Pcl: vtkSmartPointer<vtkPolyDataMapper>::New () return NULL

[Gltina]

vtkSmartPointer::New () Failed

My Environment

• Operating System and version: Win10 Pro 10.0.18362 Build 18362
• Compiler: MSVC2017 64bit
• PCL Version: 1.9.1

Context

addText3D and addSphere() crashed (maybe more).
When drawing 3d text on screen, I find the addText3D does not work! Then I find the key is
vtkSmartPointer<vtkPolyDataMapper> textMapper = vtkSmartPointer<vtkPolyDataMapper>::New (); failed. I thought maybe it only crash by this way or my code is wrong. However, It also failed when I try to run example code from test_shapes.cpp.
at line 34:p.addSphere<PointXYZ> (cloud->points[0], 1, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0);, it crashed again, and I find the reason is same as addText3D.New() function always returns NULL, so next line textMapper->SetInputConnection (textSource->GetOutputPort ()); crashed due to empty pointier.

Expected Behavior

Current Behavior

If I do not change pcl_visualizer.hpp, It crashed just because of empty pointer.

Code to Reproduce

For better understand, below are part of my code:

pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer::Ptr viewer(new pcl::visualization::PCLVisualizer("3D Viewer"));
viewer->setBackgroundColor(0, 0, 0);
viewer->addCoordinateSystem(1.0, "first");
string show_text = "distance:";
//... get point_vec(vector<pcl::PointXYZ>)
viewer->addText3D(show_text , point_vec[i], 1, 1, 1, 1);

Possible Solution

Because of the problem of empty pointer, I judge the NULL before next code, like this

vtkSmartPointer<vtkPolyDataMapper> textMapper = vtkSmartPointer<vtkPolyDataMapper>::New ();
if (!textMapper)
{
     return false;
}
textMapper->SetInputConnection (textSource->GetOutputPort ());

The good news is yeah it works, but ... you know, there is no text3d text showing on screen but the text2d is OK(test_shapes.cpp). Now I have no idea how to deal with it.

[liudongminghaha]

I solved the problem, you should add the

include

VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingOpenGL); //if render backen is OpenGL2, it should changes to vtkRenderingOpenGL2
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkInteractionStyle);
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingFreeType);

and add the opengl32.lib in the linker

[kunaltyagi]

Are the changes in PCL code or your code?

[liudongminghaha]

Are the changes in PCL code or your code?
in test_shapes.cpp ( PCL Version: 1.9.1 X64 release ), just add

include

VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingOpenGL); //if render backen is OpenGL2, it should changes to vtkRenderingOpenGL2
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkInteractionStyle);
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingFreeType);
add the opengl32.lib in the Vs linker

vtkSmartPointer textMapper = vtkSmartPointer::New ()

textMapper is
vtkSmartPointerBase = {Object=0x000001fb129923a0 {ReferenceCount={Atomic=2 } WeakPointers=0x0000000000000000 {???} } }

if not
textMapper is
vtkSmartPointerBase = {Object=0x0000000000000000 }

[kunaltyagi]

I'm sorry @liudongminghaha It's still not clear to me. If the change is in PCL, please submit a PR, else the solution so others can benefit from it.

[SergioRAgostinho]

This problem is usually caused when then VTK definitions are not passed in. It is very likely that this was caused my wrongly constructed CMake file.

[Gltina]

Are the changes in PCL code or your code?
in test_shapes.cpp ( PCL Version: 1.9.1 X64 release ), just add

include

VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingOpenGL); //if render backen is OpenGL2, it should changes to vtkRenderingOpenGL2
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkInteractionStyle);
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingFreeType);
add the opengl32.lib in the Vs linker

vtkSmartPointer textMapper = vtkSmartPointer::New ()

textMapper is
vtkSmartPointerBase = {Object=0x000001fb129923a0 {ReferenceCount={Atomic=2 } WeakPointers=0x0000000000000000 {???} } }

if not
textMapper is
vtkSmartPointerBase = {Object=0x0000000000000000 }

Thanks for your help very much!! it works well as you said.
there is the header of my test code:,

#include <vtkAutoInit.h>
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingOpenGL);
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkInteractionStyle);
VTK_MODULE_INIT(vtkRenderingFreeType);

finally, I could see a 3D text displaying on the screen, that is cool!
yeah, I think it is a bug, and maybe only a few people will use this feature(display 3D text). but now, your solution fixes it, maybe you could PR or @ PCL developers to solve it in the next version.

[larshg]

I think @SergioRAgostinho is right.
The VTK_MODULE_INIT is part of the preprocessor definitions, which probably isn't correctly set.

So its not a bug in PCL, but user error when setting projects up. Another vote for better/updated install tutorials.

Lets close it.