thumb|Browser and a few converted samples as of week 10.
thumb|Initial mockup concept for the browser menu.

Summer of Code 2009: Unified Samples Framework & Browser

Student: Zi Ye (omniter)

Mentor: Brian Johnstone (Praetor)

Location: branches/soc09-samples

Status: Beyond

Any new developments?

A video showing currently converted samples and a few new features here. Details in the thread.

Why a new framework?

  • To allow running multiple samples in one application instance.
  • To allow dynamic detection/loading of samples as plugins.
  • To only require compiling/recompiling of sample-specific code.
  • To provide common setup and controls for samples.
  • To be multi-purpose, extensible, and easy to integrate.
  • To be more than just a "jumpstart".

Why a sample browser?

First and foremost, the browser as a deliverable will demonstrate the power of the new framework. But behind the browser lies another important motivation...

Some think that good visuals and presentation, or what we sometimes call "eye-candy" are superficial because they present little insight into the actual quality of the engine. Others think that, while these things help our cause, they are simply extras that should not be given much priority. The truth is that demos and SDK samples give potential new users a first impression of OGRE. Attention to detail, good design, consistency, feature-richness - these are OGRE's great qualities. Why should these qualities be reflected any less so in OGRE's samples, especially since OGRE is a graphics engine? Besides, it'd be a nifty thing to have.

How will the framework be made?

The work for the framework can be best described in terms of its required components:

The Sample class is responsible for everything sample-specific, such as scene setup and event handling. Everything a Sample instance does is safely repeatable, thus allowing multiple Samples to be run in one session, and for Samples to be created and edited without compiling the entire framework. This also means that Samples can be placed inside plugins, allowing them to be detected and loaded into the application on-the-fly.

The SampleContext is a large class, and will require most of the work. It is responsible for providing a shared context in which samples can run. This includes setting up OGRE, creating a window, and loading appropriate resources and plugins. The SampleContext must handle multiple samples, and must make switching back and forth between them as fast and efficient as possible based on each sample's requirements. The SampleContext will also support dynamic RenderSystem configuration.

In addition to these three classes, there will be some utility classes to aid in the creation of common sample elements. These include common GUI elements and camera presets.

By combining and extending these classes, it is possible to create a wide range of OGRE applications with great flexibility in the loading and execution of samples.

How will the browser be made?

In contrast to the framework, the work for the browser is best described in terms of its planned features:

  • Menu displaying thumbnail and notes for all detected samples, accessible at all times.
  • Display settings configuration screen.
  • Refresh sample list.
  • Reload textures and materials while viewing a sample.
  • Pause, unpause and reset samples.
  • Centralised sample error feedback without crashing (fallback to menu).
  • An OGRE GUI theme.


NOTE: This feature list is not exhaustive, and could be a little inaccurate/outdated. For more information, visit the thread.

When will the work be done?

Below is a rough week-by-week development timeline, spanning the months of May to August of 2009, not including future extensions and maintenance. Please note that this timeline is only a guide, and is subject to change based on work pace and feature changes.

  • Week 1 (Done): Create SampleContext class. Implement initial setup and resource loading, etc. with temporary placeholders for Sample-calling code, and a temporary test application.
  • Week 2 (Done): Create Sample class. Add Sample-calling code to SampleContext.
  • Week 3 (Done): Make Samples pluggable. Add OIS support to Sample.
  • Week 4 (Done): Implement dynamic graphics configuration for SampleContext. Add custom data to Samples. Create test samples and test the main classes with different scenarios. (Multiple plugin samples, plugin/static sample mix, resource conflicts, different scene managers, different render systems, dynamically detecting plugins, performance/efficiency issues, accumulative residual effects, etc.)
  • Week 5 (Done): Start making browser using previous week's testing code. Implement loading sample info from config file.
  • Week 6 (Done): Start basic tray manager system. Implement error reporting.
  • Week 7 (Done): Create additional widgets for tray system and start on browser interface.
  • Week 8 (Done): Finish all required widgets and implement more browser features.
  • Week 9 (Done): Finish all remaining browser features. Create sample camera controller.
  • Week 10 (Done): Start converting SDK samples and testing the framework and browser with them.
  • Week 11 & 12 (Done): Continue converting samples, do more testing, optimize, maybe add more features/utilities (like browser command-line arguments).
  • Beyond (Started): Finish converting samples, create new documentation and tutorials and update the OGRE wiki pages.

What will the final product be like?

Here's a video demonstration of framework usage as of week 5.

Here's a video demonstration of browser and the new tray manager as of week 7.

