SaveToWeb question

robbby

in Contributed Library Questions • 3 years ago

I'm still new to Processing, but I'm learning from people at the forum.
I've written a sketch and With Toxi's help, it now creates an STL. I'd like to make it an applet and save the STL to my server, is that possible? You've helped me learn to save image files, I can do that, but a data(STL) how can we do that?

Replies(7)

PhiLho

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

Not sure what you mean by STL, for me that's the C++'s Standard Template Library...

(isn't it a tree data structure?)

Anyway, it isn't simple as it involves two steps: to serialize the data structure in memory (eg. using Java's serialization features), and to transform this serialization to an array of bytes that can be sent via the library.

Although the code uses DataOutputStream which is able to send any Java primitive type, I wonder if we can skip the conversion to an array of bytes. I will look into it.

robbby

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

STL is a file type used in rapid prototyping. My understanding is that it's similar to an OBJ file...a list of triangles, vertexes and faces. Toxiclib saves STLs to sketchpath(). I was hoping there was something like appletpath() but I haven't been able to find it and can't write it yet.
I also considered sending the data to the server as an array but I don't know if PHP can convert it....I don't think so

local_guru

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

Have you tried the examples from the wiki?

One of the examples is used to store a textfile on the server.

The post-data method doesn't really care what data-format you are trying to send (and neither does the php file)

when you try to send a stl file you will need to adjust the mime-type in the multipart-section of the post-data method,

but every thing else should work out of the box.

If you plan to put the applet on a public webserver be careful with the php file, it allows uploading any file without authentification

robbby

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

Thank you for your reply, I'll be using a PHP file that Phi.Lho wrote that addresses that, plus I'll be adding sessions.

I don't know how to do what you're suggesting because:1) I'm new and have much to learn and 2) Toxislib's method includes "sketchpath" I don't know how to get the STL without "sketchpath" and so, if I can't get the STL, I can't save it.

I'm probably missing something basic, I feel like an idiot, sometimes.

PhiLho

Re: Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

Ah, you are out of luck, because indeed saveAsSTL method only takes a file name. A method taking an OutputStream (or returning one?), for example, would have been more flexible...
Either you ask Toxi to add it, or you hack the library (which is open source...) to add it yourself.
Currently, you just cannot do that (in a Web browser, at least -- well, perhaps it can be done, by signing the applet and juggling with files on user's dir or temp dir, etc.).

robbby

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

If you look at this demo:
http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=9673
you'll (maybe) see what I mean.

robbby

Re: SaveToWeb question

3 years ago

Toxi"s newest version has indeed, included an OutputStream method. Any suggestion for using that to save an STL file to my web server?

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