mbsyscopy update

mbsysCopy/cmake_aux/flags/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ function(optionnal_modules_flags)
     # MBS-LMGC interaction
     option (FLAG_ADDON_MBSLMGC "Including MBS-LMGC Addon" OFF) 
     
+    ## -- Application for generating vtk/paraview files --##
+    # paraview output
+    option (FLAG_VTK_OUTPUT "Build the application to generate VTK/ParaView files" OFF) 
+    
     ## -- Application for generating user files --##
     option (FLAG_APP_USERFILES "Application for generating project specific user files" ON)
 

mbsysCopy/conf/FindGlm.cmake

+#
+# author: Nicolas Docquier, starting from the FindOpenGL file of 
+#          Nicolas Van der Noot
+#
+# This file finds the include folders (header files) of the glm library
+#  (math utilities for open gl). It is is useful when we want to use
+#  glm but not open gl (for instance for the vtk output.
+#
+# OPEN_GL_FOUND :       1 if all required files found (0 otherwise)
+# OPEN_GL_INCLUDE_PATH : include paths (for the header files) -> for compilation
+# OPEN_GL_LIBS :         libraries -> for linkage
+#
+
+if (UNIX)
+
+if (APPLE)
+  
+
+## ---- MAC OS ---- ##
+
+# possible paths for: 'glm.hpp'
+set(TRIAL_PATHS_GLM
+      /usr/local/include/glm/
+)
+
+find_path(PATH_GLM   glm.hpp ${TRIAL_PATHS_GLM}  )
+
+set(GLM_INCLUDE_PATH ${PATH_GLM} )
+
+## ---------------- ##
+
+else (APPLE)
+  
+
+## ---- LINUX ---- ##
+
+# possible paths for: 'glm.hpp'
+set(TRIAL_PATHS_GLM
+  /usr/include/glm/
+)
+
+find_path(PATH_GLM   glm.hpp ${TRIAL_PATHS_GLM}  )
+
+set(GLM_INCLUDE_PATH ${PATH_GLM} )
+
+## --------------- ##
+
+
+endif (APPLE)
+
+else (UNIX)
+
+
+## ---- WINDOWS ---- ##
+
+# possible paths for: 'glm.hpp'
+set(TRIAL_PATHS_GLM
+  ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/${WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY}/include/glm
+)
+
+find_path(PATH_GLM   glm.hpp ${TRIAL_PATHS_GLM}  )
+
+set(GLM_INCLUDE_PATH ${PATH_GLM} )
+
+## ----------------- ##
+
+
+endif (UNIX)
+
+
+# flag put to 1 if all required files are found
+if (GLM_INCLUDE_PATH)
+  set(GLM_FOUND 1)
+else ( )
+  set(GLM_FOUND 0)
+endif ( )
+
+# outputs
+mark_as_advanced(
+  GLM_FOUND
+  GLM_INCLUDE_PATH
+)

