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algorithm behind automatic uv unwrapping tools?

Started by billconan Dec 13, 2008 at 11:15 PM 4 replies 14.1k views

Original Post

Dec 13, 2008 at 11:15 PM

hello guys, i'm working on my little game project. since it is a one man project, i really need an automatic uv mapping tool. i found a plugin for lightwave, gives some really nice results http://www.newtek.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44949 but since i don't have lightwave, i guess i have to write one by myself. but what is the algorithm behind this tool? is there any famouse paper talking about this? thank you.

modus

Dec 14, 2008 at 8:10 PM

Try a search for angle based flattening (ABF), which basically reduces the whole problem to a constrained optimization in triangle angles alone (very cool). Search also for mesh surface parametrization.

You could also sneak a peek at what open source tools like Blender etc are doing under the hood, though I've no idea what algorithm it uses.

billconan

Dec 15, 2008 at 1:18 AM

thank you.

Pragma

Dec 15, 2008 at 7:33 AM

Blender uses least squares conformal maps. See here: http://alice.loria.fr/index.php/publications.html?redirect=0&Paper=lscm@2002. It seems they even have an implementation with source.

[Edited by - Pragma on December 15, 2008 8:33:37 AM]

Takuan Daikon

Dec 15, 2008 at 10:19 AM

Take a look at RoadKill.

It is a free standalone program that uses Blender's uv unwrapping code, in a much much friendlier interface. If you just need a tool, this is a great way to go.

If you need source code, it is also open source so it's probably the easier way to find out how Blender does it, since it doesn't contain everything else that's unrelated.

As much as I loathe Blender, I have to admit that its unwrapping tools do a fine job.

[Edited by - Takuan Daikon on December 16, 2008 12:19:52 AM]

billconan

Dec 15, 2008 at 10:28 PM

thank you guys.

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