Child object access from within Blitz3D

[semar]

Hi all,
this is my very first post, so please be kind

I'm using AC3D since few days, and so far I'm very happy with the features, and the user-friendly approach.

However, since I'm quite a newbie, I'm currently stuck accessing the objects from an extern program.

I try to explain me better.

I want to develop a slot machine game. So I build a slot machine model from within AC3D, which consists of one chassis and three wheels.

Thus I create three objects: a box, and three cylinders wheel_1, wheel_2, and wheel_3.

I set the correct name for each object by filling the object name text box (down left of the AC3D window), then I export the model as a .3DS, since AC3D does not export to B3D (Blitz3D) format.

From within Blitz3D program I can successfully load the .3DS model using LoadAnimMesh, but I can't access to each single object, for example a wheel. [I use the statement: child = FindChild (Mesh, "wheel_1") ]

I want to access to each wheel, because I want to rotate it, as it happens in a real slot machine.

I've found a workaround to this:
- load the .3DS model into Milkshape
- set a joint on each center of the wheels
- assign each joint to the vertices of each wheel
- export the model to .B3D.

So now I can access to each joint from within Blitz, and when I rotate a joint, the associated wheel rotates accordingly.

The question: is there any other method simpler than that ? Fact is, when I want modify the model from within AC3D - which I find much more intuitive than Milkshape - then I have to export to .3DS, import in Milkshape, create and position the joints - and that is already a frustrating task because I can't find any snap-to-grid feature in Milkshape - , finally export it to .B3D format... :shock:

Would be nice to gain access to each object from the exported .3DS, but perhaps the .3DS does not contain such a feature ?

Could someone help me ? Oh, and sorry for the long post !

Sergio.