Binary shape format

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Implement binary format for shape files, which can save space tremendously
for homogeneous particles.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by yurkin on 24 Dec 2008 at 6:56

[GoogleCodeExporter]

An interesting idea is .binvox format. 
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~min/binvox/binvox.html
It is both binary and compressed. The only addition is to use more elaborate 
'value byte' (not only 0 and 1) to indicate domain. Then this format will be 
almost identical to the one used by Scott R. Brock in his FDTD codes.

The main advantages of this format is that tools for visualization and 
transformation of many standard 3D formats into it are available (open source).
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~min/viewvox/
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~min/binvox/

Moreover, sample code for reading this format is also available (the same 
links).

Original comment by yurkin on 11 Jan 2012 at 8:40

• Added labels: Priority-High
• Removed labels: Priority-Medium

[myurkin]

/cc @cirrusUH

[myurkin]

Another idea (not necessarily binary) is to use Extreme Vertices Model (EVM) or the Compact Union of Disjoint Boxes (CUDB). See the thesis by Irving A. Cruz-Matias https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/95317

[myurkin]

This will be a general issue both for compressed and general binary shape formats.