If you like this and have stuff to add, send it to me. jch@oki.com.
Archive-name: vrml/faq/part1
Last-modified: 1995/04/20
Version: 0.1
This is a proto-FAQ based on the course notes I'm preparing for SIGGRAPH
I have a strong interest in doing this for less than one month, then I
turn into a pumpkin.
Here is a start. If no better solutions present themsleves, I'll continue
to work on this. My interest is in seeing cool stuff happen. My employer's
interest is in selling 3D acellerator's for PC's. I think both of the
driving forces of VRML (Mark Pesce & TCC, as well as SGI/TGS) bring
a powerful mix of hopes, dreams, and motivations.
1: What is VRML?
1.1: Where can I get the specification?
1.2: What is QvLib?
1.3: What's the history of VRML?
2: What will VRML 2.0 be like?
2.1: How can I participate in the design process?
2.2: When will VRML 1.0 be done?
3.3: What is the design process?
3: What browsers are available?
4: What authoring tools are available?
5: Where can I find VRML data?
6: How can I set up my HTTP server to host .wrl files?
1: What is VRML?
VRML stands for Virtual Reality Modelling Language. What is really
is depends on the limits of your imagination. What is is right now
is a draft specification for adding 3D data to the Web.
VRML 1.0 is a subset of the ASCII Inventor File Format with some
additions to allow linking out to the Web and including other URLs.
The linking out feature (WWWAnchor) provides the same feature that
HREF anchors provide in HTML.
VRML 1.0 was agreed to be the minimal starting point for a much larger
vision. There is a rich set of materials on http://vrml.wired.com
which should be thought of as the primary VRML site.
A fairly recent "VRML Backgrounder" is in the VRML mailing list archive.
http://vrml.wired.com/arch/1010.html
P.S. If I lost you at the Web, (World Wide Web or WWW) you might
try using Mosaic or Netscape to look at one of these:
http://www.w3.org/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html
http://sunsite.unc.edu/boutell/faq/www_faq.html
1.1: Where can I get the specification?
The VRML 1.0 draft specification is available by looking at the VRML
Tech forum http://www.eit.com/vrml/ or the MS word version is at
ftp://ftp.eit.com/pub/vrml/
1.2: What is QvLib?
QvLib is a parser written in C++ for VRML 1.0. There are LINUX, IRIX,
Sun, NT and Mac versions at ftp://ftp.eit.com/pub/vrml/
By implementing rendering functions in the QvTraverse functions you
can write a simple VRML browser.
1.3: What's the history of VRML?
<insert timeline after folding in comments, add 3-APR-95 & WWW4>
Also, a view from the SGI trenches:
http://www.sgi.com/ion/vrml.ezine.3.95.html
2: What will VRML 2.0 be like?
There are many things to be added to VRML 1.0 to create a full
multi-user 3D environment. There are many features to be incorporated
into a cyberspace system - perhaps only a piece of which is VRML.
2.1: How can I participate in the design process?
There are several mailing lists:
( http://www.sdsc.edu/SDSC/Partners/vrml/repos_mailing.html )
- vrml-modeling@sdsc.edu
Technical discussion on geometry description issues in VRML. Topics
include features of current and proposed geometric primitives,
import/export tools, compatibility with existing systems, implementation
details, performance issues, cross-platform issues, and so
forth. Unmoderated.
To subscribe, email to listserv@sdsc.edu. In the message body type:
add vrml-modeling
- vrml-behaviors@sdsc.edu
Technical discussion on describing behaviors within VRML. Topics include
how to add interaction and animation behaviors to VRML, scripting
language issues, implementation details, and so forth. Unmoderated.
To subscribe, email to listserv@sdsc.edu. In the message body type:
add vrml-behaviors
- www-vrml@wired.com // General discussion on VRML. Unmoderated.
To subscribe, email to majordomo@wired.com. In the message body type:
subscribe www-vrml your-email-address
2.2: When will VRML 1.0 be done?
This question should be in the past tense Real Soon Now!
2.3: What is the design process?
I've heard this raised a few times. The current process is that the
authors of the VRML 1.0 (Gavin Bell, Anthony Parisi and Mark Pesce)
discuss issues on the www-vrml mailing list and then revise the spec.
