	PyAssimp Readme
	---------------


-- a simple Python wrapper for Assimp using ctypes to access
the library. Tested for Python 2.6, should work with
older versions as well.

USAGE
=====

To get started with pyAssimp, examine the sample.py script, which
illustrates the basic usage. All Assimp data structures are
wrapped using ctypes. All the data+length fields in Assimp's
data structures (such as 'aiMesh::mNumVertices','aiMesh::mVertices')
are replaced by simple python lists, so you can call len() on
them to get their respective size and access members using
[].

For example, to load a file named 'hello.3ds' and print the first
vertex of the first mesh, you would do (proper error handling
substituted by assertions ...):

> from pyassimp import pyassimp, errors
> 
> try:
> 	scene = pyassimp.load('hello.3ds')
> except AssimpError, msg:
>     print(msg)
>     return

> assert len(scene.meshes)
> mesh = scene.meshes[0]

> assert len(mesh.vertices)
> print(mesh.vertices[0])

> # don't forget this one, or you will leak!
> pyassimp.release(scene)


INSTALL
=======

PyAssimp requires a assimp dynamic library (DLL on windows,
so on linux :-) in order to work. The default search directories 
are:

- the current directory
- on linux additionally: /usr/local/lib

To build that library, refer to the Assimp master INSTALL
instructions. To look in more places, edit ./pyassimp/helper.py.
There's an 'additional_dirs' list waiting for your entries.






	