Added pyfqmr, replaced many bpy with bmesh operations & added better dependency management

Added pyfqmr and xatlas submodules
Added in-place install/build of submodules
Added GitHub Actions based CD Pipeline
Added "Render Device" Option
Added "Lower Resolution By LOD" Option
Addded pyfqmr based reduction
Added more meaningful console outputs across all plugins.
Added styling for QCheckboxes in style.qss
Refactored Performance Critical Operations to use BMesh instead of bpy.ops
Refactored runtime dependency management
Tweaked Range for Ray Distance to support larger models.
Updated README.md
Updated requirements.txt
Updated .gitignore

Author: gojushin

.github/workflows/deploy_zip_files.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+name: Build and Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - '*'
+
+jobs:
+  build-and-release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    container:
+      image: alpine:latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Install Dependencies
+        run: |
+          apk add --no-cache git zip bash python3 python3-dev py3-pip build-base
+
+      - name: Check out code with submodules
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+
+      - name: Build Python Modules in enviro_lod_tools/external
+        run: |
+          # Navigate to the external directory
+          cd enviro_lod_tools/external
+
+          # List of submodule directories (assuming they are direct subdirectories)
+          for dir in */ ; do
+            if [ -f "$dir/setup.py" ]; then
+              echo "Building Python module in $dir"
+              cd "$dir"
+              # Install the module in a temporary location
+              python3 setup.py build
+              python3 setup.py install --root=../../../../temp_installation
+              cd ..
+            fi
+          done
+
+      - name: Clean Up Unnecessary Files in enviro_lod_tools/external
+        run: |
+          cd enviro_lod_tools/external
+          # Remove build directories and any other unnecessary files
+          find . -type d -name '__pycache__' -exec rm -r {} +
+          find . -type d -name 'build' -exec rm -r {} +
+          find . -type d -name 'dist' -exec rm -r {} +
+          find . -type f -name '*.pyc' -delete
+          # Remove setup files if not needed
+          find . -type f -name 'setup.py' -delete
+          find . -type f -name 'setup.cfg' -delete
+          find . -type f -name 'MANIFEST.in' -delete
+          cd ../..
+
+      - name: Move Installed Modules Back to enviro_lod_tools/external
+        run: |
+          # Copy the installed modules back to the external directory
+          cp -r temp_installation/usr/local/lib/python3*/site-packages/* enviro_lod_tools/external/
+          # Remove the temporary installation directory
+          rm -rf temp_installation
+
+      - name: Get Tag Name
+        id: get_tag
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          TAG=$(git describe --tags --exact-match)
+          echo "TAGS: $TAG"
+          if [ -z "$TAG" ]; then
+            echo "No tags on this commit."
+            echo "TAG=" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo "Found tag: $TAG"
+            echo "TAG=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
+
+      - name: Exit if No Tag
+        if: env.TAG == ''
+        run: |
+          echo "No valid tag found on this commit. Exiting."
+          exit 0
+
+      - name: Create enviro_lod_tools_plugin_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+        if: env.TAG != ''
+        run: |
+          cd enviro_lod_tools
+          zip -r ../enviro_lod_tools_plugin_${TAG}.zip .
+          cd ..
+
+      - name: Create enviro_lod_tools_gui_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+        if: env.TAG != ''
+        run: |
+          zip -r enviro_lod_tools_gui_${TAG}.zip .
+
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        if: env.TAG != ''
+        id: create_release
+        uses: actions/create-release@v1
+        with:
+          tag_name: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          release_name: Release ${{ env.TAG }}
+          draft: false
+          prerelease: true
+
+      - name: Upload Release Asset - Plugin Zip
+        if: env.TAG != ''
+        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
+        with:
+          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
+          asset_path: enviro_lod_tools_plugin_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+          asset_name: enviro_lod_tools_plugin_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+          asset_content_type: application/zip
+
+      - name: Upload Release Asset - GUI Zip
+        if: env.TAG != ''
+        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
+        with:
+          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
+          asset_path: enviro_lod_tools_gui_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+          asset_name: enviro_lod_tools_gui_${{ env.TAG }}.zip
+          asset_content_type: application/zip

.gitignore

@@ -84,5 +84,6 @@ dmypy.json
 # Extension
 
 enviro_lod_tools.zip
+experimental/
 
 # End of template

.gitmodules

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[submodule "enviro_lod_tools/external/pyfqmr"]
+	path = enviro_lod_tools/external/pyfqmr
+	url = https://github.com/Kramer84/pyfqmr-Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Reduction.git
+[submodule "enviro_lod_tools/external/xatlas"]
+	path = enviro_lod_tools/external/xatlas
+	url = https://github.com/mworchel/xatlas-python.git

README.md

@@ -8,17 +8,25 @@ This is a collection of plugins for [Blender](https://www.blender.org/) (v. 4.0.
 The plugins are designed to help with the creation of environment levels of detail (LODs) for terrestrial photogrammetry models.
 (Models of Landscapes, Cities, and other "flat" structures).
 