mbsysCopy/mbs_app/test_vrml_loader/CMakeLists.txt

+#
+# author: Nicolas Van der Noot
+#
+# Visualization project for Robotran, with OpenGL
+#
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                       PROJECT MAIN CONFIGURATIONS
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+
+# CMake minimum version
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.12)
+
+# project name
+project (TestVrml)
+
+
+# message to display the project name
+message(STATUS "Processing ${PROJECT_NAME}")
+
+# for Unix: display all the warnings, except the ones related to /* -- */
+if (UNIX)
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "-g -Wall -Wno-comment")
+endif (UNIX)
+
+
+
+# configure header files to pass some of the CMake settings to the source code
+set (ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..")
+
+
+
+# additional CMake functions
+set(CMAKE_AUX ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_aux)
+set(CMAKE_AUX_BIN ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake_aux)
+
+add_subdirectory ( ${CMAKE_AUX}/listing/   ${CMAKE_AUX_BIN}/listing/   )
+add_subdirectory ( ${CMAKE_AUX}/libraries/ ${CMAKE_AUX_BIN}/libraries/ )
+
+# Windows M_PI definitions
+if (WIN32)
+    add_definitions(-D _USE_MATH_DEFINES)
+endif (WIN32)
+
+# project own definition
+add_definitions(-D OPEN_GL)
+
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                           USER ABSOLUTE PATHS
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+configure_file (
+  "${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/conf/cmake_config.h.in"
+  "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf/cmake_config.h"
+)
+
+set(OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../mbs_common/mbs_realtime/open_gl/)
+
+configure_file (
+    "${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/mbs_common/mbs_realtime/open_gl/conf/cmake_open_gl_config.h.in"
+    "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf/cmake_open_gl_config.h"
+)
+
+# 'cmake_config.h.in' and 'cmake_open_gl_config.h.in' is in the 'conf' folder
+include_directories (${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf)
+
+include_directories ("/usr/include/glm/")
+include_directories (${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/mbs_common/mbs_realtime/open_gl/loader/vrml)
+
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                           EXTERNAL LIBRARIES
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../conf)
+
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                         CONFIGURE EXECUTABLE
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+# include these directories
+include_directories (${INCLUDE_DIR})
+
+# name of the executable
+set (Executable Exec)
+
+# generate the executable
+add_executable (${Executable} ./src/main.cc ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/mbs_common/mbs_realtime/open_gl/loader/vrml/VrmlLoader.cc)
+
+# link library: Libxml2
+target_link_libraries ( ${Executable} ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES} )
+
+# link library: OpenGL
+target_link_libraries ( ${Executable} ${OPEN_GL_LIBS})
+
+# math external library (for Unix): linkage
+if (UNIX)
+    target_link_libraries (${Executable} m)
+endif (UNIX)

mbsysCopy/mbs_app/test_vrml_loader/src/main.cc

+
+#include "VrmlLoader.hh"
+
+#include <vector>
+
+/*! \brief Test file for the VRML loader. Simply try to parse the vrml,
+ *          and to retrieve the triangles
+ */
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+
+
+    // get the shader flag and the mutlisampling option from .mbs file
+    OpenGLMbs::VrmlLoader loader;
+    
+    int success = 0;
+    
+    //success = loader.ParseVRML("../vrml/Arm2.wrl");
+    //success = loader.ParseVRML("../vrml/pendulum2.wrl");
+    //success = loader.ParseVRML("../vrml/ElmeBoard.wrl");
+    //success = loader.ParseVRML("../vrml/Chassis2.wrl");
+    success = loader.ParseVRML("../vrml/Chassis_ML.wrl");
+    
+    std::cout << "Parsing finished with returned value: " <<success<< std::endl;
+    
+    std::vector<glm::vec3> vert;
+    std::vector<glm::vec3> col;
+    
+    loader.PushVertices(vert, col);
+    
+    
+}

