Managed DirectX Camera Issue

Question

I am a bit new to the DirectX library and I am wondering if anyone can help me with a camera issue. In my main form I load a set of polygon data representing a 3D object and then pass that polygon data to another form and want to draw the polygon as a triangle list. Unfortunately I cannot seem to get the camera to either 1) Have the proper viewing frustum or 2) Get the camera to properly focus and size the image. The polygon data is being loaded as world coordinate data.

Below is the code that initializes the secondary form, directx, camera, etc.

#region Public Members

    /// <summary>
    /// Default Constructor.
    /// </summary>
    public STLViewer()
    {
        // Set the form size, form text, icon
        this.ClientSize = new Size(500, 500);
        this.Text = "Object Name: " + stlFile.SolidName + ", Polygon Count: " + stlFile.GetPolygons().Count;
        this.Icon = RetrieveFormIcon();

        // Change our drawing style so there is no drawing happening outside our main form
        this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint | ControlStyles.Opaque, true);

        // Get our vertex data in a prepared format
        verts = PrepareObjectForRender();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This function is responsible for retrieving the specified
    /// icon from the assembly.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>Form icon</returns>
    private Icon RetrieveFormIcon()
    {
        Assembly assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
        Stream str = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(icon);

        return new Icon(str);
    }

    #endregion

    #region Main Line

    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create our form object
        STLViewer stlViewer = new STLViewer();

        // Initialize D3D
        if (stlViewer.InitializeDirect3D() == false)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Could not initialize Direct3D.", "Error");
            return;
        }

        // Display our form
        stlViewer.Show();

        // Main message loop
        while (stlViewer.Created)
        {
            // Keep rendering the image until the form is terminated
            //stlViewer.Render();

            // Handle aall events here: keyboard, mouse, etc.
            Application.DoEvents();
        }
    }

    #endregion

    #region Rendering

    protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
    {
        if (directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode == FillMode.Solid)
        {
            directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode = FillMode.WireFrame;
        }

        // Clear the window to black
        directXDevice.Clear(ClearFlags.Target, Color.Black, 1.0f, 0);

        // Setup the camera for viewing
        SetupCamera();

        // Begin the rendering process
        directXDevice.BeginScene();

        // Set the vertext format
        directXDevice.VertexFormat = CustomVertex.PositionColored.Format;

        // Draw our vertices
        directXDevice.DrawUserPrimitives(PrimitiveType.TriangleList, stlFile.GetPolygons().Count, verts);

        // End rendering and present the drawing to the screen
        directXDevice.EndScene();
        directXDevice.Present();

        // Force our form to refresh its viewing area
        this.Invalidate();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This function is responsible for rendering the image
    /// to the screen.
    /// </summary>
    private void Render()
    {
        // IF we cannot connect to a device then return
        if (directXDevice == null)
        {
            return;
        }

        // Get our vertex data in a prepared format
        CustomVertex.PositionColored[] verts = PrepareObjectForRender();

        // Clear the window to black
        directXDevice.Clear(ClearFlags.Target, Color.Black, 1.0f, 0);

        // Setup the camera for viewing
        SetupCamera();

        // Begin the rendering process
        directXDevice.BeginScene();

        // Set the vertext format
        directXDevice.VertexFormat = CustomVertex.PositionColored.Format;

        // Draw our vertices
        directXDevice.DrawUserPrimitives(PrimitiveType.TriangleList, stlFile.GetPolygons().Count, verts);

        // End rendering and present the drawing to the screen
        directXDevice.EndScene();
        directXDevice.Present();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// This function is responsible for creating the necessary
    /// DirectX objects, setting the vertices and normals, colors
    /// and/or materials for the object so we can draw it in the
    /// form.
    /// </summary>
    private CustomVertex.PositionColored[] PrepareObjectForRender()
    {
        // List to hold our colored vertices
        List<CustomVertex.PositionColored> vertices = new List<CustomVertex.PositionColored>();

        // List to hold our polygons, contained within the STL file
        List<Polygon.Polygon> polygons = stlFile.GetPolygons();

        // Create a custom vertex that will be used to hold our vertices
        CustomVertex.PositionColored custVert = new CustomVertex.PositionColored();

        // Iterate through our polygons and pulled a vertex list
        for (int i = 0; i < polygons.Count; i++)
        {
            // Set the position and color of our 1st vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
            custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[0],
                (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[2]);
            custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
            vertices.Add(custVert);

            // Set the position and color of our 2nd vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
            custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[0],
                (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[2]);
            custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
            vertices.Add(custVert);

            // Set the position and color of our 3rd vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
            custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[0],
                (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[2]);
            custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
            vertices.Add(custVert);
        }

