https://github.com/precise-simulation/mesh-viewer

Python STL/OBJ CAD mesh viewers comparing Matplotlib/Plotly/Vispy backends and Tkinter GUI
https://github.com/precise-simulation/mesh-viewer

cad cef gui matplotlib mesh mvc obj plotly python simulation stl tkinter tkinter-gui viewer vispy webgl

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Python STL/OBJ CAD mesh viewers comparing Matplotlib/Plotly/Vispy backends and Tkinter GUI

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/precise-simulation/mesh-viewer
• Owner: precise-simulation
• License: agpl-3.0
• Created: 2020-07-12T06:17:36.000Z (over 4 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2020-10-06T16:55:58.000Z (over 4 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-11-24T02:27:46.422Z (2 months ago)
• Topics: cad, cef, gui, matplotlib, mesh, mvc, obj, plotly, python, simulation, stl, tkinter, tkinter-gui, viewer, vispy, webgl
• Language: Python
• Homepage: https://www.precisesimulation.com
• Size: 242 KB
• Stars: 36
• Watchers: 5
• Forks: 6
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

        
Mesh Viewer

-----------

**Mesh Viewer** is a simple STL/OBJ CAD geometry and surface mesh

viewer prototype with a _Model View Controller_ (MVC) type

design. Three different visualization backends are compared and

embedded within the same

[Python](https://www.python.org)/[tkinter](https://wiki.python.org/moin/TkInter)

GUI framework.

- [matplotlib](https://matplotlib.org)

- [plotly](https://www.featool.com/web-plots) _(WebGL with embedded webview)_

- [vispy](http://vispy.org) _(OpenGL)_

![Mesh Viewer screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/precise-simulation/mesh-viewer/master/meshviewer-screenshot.jpg)

The _vispy/opengl_ backend seems to be the best choice overall with

respect to performance and packaged size (~35 MB), while _plotly_

(subjectively) looks the best but leads to large binaries due to

embedding the Chromium framework (~70-90 MB), _matplotlib_ is the

simplest backend but suffers from slow performance for larger

visualizations.

# Python Script Use

Simply downloading and running the corresponding Python scripts should

start both the GUI and mesh viewer application. The examples below

show how to set up a new

[conda](https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html) Python

environment with the required dependencies.

## mesh-viewer with matplotlib backend

    conda create -n mpl python=3.7

    conda activate mpl

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install matplotlib==3.2.2

    python meshviewer_mpl_tk.py

## mesh-viewer with plotly/cefpython backend

    conda create -n plotly python=3.7

    conda activate plotly

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install cefpython3

    python meshviewer_plotly_cef_tk.py

## mesh-viewer with vispy/pyopengltk backend

    conda create -n vispy python=3.7

    conda activate vispy

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install cython

    pip install pyopengltk

    git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/Wosser1sProductions/vispy.git

    cd vispy

    git submodule update --init --recursive

    pip install . --no-use-pep517

    cd ..

    python meshviewer_vispy_tk.py

# Pre-Built Binaries

The

[releases](https://github.com/precise-simulation/mesh-viewer/releases/latest)

include stand-alone and pre-compiled executable _one-click_ binaries

_(exe)_ for Windows systems (note that it may take several seconds to

load/start due to extracting all resources, and that the _plotly_

backed required an internet connection and accepting a

Microsoft/Windows certificate to download the [plotly

javascript](https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js) library). Building

stand-alone executables can be done with

[pyinstaller](https://www.pyinstaller.org) as described below.

## build mesh-viewer with matplotlib backend

    conda create -n mpl python=3.7

    conda activate mpl

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install matplotlib==3.2.2

    pip install pyinstaller

    pyinstaller --onefile --windowed --noupx meshviewer_mpl_tk.py

    conda env remove -n mpl

## build mesh-viewer with plotly/cefpython backend

    conda create -n plotly python=3.7

    conda activate plotly

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install cefpython3

    pip install pyinstaller==3.6

    cd build

    python build.py --onefile

    conda env remove -n plotly

## build mesh-viewer with vispy/pyopengltk backend

    conda create -n vispy python=3.7

    conda activate vispy

    conda install conda-forge::blas=*=openblas numpy

    pip install cython

    pip install pyopengltk

    git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/Wosser1sProductions/vispy.git

    cd vispy

    git submodule update --init --recursive

    pip install . --no-use-pep517

    pip install pyinstaller

    cd ../build

    pyinstaller --onefile meshviewer_vispy_tk.spec

    conda env remove -n vispy

# Note

This is just a simple prototype/proof-of-concept and not intended to

be a full fledged application. If you are interested in custom CAE and

simulation tools such as this app and

[FEATool Multiphysics](https://www.featool.com) please feel free to

get in touch with [Precise Simulation](https://www.precisesimulation.com).

# License

AGPL v3, see LICENSE for more details.

Copyright (C) 2020 Precise Simulation Ltd.