Using SDSC WebView...
A VRML world browser
Release v1.0 Beta 1
San Diego Supercomputer Center
This is a Beta release! The documentation is still under construction.
Also, please see the
known bugs and missing features list
for known problems (sigh).
Table of Contents
Getting Started
MIME (short for "Multipurpose Internet Media Extensions")
is a widespread standard format for enabling extended
Internet electronic information exchange. The MIME format permits
compliant applications to include enhanced text, graphics, audio,
and more, in a standardized and interoperable manner. If you send and
receive information with a MIME-compliant system, you will be
able to send and receive far more than ASCII text.
SDSC WebView supports the MIME standard to enable you to use it as a
primary browser (or if you want, also as a helper application).
To take advantage of the MIME capabilities, you will first have
to configure your local MIME configuration files.
MIME Configuration Files
.mime.types
The .mime.types file in your home directory
contains lines that describe what type of
data is contained in a file having a specific filename extension.
A MIME data type is described by a "class" and "subclass" identifier
string (separated by a slash "/" character).
Here are some sample lines which include an example illustrating the proper
mapping between
a ".wrl" file and the MIME type for VRML data:
audio/x-aiff aif
text/html html
video/mpeg mpeg
video/mpg mpg
video/x-moov mv
video/x-mpeg mpeg
video/x-mpg mpg
x-world/x-vrml wrl
.mailcap
The /.mailcap file in your home directory
contains lines that describe what program to
execute when it is handed specific type of data.
Here are some sample lines which include an example that maps the
VRML data type to the WebView VRML browser:
audio/x-aiff; playaiff %s
video/mpeg; xmpegplay %s
video/mpg; xmpegplay %s
video/x-moov; movieplayer %s
video/x-mpeg; xmpegplay %s
video/x-mpg; xmpegplay %s
text/html; netscape %s
x-world/x-vrml; webview %s -URL %u
Note that you will need a line for HTML data if you want SDSC WebView to
present HTML URLs using your favorite HTML browser.
webview [ inputfile | URL ] [ -URL url ]
SDSC WebView can be invoked with or without command-line arguments.
Without an argument, webview
will start up with an empty view window. You
can then select a file or URL to load from items under the File menu.
webview
If webview
is passed a single inputfile argument, it may be either
a local file name or a full URL. The file or URL will be loaded and presented
in the window at startup. You can still select additional files or URLs to
load from items under the File menu.
webview myfile.wrl
webview http://www.abc.edu/myfile.wrl
When webview is invoked as a helper application
by an HTML browser, such as NetScape, the remote
file will already be stored in a temp file by the HTML browser.
That temp file can be handed off to webview
to display. However, if the
file contains any WWWInline nodes with relative URLs, webview
will be unable to fill in the parent URL's components (host and directory) unless
the original URL is also given to webview.
In this case, Netscape should
provide both the local temp file name, and the original URL to webview.
This
is typically specified in your .mailcap file as discussed above.
In any case, you can still select additional files or URLs to
load using items under the File menu.
webview -URL http://www.abc.edu/myfile.wrl /tmp/398934.wrl
Viewers
The examiner viewer allows you to rotate the view around a
point of interest using a virtual trackball. The viewer uses the camera
focalDistance
field to figure out the point of rotation, which is usually
set to be at the center of the scene. In addition to allowing you to
rotate the camera around the point of interest, this viewer also allows
you to move the camera in the viewer plane, as well as dolly (move
forward and backward) to get closer to or further away from the point of
interest. The viewer also supports Seek Mode to quickly move the camera to a
desired object or point.
Mouse
- Left Mouse
Rotates the virtual trackball.
- Ctrl + Left Mouse
Used for roll action (rotates around the viewer in a forward direction).
- Middle Mouse
Moves up, down, left, and right.
- Left + Middle Mouse
Dollies in and out (gets closer to and further away from the object).
- Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.
- Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.
Keyboard
- s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.
Viewer Controls
- Rotx Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.
- Roty Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.
- Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.
- Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.
The fly viewer is intended to simulate flight through space,
with a constant world up direction. The viewer only constrains the camera
to keep the user from flying upside down. No mouse buttons need to be
pressed in order to fly. The mouse position is only used for steering,
while mouse clicks are used to increase or decrease the viewer speed.
The fly viewer allows you to tilt your
head up/down/right/left and move in the
direction you are looking (forward or backward). The viewer also
supports Seek Mode to quickly move the camera to a desired object or point.
Mouse
- Left Mouse
Each click increases speed. The initial speed is zero.
- Middle Mouse
Each click decreases speed.
- Left + Middle Mouse
Click both simultaneously to stop.
- Ctrl
Hold the key down to stop and rotate the viewpoint.
- Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.
- Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.
Cursor movement also controls the flight direction.
