DIRSIG renders scenes consisting of 3D facetized objects. The creation of these scenes using AutoCAD and the AutoLISP support routines are not discussed in this manual. However, for reference purposes, the format of the "Geometric Database" (GDB) is described here for developers who wish to work with or create additional tools to generate scenes to be modeled.
The .gdb file forms a hierarchical structure of objects, parts and facets. The importance of the facet hierarchy no longer exists as of Release 3.1, however, the file format must still be observed. Many of the facet attributes are no longer support on a per-facet basis and have been shifted to per-material attributes (these attributes are marked as [unused]).
The next page contains a summary of the GDB file.
| OBJECT | KEYWORD: OBJECT |
| TRUCK_OBJ | Name of object |
| 1-0-0 | Object ID |
| PART | KEYWORD: PART |
| TRUCK_BACK1_ATTS | Name of part |
| 1-1-0 | Part ID |
| FACE | KEYWORD: FACE |
| TRUCK_BACK1_1 | Name of facet |
| 1-1-1 | Facet ID |
| painted_steel_side | Name assigned to this facet |
| 27 | ID assigned to this facet |
| truck_back1 | Facet name [no longer used] |
| -1.0 | Facet temperature [C] (-1.0 means computed by THERM) |
| 0.01 | Facet thickness [cm] |
| 0.0 | Facet self-generated power [no longer used] |
| 0.0 | Facet exposed area [no longer used] |
| null | [unused field] |
| null | [unused field] |
| null | [unused field] |
| 4 | Number of vertices (can be 3 or 4) |
| 0.000000 152.400000 30.480000 | Vertex #1 Coordinates |
| 0.000000 0.000000 30.480000 | Vertex #2 Coordinates |
| 53.340000 0.000000 30.48000 | Vertex #3 Coordinates |
| 53.340000 152.400000 30.48000 | Vertex #4 Coordinates |
| 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000 | Normal vector |
| 180.000000 | Zenith (slope) angle [degrees] |
| 0.000000 | Azimuth angle [degrees] |
| 0.000000 | [unused] |
| FACE | Another facet |
| TRUCK_BACK_12 | |
| 1-1-12 | |
| PART | Another part |
| TIRE_1 | |
| 1-2-1 | |
| OBJECT | Another object |
| ROAD_1 | |
| 2-1-1 | |
| END | KEYWORD: END (Last line in file) |