How to use the command 'stl2gts' (with examples)
The stl2gts command is used to convert STL files into the GTS (GNU triangulated surface library) file format. The GTS file format is commonly used in scientific simulations and computational geometry.
Use case 1: Convert an STL file to a GTS file
Code:
stl2gts < path/to/file.stl > path/to/file.gts
Motivation: This use case is useful when you have an STL file that you want to convert to the GTS file format for further processing or analysis using other tools that support the GTS format.
Explanation: The command stl2gts is executed with the input STL file specified using the < redirection operator. The converted GTS file is then redirected to the specified output file using the > redirection operator.
Example output: The STL file at the path path/to/file.stl will be converted to the GTS file format and saved at the path path/to/file.gts.
Use case 2: Convert an STL file to a GTS file and revert face normals
Code:
stl2gts --revert < path/to/file.stl > path/to/file.gts
Motivation: When converting an STL file to the GTS format, you may want to revert the face normals if the orientation is inverted. This use case is useful in such scenarios.
Explanation: In this use case, the --revert option is added to the stl2gts command. This option instructs the command to revert the face normals during the conversion process.
Example output: The STL file at the path path/to/file.stl will be converted to the GTS file format, and the face normals will be reverted. The resulting GTS file will be saved at the path path/to/file.gts.
Use case 3: Convert an STL file to a GTS file and do not merge vertices
Code:
stl2gts --nomerge < path/to/file.stl > path/to/file.gts
Motivation: By default, the stl2gts command merges adjacent vertices to improve the overall quality of the triangulation. However, in some cases, you may want to preserve the original vertices without merging them. This use case is helpful in such scenarios.
Explanation: In this use case, the --nomerge option is included in the stl2gts command. This option disables the merging of vertices during the conversion process.
Example output: The STL file at the path path/to/file.stl will be converted to the GTS file format without merging the vertices. The resulting GTS file will be saved at the path path/to/file.gts.
Use case 4: Convert an STL file to a GTS file and display surface statistics
Code:
stl2gts --verbose < path/to/file.stl > path/to/file.gts
Motivation: Sometimes, it is useful to obtain surface statistics of the converted GTS file, such as the number of triangles and vertices. This use case allows you to display such statistics during the conversion process.
Explanation: The --verbose option is added to the stl2gts command, enabling the display of surface statistics in the terminal while converting the STL file to the GTS format.
Example output: The STL file at the path path/to/file.stl will be converted to the GTS file format, and surface statistics will be displayed in the terminal. The resulting GTS file will be saved at the path path/to/file.gts.
Use case 5: Print help for stl2gts
Code:
stl2gts --help
Motivation: This use case is useful when you need quick access to the help documentation and command-line options of stl2gts without browsing through external sources.
Explanation: By running the stl2gts command with the --help option, the command will display the help documentation and provide information about the available command-line options.
Example output: The help documentation for stl2gts will be displayed, providing an explanation of the command’s usage and available options.
Conclusion:
The stl2gts command is a powerful tool for converting STL files to the GTS file format. With various command-line options, it allows for customization of the conversion process, including reverting face normals, preserving original vertices without merging, obtaining surface statistics, and accessing help documentation. Using these examples, you can efficiently convert STL files to the GTS format for further processing and analysis.
