The Daylon Leveller SDK (Software Developer's Kit) is a freely available set of source code files and related documentation for integrating software with Leveller. With it, you can easily:
- Create import/export plug-ins to exchange elevation data with other applications and file formats.
- Create filtering plug-ins to modify the active document's heightfield.
- Make renderer plug-ins to perform custom 2D and 3D visualizations.
- Add or modify raytracing shaders.
- Create selector plug-ins to change the active document's selection mask.
- Make analysis plug-ins to report useful statistics about the current document.
- Create tool plug-ins to implement custom brushes, etc.
- Access the active document's selection mask as user shape input.
- Add clipboard support for heightfields to your application.
- Read/write Leveller heightfields directly with the Leveller Document Format specs, in either C++ or Visual Basic.
Note: the plug-in API used in Leveller 2.5 is not backwards compatible with older versions of Leveller. Developers maintaining legacy plug-ins who wish to use the current SDK should refer to the "Changes" section of the documentation for migration notes.
The Leveller open source plug-ins (gforge, TMesh, etc.) are included in the SDK.
The Leveller ANSI C Library lets you create standalone programs to read/write Leveller heightfield documents (or integrate such functionality into your own software). It's also compatible with Edmond Breen's free EiC C interpreter.
More Fun, Less Hassle
Writing plug-ins is the fastest, easiest, and most comfortable way to provide others with your heightfield skill. You don't have to set up an application, manage heightfield files, or provide viewing, editing, or undo/redo features. Leveller takes care of all those details for you, leaving you free to concentrate on the task at hand. If you're using MFC, the sample projects will give the most commonly-used UI elements instantly. You can obtain professional results in just a few hours.
If you're not using MFC, some non-MFC plug-in example projects
are also available.
Great Documentation
We wrote it in portable HTML format, with easily navigable frames and illustrations:
Professional Examples Available
On top of our own plug-in example projects, several of
the real plug-ins, such as TMesh, Perlin4, Erode, etc.
are in open source form. They show not only how to
do fancy heightfield work, but how to build the
user interfaces that make their features accessible.
Object-Oriented
Several C++ classes have been predefined to wrap around
low-level calls and to let you focus on your project.
The leveller::plugin base class lets you treat each plug-in
as an object, with common behaviors inherited for free.
Quality Debugging
On top of your development system's own debugging facilities, Leveller
can manage all your memory allocations, safely alerting you if leaks
occur. Memory blocks can be tagged with descriptive strings for
easy troubleshooting. Plus, it's normally impossible to write past the end
of a heightfield's data block -- all regular document access is carefully
and safely filtered.
Easy Distribution
After building your DLL (which can contain one
or several plug-ins), simply rename it to use an LTF extension (or have
your development system do it automatically as part of the build process),
and instruct your users to place it in their Leveller plugins folder.
Each plug-in can provide an optional Internet URL to make it easy for
users to reach you for feedback, support, upgrades, etc.
There are no special conditions attached to distribution,
either. No distribution or runtime fees, and no restrictions on
redistributing or reusing any included source code (except where
noted by third parties).
The current edition of the Leveller SDK is August 9/2005. Click here to download (PKZIP, 2.5 MB).