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# Order of transformation in a software renderer?

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I'm writing a very simple software renderer. Due to size constraints I'm not using matrices but rather an all purpose transform(vertex[], posxyz, anglexyz) function that rotates and then translates a vertex. First I transform the models in model space then transform() it again with the camera position and angle. The thing is this; I discovered I can't just do the camera transform like the model transform ie: rotate-->translate it needs to be: translate-->rotate I've read alot of stuff online about software renderering and I don't recall reading this before. I suspect it has something to do with matrix math (that's what I'm not really strong on). Is this right? Can anyone explain what I'm missing here?

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It is true that the order is important, because matrix multiplication is not commutative (eg. matrix1 * matrix2 != matrix2 * matrix1).

For example, take 2x2 matrices:

Matrix1 = | a  b |          | c  d |Matrix2 = | e  f |          | g  h |Matrix1 x Matrix2 = | (a * e) + (b * g)   (a * f) + (b * h) |                    | (c * e) + (d * g)   (c * f) + (d * h) |Matrix2 x Matrix1 = | (e * a) + (f * c)   (e * b) + (f * d) |                    | (g * a) + (h * c)   (g * b) + (h * d) |

Edit: Mixed up associativity and commutativity..

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Quote:
 matrix multiplication is not commutative

I've read this quiet a few times; I suppose this is a real world application that displays that fact. I didn't realize rotating/translating more than once would be a multiplication operation in linear algebra.

Thanks!

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Trying it out by hand may help understanding. A simple example:

Consider a vertex at the origin. Rotate it counter-clockwise 90 degrees, then translate it 5 units right. It will be at (5,0).

Now, consider another vertex at the origin. Translate it 5 units right, then rotate it counter-clockwise 90 degrees. It will be at (0,5).