Here's a video demonstration of all tray widgets as of week 8.

Here's a video demonstration of browser features as of week 9(a).

Here's a video demonstration of browser config and orbit cam as of week 9(b).

Here's a video demonstration of samples and some new features as of week 10.

Some pictures on the right as well. ===>

Stay tuned!

Yes. Discussion Thread See? Come again, I might get more.


Alias: SoC2009_Samples

<HR>
Creative Commons Copyright -- Some rights reserved.


THE WORK (AS DEFINED BELOW) IS PROVIDED UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS CREATIVE COMMONS PUBLIC LICENSE ("CCPL" OR "LICENSE"). THE WORK IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW. ANY USE OF THE WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.

BY EXERCISING ANY RIGHTS TO THE WORK PROVIDED HERE, YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE. THE LICENSOR GRANTS YOU THE RIGHTS CONTAINED HERE IN CONSIDERATION OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

1. Definitions

  • "Collective Work" means a work, such as a periodical issue, anthology or encyclopedia, in which the Work in its entirety in unmodified form, along with a number of other contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole. A work that constitutes a Collective Work will not be considered a Derivative Work (as defined below) for the purposes of this License.
  • "Derivative Work" means a work based upon the Work or upon the Work and other pre-existing works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or any other form in which the Work may be recast, transformed, or adapted, except that a work that constitutes a Collective Work will not be considered a Derivative Work for the purpose of this License. For the avoidance of doubt, where the Work is a musical composition or sound recording, the synchronization of the Work in timed-relation with a moving image ("synching") will be considered a Derivative Work for the purpose of this License.
  • "Licensor" means the individual or entity that offers the Work under the terms of this License.
  • "Original Author" means the individual or entity who created the Work.
  • "Work" means the copyrightable work of authorship offered under the terms of this License.
  • "You" means an individual or entity exercising rights under this License who has not previously violated the terms of this License with respect to the Work, or who has received express permission from the Licensor to exercise rights under this License despite a previous violation.
  • "License Elements" means the following high-level license attributes as selected by Licensor and indicated in the title of this License: Attribution, ShareAlike.

2. Fair Use Rights

Nothing in this license is intended to reduce, limit, or restrict any rights arising from fair use, first sale or other limitations on the exclusive rights of the copyright owner under copyright law or other applicable laws.

3. License Grant

Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual (for the duration of the applicable copyright) license to exercise the rights in the Work as stated below:

  • to reproduce the Work, to incorporate the Work into one or more Collective Works, and to reproduce the Work as incorporated in the Collective Works;
  • to create and reproduce Derivative Works;
  • to distribute copies or phonorecords of, display publicly, perform publicly, and perform publicly by means of a digital audio transmission the Work including as incorporated in Collective Works;
  • to distribute copies or phonorecords of, display publicly, perform publicly, and perform publicly by means of a digital audio transmission Derivative Works.
  • For the avoidance of doubt, where the work is a musical composition:
    • Performance Royalties Under Blanket Licenses. Licensor waives the exclusive right to collect, whether individually or via a performance rights society (e.g. ASCAP, BMI, SESAC), royalties for the public performance or public digital performance (e.g. webcast) of the Work.
    • Mechanical Rights and Statutory Royalties. Licensor waives the exclusive right to collect, whether individually or via a music rights society or designated agent (e.g. Harry Fox Agency), royalties for any phonorecord You create from the Work ("cover version") and distribute, subject to the compulsory license created by 17 USC Section 115 of the US Copyright Act (or the equivalent in other jurisdictions).
    • Webcasting Rights and Statutory Royalties. For the avoidance of doubt, where the Work is a sound recording, Licensor waives the exclusive right to collect, whether individually or via a performance-rights society (e.g. SoundExchange), royalties for the public digital performance (e.g. webcast) of the Work, subject to the compulsory license created by 17 USC Section 114 of the US Copyright Act (or the equivalent in other jurisdictions).


The above rights may be exercised in all media and formats whether now known or hereafter devised. The above rights include the right to make such modifications as are technically necessary to exercise the rights in other media and formats. All rights not expressly granted by Licensor are hereby reserved.