        // Cast our list to an array of vertices
        CustomVertex.PositionColored[] verts = vertices.ToArray();

        return verts;
    }

    #endregion

    #region Initialization & Configuration

    private bool InitializeDirect3D()
    {
        bool retVal = false;

        try
        {
            // Create a new PresentParameters object so our device knows how to display
            PresentParameters pps = new PresentParameters();

            // Display in a windowed mode
            pps.Windowed = true;

            // After the current screen is draw, discard it from memory
            pps.SwapEffect = SwapEffect.Discard;

            // Create the new D3D Device and set our PresentParameters within
            directXDevice = new Device(0, DeviceType.Hardware, this, 
                CreateFlags.SoftwareVertexProcessing, pps);

            // Use wireframe as our drawing mode
            directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode = FillMode.WireFrame;

            retVal = true;
        }
        catch (DirectXException e)
        {
            // Display our error message
            MessageBox.Show(e.ToString(), "Error");

            retVal = false;
        }

        return retVal;
    }

    private void SetupCamera()
    {
        directXDevice.Transform.Projection = Matrix.PerspectiveFovLH(1.85f,
(float)(this.Width / this.Height), 1.0f, 1.00f);

        directXDevice.Transform.View = Matrix.LookAtLH(new Vector3(0.0f, 0.0f, 5.0f),
            new Vector3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f), new Vector3(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f));

        directXDevice.RenderState.Lighting = false;
    }

    #endregion

Answer 1

Had a couple small things out of place and found a tutorial at drunkenhyena that I had forgotten about, which helped me through the rest of the way.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflection;
using Polygon;
using STL;
using Microsoft.DirectX;
using Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D;

namespace STLView
{
    public class STLViewer : Form
    {
        #region Private Members

        #region DirectX Objects

        /// <summary>
        /// DirectX Device object that will allow us to perform drawing
        /// </summary>
        private Device directXDevice = null;

        /// <summary>
        /// Array of vertices that will hold our Polygon vertices
        /// </summary>
        private static CustomVertex.PositionColored[] verts;

        #endregion

        #region STL Viewer Specific Objects

        /// <summary>
        /// String to hold the name of the path in the assembly for our form icon
        /// </summary>
        private static string icon = "STLView.Resources.Symbol17.ico";

        /// <summary>
        /// STLFile object that will be used to draw the object
        /// </summary>
        public static STLFile stlFile;

        #endregion

        #endregion

        #region Public Members

        /// <summary>
        /// Default Constructor.
        /// </summary>
        public STLViewer()
        {
            // Set the form size, form text, icon
            this.ClientSize = new Size(800, 600);
            this.Text = "Object Name: " + stlFile.SolidName + ", Polygon Count: " + stlFile.GetPolygons().Count;
            this.Icon = RetrieveFormIcon();

            // Change our drawing style so there is no drawing happening outside our main form
            this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint | ControlStyles.Opaque, true);

            // Get our vertex data in a prepared format
            verts = PrepareObjectForRender();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This function is responsible for retrieving the specified
        /// icon from the assembly.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>Form icon</returns>
        private Icon RetrieveFormIcon()
        {
            Assembly assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
            Stream str = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(icon);

            return new Icon(str);
        }

        #endregion

        #region Main Line

        public static void Main()
        {
            // Create our form object
            STLViewer stlViewer = new STLViewer();

            // Initialize D3D
            if (stlViewer.InitializeDirect3D() == false)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Could not initialize Direct3D.", "Error");
                return;
            }

            // Display our form
            stlViewer.Show();

            // Main message loop
            while (stlViewer.Created)
            {
                // Handle aall events here: keyboard, mouse, etc.
                Application.DoEvents();
            }
        }

        #endregion

        #region Rendering

        /// <summary>
        /// This function is the overloaded OnPaint method, which is responsible
        /// for drawing our scene.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="e"></param>
        protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
        {
            // IF we have a forced switch to Solid mode switch to Wireframe
            if (directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode == FillMode.Solid)
            {
                directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode = FillMode.WireFrame;
            }

            // Clear the window to black
            directXDevice.Clear(ClearFlags.Target, Color.Navy, 1.0f, 0);

            // Disable culling
            directXDevice.RenderState.CullMode = Cull.None;

            // Setup the camera for viewing
            SetupCamera();

            // Begin the rendering process
            directXDevice.BeginScene();

            // Set the vertext format
            directXDevice.VertexFormat = CustomVertex.PositionColored.Format;

            // Draw our vertices
            directXDevice.DrawUserPrimitives(PrimitiveType.TriangleList, stlFile.GetPolygons().Count, verts);

            // End rendering and present the drawing to the screen
            directXDevice.EndScene();
            directXDevice.Present();

