Install and run BRL-CAD

BRL-CAD

The goal of this task is to simply install and run BRL-CAD. This is a great first step if you want to learn how to use BRL-CAD for creating 3D models, for things like 3D printing and rendering pictures.

To get started, go to https://brlcad.org and download the latest precompiled version of BRL-CAD for your operating system. That's probably release 7.26.0 or later. Once downloaded, follow the install instructions.

Two of BRL-CAD's main programs are named "mged" and "archer", and you're going to run one of them after installation. If everything goes well, you should see graphical user interface (GUI) window(s) providing you a blank slate to get started.

Don't panic! For this task, you just need to open any of the existing sample geometry database (".g") files (in the share/db folder, right-click the icon on Mac and Show Contents) or create a new geometry database and make something simple like a sphere:

In the command window, type "tops" to get a list of object names you can "draw". After drawing, type "rt" and you'll see another window containing a render of the geometry you opened. Type your name in the command window and take a full-screen screenshot to show you did things right.

SUBMIT your screenshot and you're done. :)

Next claim the GCI task for getting through BRL-CAD's tutorial series and you'll be one task away from getting a free t-shirt!

Students who completed this task

Sutirtha Bhattacharyya, Paritosh Kakkar, Gabriel CH Lee, gongy, Josep Perna Montané, SPS, Aridaman Singh, Roxana Danescu, arpna kumari, Srijan Paulsatya, Greenscreener, Prabhdeep Singh, Florin Giorgi, Manraj Juneja, Tanish Kapur, Amanda Han, Bertha Ho, Muhammad Fahmi Rasyid, Vegetable Cook, James Richard Susilo, wish21, Isaac Pugh, Nicolei Esperida, Marian Ortega, Deniz Şalk, Daniel Ciucur, 1m0r74l17y, Šimon Šustek, Nick-Lorenzo Neculae, Dogukan Aydogdu, Julien Heurteux, Mitesh Gulecha, Bogdan Voicu, YASHOVARDHAN RANIWALA, Agam Ahluwalia, Bill Cipher, Boris Llona Alonso, Stefan Jieanu, Priyanshu Ranka, Hargun Hora, Annie, Jasraj Juneja, Siddharth Joshi, Sanjiv Prasad, smilegeoffrey, Jai Bardhan, John Lloyd De Fiesta, Pranav Aggarwal, Alexandra-Denisa Pîrlea, Adela Cazan, Snigdha Goel, Meghna Sabharwal, vidushi, Amy Farman, Hesham Burawi19, Dibyakanti Kumar, hoangtrung1999, NJC, Gaurav Gandhi, Deniz Karakay, Harsh Kumar, gr3ymatter8055, Tony Asiamah, Kartik Kumar, Headhunter26101, Amy O'Rourke, Parth Miglani, Jonathan Konecny, gia loc nguyen, Amogh Jalan, Alexis Schneider, Carl Bernabe, Michal Hanus, Shaan Sachdeva, Harshil Gupta, Radac Anastasia, Saarthak Chaturvedi, Gibson Landreville, Bob the Biulder, Nithin S Warrier, Tan Hong Liang, sagarwal, Oana Maria Muntean Bodiu, Samyak S Sarnayak, Sajarin, Pranav Garg, Max Palisoc, Kaan Giray Buzluk, Mario Goranov, coderaashir, karthi keyan, Arvind Chaudhary, Nikhil Kadyan, ApratimRanChak, Brendan Sherman, Bolt108

Task type

Outreach / Research

Level

Beginner