[ODE] XML ODE Data Interchange Format

[Nate W]

On Mon, 8 Mar 2004, Billy Zelsnack wrote:

> use matrices. ode uses matrices internally, not some wacky structure.
> matrices should always be relative to their parent. the matrix layout
> should be exactly how ode is internally.

I think you're already in trouble if you want them "relative to their
parent" and "how ODE is internally," since ODE doesn't have much hierarchy
internally.  Other than geom transforms, ODE objects all have
their own (not relative to anything) matricies.

> groups are not part of the regular hierrarchy in many editors. they
> are often a parallel hierrarchy. because they are a parallel
> hierrarchy they can just live in the extention tag anyway.

But, ODE does have a notion of groups of geometries, and that seems like
something worth capturing in an ODE file format.

> I think the more common convention in xml is id="" instead of name=""

When I proposed id="" and name="" they were for two separate purposes.  
The id attribute would contain a numeric value that would be used only to
identify objects for the software's needs, like connecting bodies with
joints.  The name attribute would contain a human-readable string that
could be used in the user interface.  Each id would need to be unique, ad
never empty, but names wouldn't need to be unique and could be empty.  I
think it would be a mistake to use a single attribute for both purposes.

-- 

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA
http://www.natew.com/