xd3d is a simple but powerful scientific visualization tool designed
to be easy to learn. It can plot 2d and 3d unstructured meshes, with
shadowing, contour plots, vector fields, iso-contour (2d/3d), as well
as 3d surfaces in cartesian (z=f(x,y)), polar or spherical
coordinates, described by an algebraic expression or a cloud of
points. It generates high quality vector PostScript files for
scientific publications and still or animated bitmap images.

It is bundled with various utility programs. This file gives a quick
overview of the contents of the archive and the purpose of each
program.

0/ Requirements
===============

To compile and install xd3d and its related programs, you must have a
Fortran 77 and a C compiler (like g77 and gcc). The X11 library libX11.a 
and the include file X.h must be present on your computer.

To run xd3d you only need to have X.

But if you want to export bitmap images in gif or png format, you'll 
need to install the ImageMagick package:
http://www.imagemagick.org/

If you want to generate some nice animated gifs, you also need "gifsicle":
http://www.lcdf.org/~eddietwo/gifsicle/

1/ Archive's contents
=====================

Files:
------
BUGS:        I am sure you know what it is :)

FAQ:         many users -> many questions

Makefile:    global makefile.

INSTALL:     describes the installation procedure.

LICENSE:     Gnu Public License.

README:      this file.

RULES:       contains parameters for various Makefiles. Can be
             manually created starting from a RULES.myOS, or automatically
             using "configure".

RULES.xxx:   model files for the generation of RULES.

configure:   shell script for the generation of the configuration files.

makedeps:    used by "configure" (can be used alone to recreate dependencies
             and/or change the max memory allocated to xd3d).


Directories:
------------
Examples:    various examples demonstrating the main features of xd3d
             an xgraphic. Read the README file in this directory.

Manuals:     I am not a doc reader, nor a doc writer. This directory is
             not very rich, but the important point is in the first sentence
             of this file: you should not need a manual to use xd3d 
             or xgraphic. You'd rather go to the "Examples" directory 
             and practice. The only thing you cannot find yourself is 
             the various file formats. They are described in the file
             "formats.txt". 
             If you really want a manual, try "xd3d_doc.pdf" 
             and "xgraphic_doc.pdf". Be careful, they are very outdated,
             uncomplete (like every doc in the world) and written
             *in french* (a good exercise for you).

bin:         initially empty. Will contain the executable files.

lib:         initially empty. Will contain various static libraries.

src:         source directory

src/X:       sources for the X interface -> lib/my_Xlib.a
             used by xgraphic and xd3d.

src/d3d:     xd3d sources.

src/graphic: xgraphic sources.

src/include: include files for utility programs (mesh file manipulations).
             com_avoir.f is extensively commented so that you know
             everything is needed to write your own mesh or translate
             your favourite format into the native format of xd3d.

src/interp:  source for the parsing library -> lib/interp.a
             (thanks to the Modulef library from INRIA
              http://www-rocq.inria.fr/modulef)

src/qlib:    library used by everybody -> lib/question_lib.a

src/trad_nopo: sources for translation of "nopo" files from Modulef.

src/various: various utility programs. They could inspire you to
             write your own translation programs, from your favourite
             file format to the native formats of xd3d. BTW, if you
             write such a program for a popular file format, don't
             hesitate to send it to me and it will be included in a next
             release of xd3d.

2/ Programs generated by the installation procedure
===================================================

clair:       translation of .avoir2D (resp. .avoir3D) into .clair2D
             (resp. .clair3D), ascii files, human readable.

clairc3d:    translation of .c3d into .c3d.clair (ascii file).

create_examples: creation of some example files of directory Examples.

infps:       a simple shell script that reads the comments in
             PS files generated by xd3d or xgraphic and extracts the
             useful informations (date, directory of creation, files
             used, options etc...)

nopo_avoir:  translation of .nopo (Modulef format) into .avoirND (N=2,3)

obscur:      reverse action of "clair": .clairND -> .avoirND

obscurc3d:   reverse action of "clairc3d": .c3d.clair -> .c3d

tradavoir:   .avoirND files are binaries. There are two kinds
             of binary files in this world: "little endian" and "big endian".
             "tradavoir" make the translation from one kind to the other one.
             Since "xd3d" and "clair", the only programs in this archive
             that read .avoirND files, recognize both types in a transparent
             manner, you'll seldom use "tradavoir". But its source code may
             help you in writing your own interface.

translation: translation (as a geometry transform) of a mesh in .avoirND
             format. This very simple program is given to show how to use
             the read/write routines present in the "qlib" library.

txt2avoir:   a simple program to create a .avoirND from a text file
             without using the qlib library.

xd3d:        the main reason why you just downloaded this package.

xgraphic:    the secondary reason why you just downloaded this package.
             It is a curve plotter, very easy to use, just like xd3d.


