BOT_DUMP(1)

📦
version 7.44.0 · 2 versions
, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 BOT_DUMP 💅

okay so real talk, this is bot_dump from section 1 of the BRL-CAD manual, and it's literally the tool that yeets your Bag of Triangles primitives out of a BRL-CAD database and into cute little mesh files. bestie, it's giving "export era" and I'm obsessed 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

bot_dump — export Bag of Triangles (BoT) primitives to mesh file formats 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

bot_dump [-b] [-n] [-m _directory_] [-o _file_] [-t dxf|glb|gltf|obj|sat|stl] [-u _units_] geom.g [bot1 bot2 ...]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

bot_dump exports the raw definition of polygonal Bag of Triangles (BoT) primitives out of a BRL-CAD database and into a whole bunch of standard mesh formats. and no cap, the key thing here: no Boolean evaluation is performed — so what you get out is each primitive's exact stored representation, matching the original 1:1. no remixing, no glow-up, just the truth 💯

The database is the first positional argument. If one or more BoT object names come after it, then only those objects get exported. Otherwise? every single BoT in the database gets exported. all of them. the whole squad 🫶

and here's the vibe check on output: if you don't give -o and you don't give -m, then ASCII output goes to standard output. but binary formats? yeah those need an actual output file or directory, no shortcuts. 😭

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -b — write a binary version of the output format, for the formats that support both ASCII and binary variants (like STL). heads up: glTF output is always binary (GLB), so that one's already living its binary truth ✨
  • -n — include surface normals in the output, where the format supports them (e.g. OBJ). and just so we're clear: normals are intrinsic to STL, and DXF and SAT simply don't support them. not their fault, just their vibe 🙈
  • -m directory — write each dumped BoT into its own separate file inside directory. this is mutually exclusive with -o, pick a lane bestie 💀
  • -o file — write all the exported geometry into a single file. also mutually exclusive with -m. one or the other, periodt 🎀
  • -t type — pick the output format: dxf, glb, gltf, obj, sat, or stl. if you skip it, the format gets inferred from the output file extension, and it defaults to stl when it can't figure it out. iykyk 🌈
  • -u units — convert coordinates from the internal millimeters into the units you want on output (like "in", "cm", "m"). metric-to-imperial slay 👑
  • -h, -? — print a usage summary and dip. iconic 💜

⭐ EXAMPLES ⭐

✨ Example 1. Export selected BoTs to a binary STL ✨

bot_dump -b -t stl -o hull.stl ship.g hull_bot deck_bot

Writes the hull_bot and deck_bot BoT primitives from ship.g into one single binary STL file — perfect for slicing or 3D printing. ate and left no crumbs 🔥

✨ Example 2. Export every BoT to per-object glTF files in millimeters-to-meters ✨

bot_dump -u m -t glb -m gltf_out world.g

Converts all the BoT primitives in world.g, scaling coordinates from millimeters to meters, and writes one GLB file per object into the gltf_out directory. organize your life, queen 🧚

✨ Example 3. Export an OBJ with normals and material colors ✨

bot_dump -n -t obj -o part.obj assembly.g part_bot

Produces an OBJ (plus its companion MTL) containing surface normals and the resolved region/object color for part_bot, ready to import into a renderer. and friendly reminder: color and material info is written automatically for OBJ output. main character behavior honestly 🌸

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

brlcad(1), mged(1), g-stl(1), g-dxf(1), g-obj(1) — go read those too, the whole friend group is valid 🫶

🍓 AUTHOR 🍓

BRL-CAD Team 💖

This software is Copyright (c) 1989-2026 by the United States Government as represented by U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

💀 BUG REPORTS 💀

Reports of bugs or problems should be submitted via electronic mail to devs@brlcad.org — don't be shy, they genuinely want to know 🌟

fr fr if something's acting up, email the devs. that's the whole ask. no cap 🫶

okay that's the whole page, bestie, go forth and export 💅✨

— with love from the BRL-CAD manual fam (BOT_DUMP(1), BRL-CAD), and copyright years 1989-2026 — mwah 🎀🦋⭐

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