Thread: Loading .OBJ Files

After following a Youtube series on OpenGL 3D programming, I came across a simple error:

The .OBJ file (imported from Blender) is "invalid or corrupt". After some short investigation, I learned that .OBJ files are usually binary files, but since mine is just a 3D model, it is not binary.

How would I go about it so that my .OBJ file doesn't end up being compiled by the compiler, yet still is accessible by my .OBJ loader in my program? I'm using VC++ Express.

Here is my .OBJ Loader:

Code:

int loadObject(const char* filename)
{
	std::vector<std::string*> coord;	//read every single line of the obj file as a string
	std::vector<coordinate*> vertex;
	std::vector<face*> faces;
	std::vector<coordinate*> normals;	//normal vectors for every face
	std::ifstream in(filename);	//open the .obj file
	if(!in.is_open())	//if not opened, exit with -1
	{
		std::cout << "Not opened" << std::endl;
		return -1;
	}
	char buf[256];
	//read in every line to coord
	while(!in.eof())
	{
		in.getline(buf,256);
		coord.push_back(new std::string(buf));
	}
	//go through all of the elements of coord, and decide what kind of element is that
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<coord.size();i++)
	{
		if((*coord[i])[0]=='#')	//if it is a comment (the first character is #)
			continue;	//we don't care about that
		else if((*coord[i])[0]=='v' && (*coord[i])[1]==' ')	//if vector
		{
			float tmpx,tmpy,tmpz;
			sscanf_s(coord[i]->c_str(),"v %f %f %f",&tmpx,&tmpy,&tmpz);	//read in the 3 float coordinate to tmpx,tmpy,tmpz
			vertex.push_back(new coordinate(tmpx,tmpy,tmpz));	//and then add it to the end of our vertex list
		}else if((*coord[i])[0]=='v' && (*coord[i])[1]=='n')	//if normal vector
		{
			float tmpx,tmpy,tmpz;	//do the same thing
			sscanf_s(coord[i]->c_str(),"vn %f %f %f",&tmpx,&tmpy,&tmpz);
			normals.push_back(new coordinate(tmpx,tmpy,tmpz));	
		}else if((*coord[i])[0]=='f')	//if face
		{
			int a,b,c,d,e;
			if(count(coord[i]->begin(),coord[i]->end(),' ')==3)	//if it is a triangle (it has 3 space in it)
			{
		  sscanf_s(coord[i]->c_str(),"f %d//%d %d//%d %d//%d",&a,&b,&c,&b,&d,&b);
				faces.push_back(new face(b,a,c,d));	//read in, and add to the end of the face list
			}else{
				sscanf_s(coord[i]->c_str(),"f %d//%d %d//%d %d//%d %d//%d",&a,&b,&c,&b,&d,&b,&e,&b);
				faces.push_back(new face(b,a,c,d,e));	//do the same, except we call another constructor, and we use different pattern
			}
		}
	}
	//draw
	int num;	//the id for the list
	num=glGenLists(1);	//generate a uniqe
	glNewList(num,GL_COMPILE);	//and create it
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<faces.size();i++)	
	{
		if(faces[i]->four)	//if it's a quad draw a quad
		{
			glBegin(GL_QUADS);
				//basically all I do here, is use the facenum (so the number of the face) as an index for the normal, so the 1st normal owe to the first face
				//I subtract 1 because the index start from 0 in C++
				glNormal3f(normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->x,normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->y,normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->z);
				//draw the faces
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[3]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[3]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[3]-1]->z);
			glEnd();
		}else{
			glBegin(GL_TRIANGLES);
				glNormal3f(normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->x,normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->y,normals[faces[i]->facenum-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[0]-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[1]-1]->z);
				glVertex3f(vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->x,vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->y,vertex[faces[i]->faces[2]-1]->z);
			glEnd();
		}
	}
	glEndList();
	//delete everything to avoid memory leaks
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<coord.size();i++)
		delete coord[i];
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<faces.size();i++)
		delete faces[i];
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<normals.size();i++)
		delete normals[i];
	for(unsigned int i=0;i<vertex.size();i++)
		delete vertex[i];
	return num;	//return with the id
}

> while(!in.eof())
SourceForge.net: Feof - cpwiki
I think you'll find you've got a junk copy of the last line of the file, with the code you have.

> How would I go about it so that my .OBJ file doesn't end up being compiled by the compiler,
The compiler doesn't go looking round your project for *.obj files just to link them. It only links the ones named by you in your project.

Also, all your use of vectors with pointers and DIY memory management is very ugly.

Originally Posted by Salem

> while(!in.eof())
SourceForge.net: Feof - cpwiki
I think you'll find you've got a junk copy of the last line of the file, with the code you have.

> How would I go about it so that my .OBJ file doesn't end up being compiled by the compiler,
The compiler doesn't go looking round your project for *.obj files just to link them. It only links the ones named by you in your project.

Also, all your use of vectors with pointers and DIY memory management is very ugly.

Thanks, I think I'll just look up a new tutorial on .OBJ loaders and attempt to understand it. Do you recommend any?

EDIT: After looking around, going with the 3DS format is probably better and smoother.