This document describes the layer structure of Realsoft 3D libraries. You need this information to find the libraries you need to link to your plugins and applications.

Every feature in Realsoft 3D is based on one or more other features. For example, all classes in Realsoft depend on a number of other classes, such as their super class. The same applies to everything else like instances and libraries.

This dependancy chaining must always be one directional. If class A uses class B, then class B must be totally unaware about the existence of class A. Two libraries, classes or instances may newer explicitely refer to each other. Another way of saying this is that all features in the program must are built in top of other features. This rule simply stems from the reusability requirement and if it didn't hold then it wouldn't be possible to remove a feature without breaking functionality below it.

Built-in Libraries

The following table describes how built-in libraries are layered in Realsoft 3D

User Interface Layer

Model Layer (functionality)

Kernel Layer

Plug-in libraries

Plugin libraries are usually vertically oriented in that they plug-in both functionality and user interface classes. For example, 'metaball' plug-in library plugs in all the metaball functionality classes (geometry, tool, interactor, property gadget etc.) - everything which has anything to do with metaballs.

Note: If you need to use classes in a plugin library, don't call their registry functions directly, because plugin classes are registered by the kernel library (see R3LibraryInit() function). Instead, make sure the plugin is loaded by calling:

    R3BOOL R3LoadPluginLibrary(R3APP *app, char *library);

where 'library' is the name of the plugin without the system specific prefix or postfix. For example:

    R3LoadPluginLibrary(app, "r3invkin");

The following table lists some plugins shipped with Realsoft 3D. Note: the list is not complete and may vary depending on the version.