mbsysCopy/mbs_app/vtk_output/CMakeLists.txt

+#
+# author: Nicolas Van der Noot
+#
+# Visualization project for Robotran, with OpenGL
+#
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                       PROJECT MAIN CONFIGURATIONS
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+
+# CMake minimum version
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.12)
+
+# project name
+project (VtkOutput)
+
+# Retriev the MBsysC base directory
+set (ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..")
+
+
+# message to display the project name
+message(STATUS "Processing ${PROJECT_NAME}")
+
+# for Unix: display all the warnings, except the ones related to /* -- */
+if (UNIX)
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "-g -Wall -Wno-comment")
+endif (UNIX)
+
+# copy dll files used for Windows
+# these dll files are copied in the Executable directory (Debug or Release)
+if (WIN32)
+
+    # avoid warnings
+    if(COMMAND cmake_policy AND ${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER "3.1")
+        cmake_policy(SET CMP0054 NEW)
+    endif()
+
+    # Visual studio version
+    if("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "MSVC")
+        if (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION} VERSION_LESS 18.0)
+            message("Visual Studio version set to VS2012 (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION})")
+            set(MSVC_VERSION lib-vc2012)
+        elseif (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION} VERSION_LESS 19.0)
+            message("Visual Studio version set to VS2013 (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION})")
+            set(MSVC_VERSION lib-vc2013)
+        else ( )
+            message("Visual Studio version set to VS2015 (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION})")
+            set(MSVC_VERSION lib-vc2015)
+        endif ( )
+    else ( )
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake error: only Visual Studio projects can currently be used on Windows !")
+    endif ( )
+
+    # WIN32 or WIN64 detetction
+    if( CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8 ) # 64bit Windows
+        SET(WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY win64_include_lib)
+    else( ) # 32bit Windows
+        SET(WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY win32_include_lib)
+    endif( )
+
+    # common dll
+    file(COPY ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/${WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY}/dll/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Debug)
+    file(COPY ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/${WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY}/dll/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Release)
+
+    # GLFW
+    file(COPY ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/${WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY}/dll/GLFW/${MSVC_VERSION}/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Debug)
+    file(COPY ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/${WIN_LIB_DIRECTORY}/dll/GLFW/${MSVC_VERSION}/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Release)
+endif ( )
+
+# additional CMake functions
+set(CMAKE_AUX ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_aux)
+set(CMAKE_AUX_BIN ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake_aux)
+
+add_subdirectory ( ${CMAKE_AUX}/listing/   ${CMAKE_AUX_BIN}/listing/   )
+add_subdirectory ( ${CMAKE_AUX}/libraries/ ${CMAKE_AUX_BIN}/libraries/ )
+
+# Windows M_PI definitions
+if (WIN32)
+    add_definitions(-D _USE_MATH_DEFINES)
+endif (WIN32)
+
+# project own definition
+add_definitions(-D SEPARATE_OPEN_GL)
+
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                           USER ABSOLUTE PATHS
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+# configure header files to pass some of the CMake settings to the source code
+
+configure_file (
+  "${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/conf/cmake_config.h.in"
+  "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf/cmake_config.h"
+)
+
+set(OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/mbs_common/mbs_realtime/open_gl/)
+
+configure_file (
+    "${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/conf/cmake_open_gl_config.h.in"
+    "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf/cmake_open_gl_config.h"
+)
+
+# 'cmake_config.h.in' and 'cmake_open_gl_config.h.in' is in the 'conf' folder
+include_directories (${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/conf)
+
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                           EXTERNAL LIBRARIES
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${ROBOTRAN_SOURCE_DIR}/conf)
+
+# Libxml2
+xml_lib(main)
+
+# VTK
+find_package(VTK REQUIRED)
+include(${VTK_USE_FILE})
+
+# Glm
+find_package(Glm REQUIRED)
+include_directories("${GLM_INCLUDE_PATH}/")
+
+message("Glm ${GLM_INCLUDE_PATH}")
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                           LIST FILES
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+ 
+# list source files to compile
+init_src()
+
+increment_src("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/renderer")
+
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/anim_read")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/components")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/lights")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/lights/specific")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/loader")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/mbs_read")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/shapes")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/viewpoint")
+increment_src("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/renderer/default")
+
+set(SOURCE_FILES ${SOURCE_FILES} "${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/world/MbsWorld3D.cc")
+set(SOURCE_FILES ${SOURCE_FILES} src/MbsVtkOutputter.cc)
+
+
+# list include directories (to find headers)
+init_include()
+
+increment_include("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/")
+increment_include("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/renderer")
+
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/anim_read")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/components")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/lights")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/lights/specific")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/loader")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/loader/vrml")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/loader/obj")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/loader/stl")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/mbs_read")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/shaders")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/shapes")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/shapes/specific")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/viewpoint")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/viewpoint/specific")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/world")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/renderer")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/renderer/default")
+include_directories("${OPEN_GL_FILES_PATH}/window")
+
+add_definitions( -DOPEN_GL ) 
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                         CONFIGURE main library
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+# include these directories
+include_directories (${INCLUDE_DIR})
+
+# name of the libraryr
+set (LibMbsVtk MbsVtk)
+
+add_library(${LibMbsVtk} SHARED  ${SOURCE_FILES})
+
+target_link_libraries ( ${LibMbsVtk} ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES} ${VTK_LIBRARIES})
+# math external library (for Unix): linkage
+if (UNIX)
+    target_link_libraries (${LibMbsVtk} m)
+endif (UNIX)
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                         CONFIGURE standalone executable
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+
+# name of the executable
+set (Executable Vtk_output)
+
+# generate the executable
+add_executable (${Executable} src/main.cc)
+
+# link library: Libxml2
+target_link_libraries ( ${Executable} ${LibMbsVtk} ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES} ${VTK_LIBRARIES})
+
+# math external library (for Unix): linkage
+if (UNIX)
+    target_link_libraries (${Executable} m)
+endif (UNIX)
+
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+#                         Python interface
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+
+  
+find_package(Python REQUIRED)  
+
+include_directories(${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIR} 
+                  ${NUMPY_INCLUDE_DIR}
+                  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+                 )  
+
+# Set library extension
+if(UNIX)
+  set(IPY_LIB_EXT ".so")
+elseif(WIN32)
+  set(IPY_LIB_EXT ".pyd")
+else()
+  message("Unknow operating system, extension for cython library arbitrary choosen: .so")
+  set(IPY_LIB_EXT ".so")
+endif()
+
+set( cxx_arg "--cplus" )
+set( pyx_lang "CXX" )
+
+set(LibPyMbsVtk CyMbsVtk)
+
+file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CyMbsVtk.cpp)
+add_custom_command(OUTPUT CyMbsVtk.cpp
+                 COMMAND ${CYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -f ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/CyMbsVtk.pyx  -o ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CyMbsVtk.cpp
+                 ARGS ${cxx_arg}
+                 IMPLICIT_DEPENDS ${pyx_lang}
+                 DEPENDS src/CyMbsVtk.pyx
+                 )
+add_library(${LibPyMbsVtk} SHARED  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CyMbsVtk.cpp)
+set_target_properties(${LibPyMbsVtk}   PROPERTIES PREFIX ""      )
+set_target_properties(${LibPyMbsVtk}   PROPERTIES SUFFIX "${IPY_LIB_EXT}"   )
+target_link_libraries(${LibPyMbsVtk} ${LibMbsVtk} ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES} m ${VTK_LIBRARIES} ${PYTHON_LIBRARIES})
+
+
+

