)) and an obj of the large model and an obj for the glyphs. These are located at x y z and scaled on the y by the value which is also used to colour them. The second glyphs are displaced at x y and z plus the value scaled. The third model serves just as background. There is also a data point visualisation for debugging but should be off.
I hope this is useful to others, perhaps just a starting point as it implements a camera 'fit all' and 'centre' function and a global scale function (one key issue was that model units were kilometers). I could not figure out how to keep the camera top constant but maybe in future : )
Anyway here is it:
The dataset plus the glyphs are here:
PS
The same type of visualisation done in TD is just few boxes...I do like more Max as I am used to it, but it feels everything needs to be built ground up. But then it is cool... but so many boxes... so many cables...