sorting array - again

[resonanz]

I am still struggling to sort arrays in the HDK and hence I have a couple of questions.

For example, if I have added a float attribute to my primitives how can I sort the primitives according to these values? I know how to access and read the attribute into the HDK but have no idea what I should do next.

And the other question is: How do I sort a UT_ValArray of vectors by the length of the vector?

Here is what I have so far:

GA_ROAttributeRef myattrib;
myattrib = gdp->findPrimitiveAttribute("area");
GA_ROHandleF myhandle(myattrib.getAttribute());
for(GA_Iterator it(gdp->getPrimitiveRange()); !it.atEnd(); it.advance()){
cout << myhandle(it.getOffset()) << endl;
}
[/CODE]

Any help would be appreciated!

[petz]

For example, if I have added a float attribute to my primitives how can I sort the primitives according to these values? I know how to access and read the attribute into the HDK but have no idea what I should do next.

Here is what I have so far:

GA_ROAttributeRef myattrib;
myattrib = gdp->findPrimitiveAttribute("area");
GA_ROHandleF myhandle(myattrib.getAttribute());
for(GA_Iterator it(gdp->getPrimitiveRange()); !it.atEnd(); it.advance()){
cout << myhandle(it.getOffset()) << endl;
}
[/CODE]

to sort prims you'll need to reorder the corresponding GA_IndexMap which basically is responsible for the prim-numbering you see in the viewport.

[CODE]
// get index map
GA_IndexMap &indexMap = gdp->getIndexMap(GA_ATTRIB_PRIMITIVE);
// set comparator
GA_IndexMap::AttributeCompare compare(myattrib.getAttribute(), 0);
// instead of using your myattrib it´s possible to access the attribute direcly
// GA_IndexMap::AttributeCompare compare(indexMap, "area", 0);

// sort indexMap
indexMap.sortIndices(compare);


// NOTE:
// you could change
GA_ROAttribRef areaAttribRef = gdp->findPrimitiveAttribute("area");
GA_ROHandleF areaHandle(areaAttribRef.getAttribute());
// to
GA_ROHandleF areaHandle(gdp, GA_ATTRIB_PRIMITIVE, "area");[/CODE]

And the other question is: How do I sort a UT_ValArray of vectors by the length of the vector?

for this you´ll need a comparison function

[CODE]
// comparator
int compare(const UT_Vector3 *vec1, const UT_Vector3 *vec2)
{
if(vec1->length() < vec2->length())
return -1;
if(vec1->length() > vec2->length())
return 1;
return 0;
}


UT_ValArray<UT_Vector3> vecArray;
// sort array
vecArray.sort(compare);[/CODE]

hth.

petz

Edited April 7, 2013 by petz

[graham]

GU_Detail provides a variety of methods (essentially all the methods available on the Sort SOP) for sorting points and primitives.

[resonanz]

@Petz

Thanks, works like a charm!!

@Graham

Thanks Graham! I have allready found sortPrimitiveList() in GU_Detail but I am not sure how to use it correctly.

Thanks again!!

[graham]

You can use the sortPrimitiveList() with the float * signature to essentially sort by attribute value/expression using some supplied list of values.

The following 2 lines mimics 4 primitives (0,1,2,3) with respective attribute values (1,3,2,0). After sorting, they will be sorted in increasing order of the corresponding values.

float order[4] = {1, 3, 2, 0};
gdp->sortPrimitiveList(order);

[resonanz]

You can use the sortPrimitiveList() with the float * signature to essentially sort by attribute value/expression using some supplied list of values.

The following 2 lines mimics 4 primitives (0,1,2,3) with respective attribute values (1,3,2,0). After sorting, they will be sorted in increasing order of the corresponding values.

float order[4] = {1, 3, 2, 0};
gdp->sortPrimitiveList(order);

Thanks Graham, it´s starting to make sense now. But still one question remains. If I want to sort the primitives by an attribute, for example the area, do I have to create the list of floats first? Or, to rephrase the question, what would be the preferred way to have "area" accessible to sortPrimitiveList()?

[graham]

Yeah, you would basically need to create the list of values from the attribute values. I believe there is a function for point attributes that will return all the values in a flattened array, but I don't believe such a function exists for primitive attributes.

[magneto]

If it is pointFloatAttribValues, there is also primFloatAttribValues. Not sure if that's the one you guys are talking about.

EDIT: Didn't realize this was HDK

Edited April 8, 2013 by magneto

[petz]

Yeah, you would basically need to create the list of values from the attribute values. I believe there is a function for point attributes that will return all the values in a flattened array, but I don't believe such a function exists for primitive attributes.

to get an array from the primitive attribute values you may want to use GA_AIFTuple. that way you´ll get floats which could be directly used by sortPrimitiveList() in GU_Detail.

but even so, if you´ll have to sort primitives by existing attribute values i would use the method i´ve posted before. it´s cleaner and considerably faster.

hth.

petz

just for completion....

// get attribute
GA_ROAttributeRef areaAttribRef = gdp->findFloatTuple(GA_ATTRIB_PRIMITIVE, "area", 0);
// get GA_AIFTuple
const GA_AIFTuple *areaTuple = areaAttribRef.getAIFTuple();
// allocate array
float *areaArray = new float[gdp->getNumPrimitives()];
// get array of values
areaTuple->getRange(areaAttribRef.getAttribute(), gdp->getPrimitiveRange(), areaArray);
// sort prims
gdp->sortPrimitiveList(areaArray);
// cleaning
delete [] areaArray;
[/CODE]

[resonanz]

Many thanks guys, that´s alot of useful Information!!