4. Restrictions

The license granted in Section 3 above is expressly made subject to and limited by the following restrictions:

  • You may distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform the Work only under the terms of this License, and You must include a copy of, or the Uniform Resource Identifier for, this License with every copy or phonorecord of the Work You distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform. You may not offer or impose any terms on the Work that alter or restrict the terms of this License or the recipients' exercise of the rights granted hereunder. You may not sublicense the Work. You must keep intact all notices that refer to this License and to the disclaimer of warranties. You may not distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform the Work with any technological measures that control access or use of the Work in a manner inconsistent with the terms of this License Agreement. The above applies to the Work as incorporated in a Collective Work, but this does not require the Collective Work apart from the Work itself to be made subject to the terms of this License. If You create a Collective Work, upon notice from any Licensor You must, to the extent practicable, remove from the Collective Work any credit as required by clause 4(c), as requested. If You create a Derivative Work, upon notice from any Licensor You must, to the extent practicable, remove from the Derivative Work any credit as required by clause 4(c), as requested.
  • You may distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform a Derivative Work only under the terms of this License, a later version of this License with the same License Elements as this License, or a Creative Commons iCommons license that contains the same License Elements as this License (e.g. Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Japan). You must include a copy of, or the Uniform Resource Identifier for, this License or other license specified in the previous sentence with every copy or phonorecord of each Derivative Work You distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform. You may not offer or impose any terms on the Derivative Works that alter or restrict the terms of this License or the recipients' exercise of the rights granted hereunder, and You must keep intact all notices that refer to this License and to the disclaimer of warranties. You may not distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform the Derivative Work with any technological measures that control access or use of the Work in a manner inconsistent with the terms of this License Agreement. The above applies to the Derivative Work as incorporated in a Collective Work, but this does not require the Collective Work apart from the Derivative Work itself to be made subject to the terms of this License.
  • If you distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform the Work or any Derivative Works or Collective Works, You must keep intact all copyright notices for the Work and provide, reasonable to the medium or means You are utilizing: (i) the name of the Original Author (or pseudonym, if applicable) if supplied, and/or (ii) if the Original Author and/or Licensor designate another party or parties (e.g. a sponsor institute, publishing entity, journal) for attribution in Licensor's copyright notice, terms of service or by other reasonable means, the name of such party or parties; the title of the Work if supplied; to the extent reasonably practicable, the Uniform Resource Identifier, if any, that Licensor specifies to be associated with the Work, unless such URI does not refer to the copyright notice or licensing information for the Work; and in the case of a Derivative Work, a credit identifying the use of the Work in the Derivative Work (e.g., "French translation of the Work by Original Author," or "Screenplay based on original Work by Original Author"). Such credit may be implemented in any reasonable manner; provided, however, that in the case of a Derivative Work or Collective Work, at a minimum such credit will appear where any other comparable authorship credit appears and in a manner at least as prominent as such other comparable authorship credit.

5. Representations, Warranties and Disclaimer

UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES IN WRITING, LICENSOR OFFERS THE WORK AS-IS AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE MATERIALS, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTIBILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, OR THE ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OF ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT DISCOVERABLE. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SUCH EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

6. Limitation on Liability.

EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL LICENSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS LICENSE OR THE USE OF THE WORK, EVEN IF LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

7. Termination

  • This License and the rights granted hereunder will terminate automatically upon any breach by You of the terms of this License. Individuals or entities who have received Derivative Works or Collective Works from You under this License, however, will not have their licenses terminated provided such individuals or entities remain in full compliance with those licenses. Sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will survive any termination of this License.
  • Subject to the above terms and conditions, the license granted here is perpetual (for the duration of the applicable copyright in the Work). Notwithstanding the above, Licensor reserves the right to release the Work under different license terms or to stop distributing the Work at any time; provided, however that any such election will not serve to withdraw this License (or any other license that has been, or is required to be, granted under the terms of this License), and this License will continue in full force and effect unless terminated as stated above.

8. Miscellaneous

  • Each time You distribute or publicly digitally perform the Work or a Collective Work, the Licensor offers to the recipient a license to the Work on the same terms and conditions as the license granted to You under this License.
  • Each time You distribute or publicly digitally perform a Derivative Work, Licensor offers to the recipient a license to the original Work on the same terms and conditions as the license granted to You under this License.
  • If any provision of this License is invalid or unenforceable under applicable law, it shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of the terms of this License, and without further action by the parties to this agreement, such provision shall be reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision valid and enforceable.
  • No term or provision of this License shall be deemed waived and no breach consented to unless such waiver or consent shall be in writing and signed by the party to be charged with such waiver or consent.
  • This License constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Work licensed here. There are no understandings, agreements or representations with respect to the Work not specified here. Licensor shall not be bound by any additional provisions that may appear in any communication from You. This License may not be modified without the mutual written agreement of the Licensor and You.