Install the IRRLICHT module
This is a run-time visualization system for interactive 3D viewing of Chrono simulations.
Read the introduction to modules for a technical background on the modularity of the Chrono project.
Features
The IRRLICHT module is used to display Chrono simulations in an interactive 3D view. Here are the main features:
- Supports all visualization shapes specified as assets on Chrono physics objects (bodies, links, etc)
- The following default mouse and key controls are supported:
- mouse left button for camera rotation
- mouse right button for camera x z motion
- mouse wheel rotation for camera forward/backward
- press 'i' to see a setting panel,
- press arrows to have x z camera motion, press page up & down for y vertical motion
- press 'print screen' to start saving screenshots to disk
- Contacts can be optionally drawn with vectors in 3D view
- Link coordinate systems can be plotted on the 3D view
Requirements
- To run applications based on this module you need the Irrlicht library (i.e. the Irrlicht.dll on Windows)
- To build applications applications based on this module you must have the Irrlicht SDK installed.
Building instructions
Instructions on how to install the Chrono::Irrlicht library are already reported on the Chrono installation page. They are repeated here in more details.
- Download Irrlicht Engine
- Unzip in the desired directory.
For example, here we suppose that to beC:/engine_demos/irrlicht-1.8.4
- Repeat the instructions for the full installation
- During CMake configuration, set
ENABLE_MODULE_IRRLICHT
to 'on', then press 'Configure' - Set the directory in
IRRLICHT_INSTALL_DIR
: it must contain the path to your unzipped Irrlicht directory.
In our example, browse toC:/engine_demos/irrlicht-1.8.4
- The corresponding
IRRLICHT_LIBRARY
should be found automatically: it must contain the file of the Irrlicht.lib.
In our example, browse toC:/engine_demos/irrlicht-1.8.4/lib/Win64-visualStudio/Irrlicht.lib
. - Press 'Configure' again, then 'Generate', and proceed as usual in the installation instructions.
How to use it
- Consult the API section of this module for documentation about classes and functions.
- Consult the C++ source of demos to learn how to use the functions of this module.