This Converter reads and writes objects in Sculpt ".scene" format, and writes objects in ".script" format. These Sculpt formats are compatible with all versions of Sculpt for the Amiga.

This Converter adds three entries to the conversion lists:

Sculpt 3D .scene
Sculpt 3D .script
Sculpt 4D .script

Amiga Sculpt has two file formats for objects. The first type always has the filename extension ".scene". Sculpt objects are normally stored in ".scene" format. You save objects in this format with the Sculpt "Save Object" or "Save Scene" menu items.

The second format is the ".script" file. This Converter can only save ".script" files. It cannot load ".script" files. To load a ".script" file, you must have the Sculpt program. Sculpt can only load scripts, it cannot save them.

Script files are useful for entering objects by hand with greater accuracy than the mouse. Note that Sculpt 3D and 4D ".script" files are not exactly the same, and that the Converters list shows two different ".script" entries. Be sure to choose the proper output Format for the program you use. The Macintosh version of Sculpt can load and save objects in an Amiga-compatible format, although it does have a newer Mac-specific format not supported by this Converter.

Geometry
In Sculpt, all objects are composed of triangles that are always visible from both sides. Triangles may have random orientations when translated to other formats that are sensitive to outward normals.

Lone edges and lone points are possible in Sculpt. Sculpt uses a series of lone edges to represent paths. However, Sculpt only displays lone points and edges in its Wireframe rendering mode. They are not visible in any other mode. Although Sculpt 4D supports named hierarchies, this Converter does not translate them.

Byte by Byte acknowledges a bug in the Amiga versions of Sculpt that prevent it from creating objects with more than 32,767 points, edges or triangles. Although the entire object is saved to disk, Sculpt cannot read the file it just made. This Converter can make valid Sculpt objects with more than 32,767 points, edges or faces. It can also read these problematic files.

In other words, if you've saved a very large object that will no longer load into Sculpt, you can repair the file by translating it to Sculpt format again using Interchange. Note that the current versions of Sculpt never save a proper object that exceeds these limits. After the object is loaded, we recommend saving it in pieces with less than 32,767 points, edges or triangles.

Material attributes
Sculpt has limited materials. Each Sculpt triangle has an RGB color, stored as eight bits per red, green and blue.

Each Sculpt triangle has a simple material type: Dull, Shiny, Mirror, Lumin (as in "luminous"), or Glass. Sculpt 4D also supports Metal and Glass2 textures. Sculpt 3D treats the newer Sculpt 4D textures as "Dull."

Loading and Saving Sculpt Objects
Sculpt enforces the ".scene" and ".script" filename extensions. Its "Load Object," "Load Scene" and "Load Script" file requesters only show files with the proper ".scene" filename extensions. Sculpt's "Save Object" and "Save Scene" file requesters automatically append the ".scene" extension to the filename you enter.

Also, be aware that Sculpt's file requester limits the total length of filenames and filename paths. In other words, you can't expect to load and save scenes from deep within a number of sub-directories. Move the files into a directory with a shorter name, such as a directory directly in the root of a disk.

Object origin
When creating objects in Sculpt 3D for use in other programs, be sure to consider how Sculpt can re-center an object depending on whether you choose "Save Scene" or "Save Object."

With "Save Scene", all objects in the scene are saved to a file. All objects are saved with their true, absolute position with respect to Sculpt's (0,0,0) absolute origin. To save objects with a different relative origin, position the cross-hair cursor to that origin, then use "Save Object."

Common Questions
Sculpt 4D doesn't list my file in its requester.
For a file to show up in Sculpt 4D's requester, it must have only a single ".scene" extension. It will not recognize a file called table.silver.scene. You must remove the added extensions with the CLI rename command, a directory utility, or the AmigaDOS 2.0 Workbench.

Sculpt's file requester won't let me enter the full directory name for the object that Interchange created.
The Sculpt file requester has a very short limit to the number of characters allowed in the directory name. You must move the file to a directory that can be specified with fewer total characters.

Sculpt complains of a syntax error in the .script file created by Interchange.
Scripts have a slightly different format, depending on whether you'd like a script for Sculpt 3D or Sculpt 4D. Specifically, Sculpt 4D uses a "FACE COLOR" command to set the color of triangles, while Sculpt 3D uses just "COLOR". Interchange abbreviates these as "FAC COL" and "COL" respectively.

Background
Sculpt is produced by:
Byte By Byte
8920 Business Park Dr, Suite 330
Austin, TX 78759-7405
(512) 795-0150
(512) 795-0021 FAX
www.bytebybyte.com