Importing CSV data into Stingray

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am currently debating if to use Stingrary for my thesis, depending if what I want to do is possible with it.

In short, I am bringing in CSV data that is gathered from an external source and I want to know if Stingray can actually read the CSV file, and be able to parse it.

Ultimately, I would like to generate meshes based on the information found in the CSV file and have the user be able to navigate around those meshes.

The requirements:

1. Automate the import of CSV data into Stingray every n seconds
2. Generate meshes based on the information within the CSV file in real-time (i.e. while game is running)
3. Allow the user freedom of navigation within this constantly evolving "landscape"

I know something similar can be achieved with Maya and Python (but not in real-time, unfortunately). That is why I'm looking to see if Stingray can provide this. I verified that UE4 does allow CSV input, but I do not have a C++ background.

Alternatively, it doesn't have to be CSV, it could be any other format that would allow for large amounts of data to be parsed in columns and rows (like JSON). The reason I'm asking for CSV is that I already wrote a Python framework to output the data as such.

Please let me know if it's doable. Even if that means translating the Python code to Lua/Flow.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Hi, My first guess would be yes. There is a textbook "Programming in Lua", written and created by Roberto Ierusalimschy and he has shown that Lua has C/C++ compatibility/portability and their is a decent string parser, though the parser may depend on the size of the data, which will probably send you to C application. Took me a one week read to get a good feel of Lua. I suggest acquiring this book, because if you can do it in Lua, you can do it in Stingray. Also: 

http://help.autodesk.com/view/Stingray/ENU/?guid=__lua_ref_obj_stingray_NavigationMesh_html 

refers to vertex manipulation. You may also want to peruse through the guide: 

http://help.autodesk.com/view/Stingray/ENU/

If not, I guessed wrong.

Cheers. 

[Anonymous]

Ack?! the first link did not work...

I was linking you here ---> stingray.NavigationMesh.vertex()

[dave.tyner · Accepted solution]

Hi, I did a similar thing to hotload meshes from a csv of Vector3 coordinates. You might have to change some stuff but I think this is what you're after. 

function spawnstuff(pos)

    local world = SimpleProject.world
    
    local x = 0;
    local arr,nVec1,nVec2,nVec3
    local y = 0;

    local uPos,unit,rd,nVec,arr,unitName
    for k,v in pairs(pos) do
        arr = {}
        x=0
        for n in string.gmatch(v,"[^,]+") do table.insert(arr,n) end
        nVec1 = tonumber(arr[1]);
        nVec2 = tonumber(arr[2]);
        nVec3 = tonumber(arr[3]);

        uPos = stingray.Vector3(nVec1,nVec2,nVec3);
        unitName = randomUnit()   
        unit = stingray.World.spawn_unit(world, unitName)
        stingray.Unit.set_local_position(unit,1,uPos);
    end
end

function file_exists(file)
 local f = io.open(file, "rb")
 if f then f:close() end
 return f ~= nil
end

function lines_from(file)
 if not file_exists(file) then return {} end
 lines = {}
 for line in io.lines(file) do 
 lines[#lines + 1] = line
 end
 return lines
end


function getFileData()
    local directory = "<DRIVE>:/path/to/file/"
    local i, t, popen = 0, {}, io.popen
    for filename in popen('dir "'..directory..'" /b '):lines() do
        i = i + 1
        if string.find(filename,"YOUR FILE EXTENSION") then
            local count = 1
            local fullFileName = (directory .. filename);
            local mydata = lines_from(fullFileName)
            spawnstuff(mydata);
        end
    end
end