            // Force our form to refresh its viewing area
            this.Invalidate();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This function is responsible for creating the necessary
        /// DirectX objects, setting the vertices and normals, colors
        /// and/or materials for the object so we can draw it in the
        /// form.
        /// </summary>
        private CustomVertex.PositionColored[] PrepareObjectForRender()
        {
            // List to hold our colored vertices
            List<CustomVertex.PositionColored> vertices = new List<CustomVertex.PositionColored>();

            // List to hold our polygons, contained within the STL file
            List<Polygon.Polygon> polygons = stlFile.GetPolygons();

            // Create a custom vertex that will be used to hold our vertices
            CustomVertex.PositionColored custVert = new CustomVertex.PositionColored();

            // Iterate through our polygons and pulled a vertex list
            for (int i = 0; i < polygons.Count; i++)
            {
                // Set the position and color of our 1st vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
                custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[0],
                    (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints1()[2]);
                custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
                vertices.Add(custVert);

                // Set the position and color of our 2nd vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
                custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[0],
                    (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints2()[2]);
                custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
                vertices.Add(custVert);

                // Set the position and color of our 3rd vertex in our polygon, add it to our list
                custVert.Position = new Vector3((float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[0],
                    (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[1], (float)polygons[i].GetDoublePoints3()[2]);
                custVert.Color = Color.YellowGreen.ToArgb();
                vertices.Add(custVert);
            }

            // Cast our list to an array of vertices
            CustomVertex.PositionColored[] verts = vertices.ToArray();

            return verts;
        }

        #endregion

        #region Initialization & Configuration

        /// <summary>
        /// This function is responsible for initializing our Direct3D device.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>TRUE if successful, FALSE if not</returns>
        private bool InitializeDirect3D()
        {
            bool retVal = false;

            // TRY to create our Direct3D device
            // CATCH and report any errors
            try
            {
                #region Present Parameters

                // Create a new PresentParameters object so our device knows how to display
                PresentParameters pps = new PresentParameters();

                // Display in a windowed mode
                pps.Windowed = true;

                // After the current screen is draw, discard it from memory
                pps.SwapEffect = SwapEffect.Discard;

                // No Z (Depth) buffer or Stencil buffer
                pps.EnableAutoDepthStencil = false;

                // 1 Back buffer for double-buffering
                pps.BackBufferCount = 1;

                // Set our back buffer dimensions and format
                pps.BackBufferHeight = 0;
                pps.BackBufferWidth = 0;
                pps.BackBufferFormat = Format.Unknown;

                #endregion

                // Create the new D3D Device and set our PresentParameters within
                directXDevice = new Device(0, DeviceType.Hardware, this,
                    CreateFlags.SoftwareVertexProcessing, pps);

                // Use wireframe as our drawing mode
                directXDevice.RenderState.FillMode = FillMode.WireFrame;

                retVal = true;
            }
            catch (DirectXException e)
            {
                // Display our error message
                MessageBox.Show(e.ToString(), "Error");
            }

            return retVal;
        }

        #endregion

        #region Camera

        /// <summary>
        /// This function is responsible for setting up the camera.
        /// </summary>
        private void SetupCamera()
        {
            #region View Matrix

            // This is the camera location and is commonly referred to as the "eye point"
            Vector3 eyeVector = new Vector3(0.0f, 0.0f, -500.0f);

            // The Look At Vector defines the point that the camera is aimed at
            Vector3 lookAtVector = new Vector3(0, 0, 0);

            // The "up" direction is the positive direction on the y-axis
            Vector3 upVector = new Vector3(0, 1, 0);

            // Register our View Matrix so it can be used to place and aim our camera
            directXDevice.Transform.View = Matrix.LookAtLH(eyeVector,
                lookAtVector, upVector);

            #endregion

            #region Projection Matrix

            //45 degree field of view
            float fieldOfView = (float)Math.PI / 4.0f;

            //Typical aspect ratio is approximately 1.333...
            float aspectRatio = (float)ClientSize.Width / ClientSize.Height;

            // Register our Projection Matrix so it can be used for viewing items in
            // front of the camera
            directXDevice.Transform.Projection = Matrix.PerspectiveFovLH(fieldOfView,
                aspectRatio, 1.0f, 1000.0f);

            #endregion

            #region World Matrix

            // Create a scaling matrix
            Matrix scaleMatrix = Matrix.Scaling(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f);

            // World Matrix = Scaling Matrix
            directXDevice.Transform.World = scaleMatrix;

            #endregion

            #region Lighting

            // Enable/Disable lighting
            directXDevice.RenderState.Lighting = false;

            #endregion
        }

        #endregion
    }
}