Get started with MfxVTK

To use MfxVTK, you will need the plugin itself as well as a 3D host application that supports the Open Mesh Effect standard.

Get Open Mesh Effect of Blender

First, you will need the 3D host. Get the Open Mesh Effect branch of Blender by @eliemitchel on GitHub: https://github.com/eliemichel/OpenMeshEffectForBlender

Binaries for Windows are available, or you can build it yourself. Just follow official Blender build guide.

Get the MfxVTK plugin

Download the binaries

This is the simplest way to get started. Just download the .ofx file with the MfxVTK Open Mesh Effect plugin from GitHub: https://github.com/tkarabela/MfxVTK/releases

MfxVTK binaries are available for Windows and Linux.

Build MfxVTK yourself

Tip

Feel free to skip this section if you’re happy to use the GitHub binaries.

You will need Git, CMake and a C++ compiler toolchain (like Microsoft Visual Studio or GCC/Make).

First, build VTK (version >= 9.0), see instructions on VTK wiki.

  • Use BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF to make your MfxVTK binary not depend on VTK shared libraries.

  • Turn off VTK_GROUP_ENABLE_Rendering, VTK_GROUP_ENABLE_Web, VTK_GROUP_ENABLE_MPI, VTK_GROUP_ENABLE_QT to make compilation faster.

  • (Optional) Use VTK_SMP_IMPLEMENTATION_TYPE other than Sequential for better performance of some effects.

Then clone MfxVTK from GitHub (note that it has the OpenMeshEffect repository as a submodule):

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/tkarabela/MfxVTK

Build MfxVTK using CMake:

cd MfxVTK
mkdir cmake-build
cd cmake-build
cmake .. -DVTK_DIR:PATH=/path/to/VTK-9.0.1-build  # change this accordingly
cmake --build . --config Debug

The plugin is now in your build directory: src/mfx_vtk_plugin/libmfx_vtk_plugin.ofx.

Use the Open Mesh Effect Modifier

  • Select the default cube

  • Go to the Modifier properties tab

  • Click Add modifier… > Open Mesh Effect

  • Set Plugin path to the MfxVTK .ofx file you downloaded (or built)

  • From the Select an effect drop-down menu, pick Sample points (volume)

  • Et voilà, you’re using MfxVTK!

Tip

Try editing the cube in Edit mode. The points will be updated instantly to fill the new shape!

_images/get-started-default-cube.png

The default cube with Sample points (volume) effect, 2000 points, Distribute uniformly is off. To show the bounding box, turn on Bounds in Viewport display on the Object properties tab.