mbsysCopy/mbs_app/vtk_output/src/CyMbsVtk.pyx

+
+# distutils: language = c++
+# distutils: sources = CyMbsVtk.cpp
+
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+from libcpp.string cimport string
+cimport numpy as np
+np.import_array() # initialize C API to call PyArray_SimpleNewFromData
+
+#cdef public api tonumpyarray(double* data, long long size) with gil:
+#    if not (data and size >= 0): raise ValueError
+#    cdef np.npy_intp dims = size
+#    #NOTE: it doesn't take ownership of `data`. You must free `data` yourself
+#    return np.PyArray_SimpleNewFromData(1, &dims, np.NPY_DOUBLE, <void*>data)
+# * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
+
+
+from libcpp.vector cimport vector
+
+cdef extern from "MbsVtkOutputter.hh":
+
+  cdef cppclass MbsVtkOutputter:
+    MbsVtkOutputter(string)
+    void SetOutputDirectory(string)
+    void SetOutputFilename(string)
+    void SetFrameStep(int)
+    void PrintFiles(string)
+    void InitPvd()
+    void WriteDisplayFiles(int, double, double*)
+    void FinalizePvd()
+
+        
+cdef class CyMbsVtkOutputter:
+  cdef MbsVtkOutputter *thisptr
+  
+  def __cinit__(self, mbsfile, outputDir=None, outputName=None, fs=None):
+    self.thisptr = new MbsVtkOutputter(mbsfile)
+    if outputDir:
+        self.thisptr.SetOutputDirectory(outputDir)
+    if outputName:
+        self.thisptr.SetOutputFilename(outputName)
+    if fs:
+        self.thisptr.SetFrameStep(fs)
+    
+  def __dealloc__(self):
+    del self.thisptr
+
+  def SetOutputDirectory(self, directory):
+      self.thisptr.SetOutputDirectory(directory)
+
+  def SetOutputFilename(self, name):
+      self.thisptr.SetOutputFilename(name)
+
+  def SetFrameStep(self, fs):
+      self.thisptr.SetFrameStep(fs)
+
+  def PrintFiles(self, animfile):
+      self.thisptr.PrintFiles(animfile)
\ No newline at end of file

