[ODE] First Post

[Peter Onion]

Hi, this is my first post to the list.

I've been playing with ODE for a few days now and I've got the hang of
the basics I think.  I must say the "tests" make a good set of examples
for seeing how the basics work.

One thing I would say though, running them on a machine with hardware
accelerated openGL makes some of them go a bit too quick to see whats
going on !

Anyway... My project.....
http://www.btinternet.com/~Peter.Onion/E803/

Here's a screen shot taken when I was using the emulator the other day.
http://www.btinternet.com/~Peter.Onion/E803/Screenshot-2.png
Note that that doesn't show all the components as there are other
devices which were being run and displayed on another host.  Each window
is a separate application and they all communicate via TCP/IP to update
each other on things like buttons being pressed of indicator lamps going
on/off etc etc 

So far there are only a couple of parts I've moved to 3D from 2D.  I'm
using gtkglext to provide the gtk to openGL interface and I have a ATI
9600 card with the ATI provided drivers.
  
The most complex part is the set of drawers where I keep the virtual
paper tape reels.
http://www.btinternet.com/~Peter.Onion/E803/ODE/openDraws.jpg

The draws open and close and tapes can be picked up and placed in the
drawers and on the top of the cabinet.  I now want to be able to move
the tapes around inside the drawers and also to be able to stack them.
Looking at the code in test_boxstack.cpp and test_friction.cpp I think
I've got the basic ideas but I'll probably have some questions soon !

BTW I see that work is ongoing on the build/install process which is
good as it needed doing (not that I had any problems getting a nightly
snap shot built and working) but the lack of a proper process did rather
let down what otherwise seems a great tool.

Peter