AR Library Weekly #1

Hello World.!
I'm Syam Sundar K and in this summer I'll be working on an AR Library for Processing-Android which is a Library that will help creating Augmented Reality applications in Processing through Android Mode.

My first commitment was to create the backbone for the library and make it easy to access from the standard processing interface through the Android-mode. First of all before diving in, I made the clear understanding of the hierarchy .i.e., directory structure in which the the Java classes has to be placed so that I get a seamless import into the Processing Interface. I looked into the Ketai Library which is the library used to acquire sensor data from the Android Device in real time which was created by my mentor Jesus Duran. I mapped the File structure in the src directory with the import statements made in the Interface. This gave me a clear idea of how the stucture has to be maintained.

Later, I had to get the necessary raw files i.e., aar and jar files to make the Library. In case of VR, the AAR files where present in the GVR SDK by default which can be obtained by cloning the repo and acquiring the essential files but in the case of ARCore, the release didn't have the aar file by default and hence I did a pull from the Maven for ARCore aar file - which by unzipping gave me the essential jar files.

First of all I started with keeping the AR Library as one of the Contributed Libraries to make sure that all the assumptions were correct and make corresponding imports of the Library through the UI.


After making the bare bones work as expected, I started working on my own repo fo the AR Library.

Github Link : https://github.com/SyamSundarKirubakaran/processing-ar

Started off by creating the build files for the Library .i.e., build.gradle and build.xml files specific to the Library and creating a class to see if the jar files are created as expected. Runnning the ant build gave me a couple of error which was taken care of and as it reached the stable state I moved it to the in-built libraries in the Android-mode along side VR.

Working:

Build on mode level:

The outcome of the library depends on the way of export of the app with the library from the Mode. Hence, the later half of the week involves the creating of the template files for the Library:

• ARActivity.java.tmpl
• ARBuild.gradle.tmpl
• ARBuildECJ.gradle.tmpl
• ARManifest.xml.tmpl
• StylesAR.xml.tmpl

In addition had to modify the mode level, build.gradle and build.xml files. The exsisting Java classes that generate the required app files from the given template files where made to work with AR too. Also added AR to the Android section of the menu along side a number of pre-exsisting and diverse app types, which avail the required permissions for the Android App to run properly.

Github Link : https://github.com/SyamSundarKirubakaran/processing-ar-utils

I made this to be a seperate repository because it does fall outside the scope of the AR library .i.e., on the higher level and hence these changes has to be given as the PR once the AR Library is made stable. Making a git diff and giving out a PR will be handy after the completion of the project.

Summary:

• Created the bare bones of the library.
• Created templates for the app files from which the actual files are built.
• Make appropriate build files to build the sketches created using the AR Library.

Thanks to,

• Jesus Duran - Mentor
• Andres Colubri

for guiding me through this.!

That's it for the week. Report week - I check.