The author used the following data structure for the convenience of representing a frame of reference (on Page 168 of the book)
class GLFrame{
protected:
float vLocation[3];
float vUp[3];
float vForward[3];
public:
...
}
Then he provided a function that calculates a matrix which is unclear to me (on Page 168 of the book):
void GetMatrix(M3DMatrix44f matrix, bool bRotationOnly = false)
{
// Calculate the right side (x) vector, drop it right into the matrix
M3DVector3f vXAxis;
m3dCrossProduct3(vXAxis, vUp, vForward);
// Set matrix column does not fill in the fourth value...
m3dSetMatrixColumn44(matrix, vXAxis, 0);
matrix[3] = 0.0f;
// Y Column
m3dSetMatrixColumn44(matrix, vUp, 1);
matrix[7] = 0.0f;
// Z Column
m3dSetMatrixColumn44(matrix, vForward, 2);
matrix[11] = 0.0f;
// Translation (already done)
if(bRotationOnly == true)
{
matrix[12] = 0.0f;
matrix[13] = 0.0f;
matrix[14] = 0.0f;
}
else
m3dSetMatrixColumn44(matrix, vOrigin, 3);
matrix[15] = 1.0f;
}
He used the matrix on Page 174 through
modelViewMatrix.MultMatrix(spheres[i]); //it equals to multiply the matrix got from spheres[i].GetMatrix()
Here, spheres[i] is an object of the GLFrame class.
I think the author actually wanted to multiply the object’s model transform matrix, but he misused the GetMatrix() function.
Could anyone help me verify my assumption?
Sorry for my rough description.