mbsysCopy/mbs_app/vtk_output/src/MbsVtkOutputter.cc

+/*! 
+ * \author Nicolas Docquier
+ */
+
+#include "MbsVtkOutputter.hh"
+#include "MbsWorld3D.hh"
+#include "AnimReader.hh"
+#include "VtkWorldRenderer.hh"
+
+#include <sstream>
+
+#define MBS_ID 0
+
+/*! \brief constructor
+ *
+ * \param[in] mbs_file name of the *.mbs file from which to load
+ *                     the model
+ * 
+ * 
+ */
+MbsVtkOutputter::MbsVtkOutputter(std::string mbs_file){
+
+    // initialize the world renderer
+    world_renderer = new OpenGLMbs::VtkWorldRenderer();
+
+    // main window for 3D world
+    world_3d = new OpenGLMbs::MbsWorld3D(1024, 768, 0, 0, glm::vec3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0),
+                world_renderer);
+
+    // load mbs file
+    world_3d->AddMbs(mbs_file.c_str());
+
+    // initialize the joint vec
+    joint_vec = new double[world_3d->GetNbJoints(MBS_ID)];
+                
+    // default number of frame between two files            
+    frame_step = 100;
+
+    // initialize the counter
+    outfileCounter = 0;
+    
+    //default output name
+    output_name = "anim";
+}
+
+/*! \brief destructor
+ */
+MbsVtkOutputter::~MbsVtkOutputter(){
+    delete[] joint_vec;
+    delete world_3d;
+    delete world_renderer;
+}
+
+/*! \brief set the directory in which to put the output files
+ * 
+ * \param[in] dir the directory
+ *
+ */
+void MbsVtkOutputter::SetOutputDirectory(std::string dir){
+    output_dir = dir;
+}
+
+
+/*! \brief set the name of the output files. Will be extended with an 
+ *         index and the appropriate file extension.
+ * 
+ * \param[in] dir the name
+ *
+ */
+void MbsVtkOutputter::SetOutputFilename(std::string name){
+    output_name = name;
+}
+
+void MbsVtkOutputter::SetFrameStep(int fs){
+    frame_step = fs;
+}
+
+/*! \brief Read the animation file and write the paraview files.
+ *
+ * \param[in] anim_file name of the *.anim or *.res file from which
+ *                      to load the results to animate
+ *
+ */
+void MbsVtkOutputter::PrintFiles(std::string anim_filename){
+    // Initialize and read animamtion
+    OpenGLMbs::AnimReader* anim_reader;
+    anim_reader = new OpenGLMbs::AnimReader(anim_filename.c_str());
+
+    // get the number of joint
+    int nb_joints = world_3d->GetNbJoints(MBS_ID);
+    
+    //re-init file counter
+    outfileCounter=0;
+
+    // open the ParaView’s native data file format (PVD)
+    std::ostringstream pvdname;
+    pvdname << output_dir << "/" << output_name << ".pvd";
+    ofstream fpvd(pvdname.str().c_str(), ios::trunc);
+
+    // initialize the pvd file
+    fpvd << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>" << endl;
+    fpvd << "<VTKFile type=\"Collection\" version=\"0.1\" byte_order=\"LittleEndian\">"<< endl;
+    fpvd << "<Collection>"<< endl;
+
+    
+    // loop
+    for(int i=0; i<anim_reader->getNbStep(); i+=frame_step)
+    {
+        // increment file counter
+        outfileCounter++;
+        
+        // fill Q values by reading the anim
+        anim_reader->FillQIndex(i, nb_joints, joint_vec);
+
+        // update joints
+        world_3d->UpdateJoints(MBS_ID, nb_joints, joint_vec);
+
+        // set the filename
+        std::ostringstream filename;
+        filename << output_dir << "/" << output_name << outfileCounter << ".vtu";
+        world_renderer->SetOutputPath(filename.str());
+
+        // write the vtp file
+        world_3d->Update();
+
+        // update the pvd file
+        fpvd<< "<DataSet timestep=\""<<anim_reader->getTime(i)<<"\" group=\"\" part=\"0\" file=\""<< filename.str() <<"\"/>" << endl;
+    }
+
+    // finalyze the pvd file
+    fpvd<< "</Collection>"<< endl;
+    fpvd<< "</VTKFile>";
+    fpvd.close();
+