-The plugin is split into several single plugins, that can be used independently of each other.
+The tool is split into several single plugins, that can be used independently of each other.
 There is also a combined plugin that can load a model from the file system and generate LODs for it, without actively rendering it to the viewport.
 **This is essential for source files that are too massive to display in the viewport.**
 
 ### Features
 
-- **Cleanup**: Cleans/Preprocesses the mesh for use in the LOD pipeline.
+- **Cleanup**: Cleans/Preprocesses the mesh for use in the LOD pipeline. All mesh operations are done using the BMesh framework to ensure performance. [Pyfqmr](https://github.com/Kramer84/pyfqmr-Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Reduction) is used for mesh reduction.
+
+
 - **Mesh Slicer**: Cuts a mesh into a user-defined amount of square slices. (This reimplements Blenders Bisect logic in a way that does not require to duplicate the mesh in order to keep both halfs)
-- **LOD Pipeline**: Generates the levels of detail (LODs) for all the selections using the provided settings. The LOD generation retains the borders of the highest LOD for flawless LOD transitions of individual modules.
+
+
+- **LOD Pipeline**: Generates the levels of detail (LODs) for all the selections using [pyfqmr](https://github.com/Kramer84/pyfqmr-Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Reduction) again. The LOD generation retains the borders of the highest LOD for flawless LOD transitions of individual modules.
+
+
 - **XAtlas Unwrapper**: Unwraps the model using the [xatlas-python](https://github.com/mworchel/xatlas-python) bindings.
-- **Baker**: Transfers the base color of a defined mesh onto one or multiple selected meshes.
+
+
+- **Baker**: Transfers the base color of a defined mesh onto one or multiple selected meshes. Blender is used as the baking framework.
 
 
 # Installation
@@ -32,25 +40,31 @@ EnvironmentLodTools can also be used with a "standalone" PySide6 based GUI.
 It exposes the exact same parameters, but uses the users local Python install, with Blender as a module, instead of Blenders Embedded Python.
 
 To use the GUI do the following:
-1. Download the entire `source code` from the [latest release](https://github.com/gojushin/EnvironmentLodTool/releases/latest).
+1. Download the entire `source code` from the [latest release](https://github.com/gojushin/EnvironmentLodTools/releases).
 2. Open the command prompt.
 3. Run `pip install -r requirnments.txt` in the directory of the plugin.
 4. Start the GUI by executing `enviro_tools_gui.py`
 
+Note: When starting the GUI for the first time, it will take a few moments to build the python modules.
+
 ## Plugin
 To install the plugins, follow these steps:
 
 1. Download the [latest release](https://github.com/gojushin/EnvironmentLodTool/releases/latest) from GitHub.
 2. In Blender, go to `Edit` -> `Preferences` -> `Add-ons` and click on the `Install` button.
 3. Select the .zip file from the download folder.
-4. Enable the plugins by checking the plugins checkbox. *Note: This invokes pip to install xatlas to blenders environment and can therefore cause Blender to hang for a second.*
+4. Enable the plugins by checking the plugins checkbox. 
+
+*Note: Enabling the plugins for the first time will take a few moments since two python modules will be built in place in Blenders Python install.*
 
 ### Usage
 
 Once installed, the plugins can be accessed through the `Tool` and `Tools` panel.
 
 To use the GUI, download the source code and execute the `enviro_tools_gui.py` file.
-_Note: Since Blender is non-thread safe by nature, the GUI will currently freeze. You can track the progress in the CLI._
+
+_Note: Since Blender is non-thread safe by nature, the GUI will currently freeze upon starting the pipeline.
+You can track the progress in the CLI._
 
 ### Contributing
 
@@ -63,3 +77,17 @@ The code is licensed under the [GPLv3 License](LICENSE).
 ### Credits
 
 This project was created by [Nico Breycha](https://github.com/gojushin).
+
+3rd party libraries used in this project are licensed under their own licenses.
+- [xatlas-python](https://github.com/mworchel/xatlas-python) bindings, licensed under the [MIT License](https://github.com/mworchel/xatlas-python/blob/master/LICENSE).
+  - (Original [xatlas](https://github.com/jpcy/xatlas) Implementation by [jpcy](https://github.com/jpcy))
+
+
+- [pyfqmr](https://github.com/Kramer84/pyfqmr-Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Reduction), licensed under the [MIT License](https://github.com/Kramer84/pyfqmr-Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Reduction/blob/master/LICENSE)
+  - (Original [Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Simplification](https://github.com/sp4cerat/Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Simplification) implementation by [sp4cerat](https://github.com/sp4cerat))
+
+
+- [Blender](https://www.blender.org/), licensed under the [GPLv2 License](https://www.blender.org/about/license/)
+
+
+- [Pyside6](https://pypi.org/project/PySide6/), licensed under the [LGPLv3/GPLv3](https://github.com/pyside6/pyside6/blob/master/LICENSE)

deploy.py

@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
 import os
 import zipfile
 
+PLUGIN_FOLDER_NAME = "enviro_lod_tools"
 
 def zip_directory(directory):
     """
-    Zips all files in a directory.
+    Zips all files in a directory, excluding __pycache__.
     :param directory: The directory to zip.
     :type directory: str
     """
     zip_filename = f"{directory}.zip"
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
         for root, dirs, files in os.walk(directory):
+            dirs[:] = [d for d in dirs if d != '__pycache__']  # Exclude __pycache__ directory
             for file in files:
                 file_path = os.path.join(root, file)
                 zipf.write(file_path, os.path.relpath(file_path, start=os.path.join(directory, '..')))
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ def zip_directory(directory):
     user_defined_folder = input("Enter the folder name within the current directory: ")
     if not user_defined_folder:
         # Get the first subdirectory in the current directory that is not a hidden directory
-        user_defined_folder = [d for d in os.listdir() if os.path.isdir(d) and not d.startswith('.')][0]
+        user_defined_folder = PLUGIN_FOLDER_NAME
     if os.path.isdir(user_defined_folder):
         zip_directory(user_defined_folder)
         print(f"Processed and zipped the directory {user_defined_folder} successfully.")