Seeing as the ultimate standards body for VRML is the IETF, this is
probably not too bad. At some point it will become a (new) MIME content
type ("world" or "3D" or "geometry") and a subtype "vrml".
3: What browsers are available?
No browsers are currently available. However, I have seen WebSpace
running on an SGI, the Intervista browser running on a PC. I know that
TGS has given "alpha" copies to a few people on NT (and Sun?), and that
NetPower did a demo at the Interactive 3D symposium. Mark Pesce mentioned
Hyper-G in the East coast VRML Equinox talk.
WebSpace = Template Graphics Software(TGS)/SGI
http://www.sgi.com/Products/WebFORCE/WebSpace/
http://www.sd.tgs.com/~template/WebSpace/
- SGI (SGI) 15-MAY-95
- NT (TGS) 15-MAY-95
- Windows (TGS) 15-MAY-95
- Sun (TGS) 15-MAY-95
- Mac, HP, DEC 15-JUL-95
Intervista WorldView
(nee Labyrinth, )
- NT
- Win 3.1
- Mac
- Sun?
NetPower ... demonstrated at Interactive 3D symposium.
Hyper-G ... Mark Pesce mentioned that were writing a browser.
You too can be a browser writer (geek :-)
4: What authoring tools are available?
There are a couple of translation tools, dxf2iv for SGIs and
InterChange for Windows.
There are also some modeller's coming up soon from ParaGraph,
Radiance, and possibly Virtus?
4.1 Translation tools
dxf2iv -
=========
(tools available for SGI's from ftp.sgi.com)
InterChange for Windows
=======================
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 1995 22:26:50 -0500
From: syndesis@beta.inc.net (Syndesis Corporation)
Subject: ADVERT: Translate from 3D file formats to VRML
My company makes InterChange for Windows, a program that
translates between more than thirty 3D file formats
such as AutoCAD DXF, Wavefront, 3D Studio, etc.
We recently added support for exporting to VRML format.
For more info, send me your postal (paper) mailing address
and I'll send literature. Or, call (414) 674-5200 or
fax (414) 674-6363.
4.2 Modellers
ParaGraph's Virtual Home Builder http://www.paragraph.com/
Available 15-MAY-95, Price $49.95, Platform PC
Virtus???
Radiance Ez3d http://www.webcom.com/~radiance/vrml.html
Available ???
5: Where can I find VRML data?
The first was WaxWeb: http://bug.village.virginia.edu/vrml
The first interactive, intercommunicative FEATURE FILM on the WORLD WIDE
WEB (Variety, 2.16.95).
The first NETWORK-DISTRIBUTED narrative to offer REAL-TIME 3-D NAVIGATION
through a story.
The first LARGE-SCALE, DYNAMIC implementation of the VIRTUAL REALITY
MODELING LANGUAGE (VRML), the 3-D METAFILE format for the INTERNET endorsed
TODAY (4.3.94) by Silicon Graphics, TGS, Netscape, Digital, NEC, and many
others. Waxweb is a project of the Brown University Graphics Laboratory,
headed by Andries VanDam, with Tom Meyer serving as the technical director
of the project.
VRML/WebOOGL Zoo of Mathematical 3D Objects
===========================================
The Geometry Center of the University of Minnesota translated some
things from WebOOGL a forerunner of VRML.
http://www.geom.umn.edu:80/software/weboogl/zoo/
VRML from HELL
===============
sprung up early - who does it?
http://www.well.com/www/caferace/vrml.html
VRML Repository - Example Applications
======================================
The VRML repository sponsored by SGI and TGS and contains pointers to
most of the VRML work that is going on.
http://www.sdsc.edu/SDSC/vrml/ (front door)
http://www.sdsc.edu/SDSC/Partners/vrml/examples.html (vrml examples)
6: How can I set up my HTTP server to host .wrl files?
easy!
MIME is RFC 1521
Tecate - Project Sequoia 2000
DIVE -
MERL -
OOGL -
WaxWeb -
Holocaust
VRML Glossary
VRML logo/Artwork by Kevin Hughes, kevinh@eit.com,
Enterprise Integration Technologies.
gotta go!