Re: [Boost-users] NURBS curves/surfaces

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] NURBS curves/surfaces
From: Peter Barker (newbarker_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-02-08 06:23:15

> We have the same interest and need for boost.
> What applications do you plan to use NURBS?
>
> B/Rgds
> Max

Hi Max,

I currently work for a CAD company in the footwear industry and our
curves/surfaces are implemented using splines from code home-grown in
the 70s. Manning and/or Ferguson I believe they're called. This is
making interchange between other CAD applications difficult. If our
company used NURBS internally it would help.

There is a project called Nurbs++
(http://sourceforge.net/projects/libnurbs/) but it's not seen any
activity for almost 7 years. I've looked at the code and it's not the
best. Header files including .cpp files and other strange stuff.
Trying to get it compiled and link with it means rewriting a lot of
the code.

There is a commercially available library called NLib available from
Solid Modeling Solutions (http://www.smlib.com/nlib.html). It's quite
pricey to buy.

The NURBS Book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nurbs-Book-Monographs-Visual-Communication/dp/3540615458/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234091419&sr=8-1)
contains a lot of maths and pseudocode for NURBS algorithms. These
algorithms are what NLib is based upon, but the latest NLib has more
functionality I understand. The authors of this book are the original
authors of NLib before Solid Modeling Solutions bought the rights to
the library.

Currently the book is far beyond me mathematically! I'm making a real
effort to learn maths so implementing the algorithms from the book
might be a good exercise. Then again it might be something I will
never finish.

Have you done much research on what's available? Would be interested
in hearing what paths you're looking at taking.

Regards,

Pete