CGAL users discussion list

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hi!
i have some questions about 3D mesh generation. not programming problems, but
regarding parameters, underlying algorithms, etc.

so far i've had some pretty good results (everything installed and compiles in
visual studio 2008), but there are some limitations/issues.

i'm trying to achieve a  SMOOTHLY GRADED mesh from a segmented volumetric 
image
(using liver.inr for now). 
FYI, i've got CGAL all compiled and running in VS2008. examples work! :)

2 questions are numbered as follows:

1. i cannot understand this from the manual: is it required/necessary/better 
to
"refine" a coarse mesh in 'steps' or can you just assign facet and cell
parameters from the onset to achieve accurate surface and mesh integrity?
the manual implies (fig. 47.2) that you should start with a course mesh, and
then refine in steps 'from the previous mesh', first by surface accuracy, and
then by resolution. is this necessary to achieve a well configured (i.e. 
'good'
tets) mesh??

if so, fine, i just need to know from a programming standpoint.

2. (more important) is there any way to control the mesh density directly. for
example, in 'tetgen' (http://tetgen.berlios.de/) you can control mesh density
via an auxiliary volumetric density map. this is crucial to achieving a well
prescribed mesh.

thanksinadvance,
todd
drexel university