Keyboard
- s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.
Viewer Controls
- Tilt Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.
- Pan Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.
- Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.
- Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.
The Plane viewer allows the user to move the camera in the
viewing plane, as well as dolly (move foward/backward) and zoom in and
out. The viewer also allows the user to roll the camera (rotate around
the forward direction) and "seek" to objects, which specifies a new
viewing plane. This viewer could be used for modeling, in drafting, and
architectural work. The camera can be aligned to the X, Y, or Z axes.
Mouse
- Left Mouse
Moves up, down, left and right.
- Ctrl + Left Mouse
Used for roll action (rotates around the viewer forward direction).
- Middle Mouse
Dollies in and out (gets closer to and further away from the object).
- Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.
- Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.
Keyboard
- s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.
Viewer Controls
- transY Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Y (vertical) axis.
- transX Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera along the X (horizontal) axis.
- Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.
- Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.
The paradigm for this viewer is a walkthrough of an architectural model.
Its primary behavior is forward, backward, and left/right turning motion
while maintaining a constant "eye level." It is also possible to stop and
look around at the scene. The eye level plane can be disabled, allowing
the viewer to proceed in the "look at" direction, as if on an escalator.
The eye level plane can also be moved up and down - similar to an
elevator.
Mouse
- Left Mouse
Click and hold the mouse button down, then move the mouse pointer up and
down for foward and backward motion.
Move the mouse pointer (while holding down the mouse button) right and
left for turning. Speed increases exponentially
with the distance from the mouse-down origin.
- Ctrl + Left Mouse
Allows motion in the "look at" direction, which is not necessarily in the
"eye level" plane ("Escalator" mode).
- Alt + Left Mouse
Press (but do not hold down) the key, then click on a target object
to set the "up" direction to the surface normal. By default +y is
the "up" direction.
- Middle Mouse
Rotate the viewpoint. This allows you to look around while stopped.
- Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.
- Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.
Keyboard
- s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next objected clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.
Viewer Controls
- Tilt Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.
- Pan Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.
- H Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Y (vertical) axis.
- Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.
- Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.
Windows
Not written, yet.
Not written, yet.
Not written, yet.
User Interface Items
File Menu
- New Session
Opens a new WebView browser session and viewing window. Multiple sessions
may be open simultaneously, each viewing a different world.
- New Window
Opens a new WebView window for viewing the current world. Each window
in the same session views the same world, but with its own viewpoint.
- Edit Window
Opens the WebView world editor window. The world editor works in
conjunction with edit mode on a viewing window (press the pencil icon on
the viewing window's tool bar to enter edit mode).
- Open Location
Loads a VRML file after you type a URL in the location dialog box.
- Open File...
Loads a VRML file after you select a local file in the file browser dialog box.
- Save As...
Saves the current, possibly edited, VRML world to a local file using the
file browser dialog box.
- Document Information...
Displays information about the VRML world, including its title, URL,
preferred viewer, scene information, and a list of inlined worlds.
- Close Session
Closes a WebView browser session. If there was only one session open,
this quits WebView as well.
- Close Window
Closes a WebView viewing window. If there was only one viewing window
for a session, this closes the session. If there was only one session
open, this quits WebView as well.
- Quit
Quits from the WebView browser.
-
- Reload
Reloads the URL again.
- Source...
Displays a window with the text of the VRML world.
- View Mode
Enters world-viewing mode (the default). In this mode, the right
mouse button selects anchors to follow, while the other mouse buttons
change your viewing position based upon the current viewer.
- Edit Mode
Enters world-editing mode. In this mode, the right mouse button
selects world components to edit in the edit window. The other mouse
buttons change your viewing position based upon the current viewer.
- Headlight
Turns on/off the camera headlight.
- Auto Clipping
Turns on/off automatic adjustment of the near and far clipping
planes. When on (the default), the camera continually updates it's near and far
values to collapse the clipping planes to the edges of a bounding box
around the scene. When off, this isn't done.
- Seeks go to picked point
Turns on/off detail seek mode. When on (the default), seek operations
zoom toward the picked point. When off, they zoom toward the center
of the bounding box of the picked object.
- Allow Spin Animation
For the Examiner Viewer only, turns on/off spin animation. When on (the
default), rotating the world, then letting go of the mouse button while
the world is still moving, causes the world to continue to spin automatically. When off,
this doesn't happen.
- Show World Axes
For the Examiner Viewer only, turns on/off the world axes. When on,
a set of world axes is drawn at the center of the world. These can help
orient you while making changes to the world or moving about it.
When off (the default), the axes are not drawn.
- View as is
Renders the scene as it was defined by the VRML scene description.
- View as is without textures
Renders the scene as it was defined by the VRML scene description with
the exception of texture maps.
- View as wireframe
Renders the scene using a wireframe representation of the scene's geometry.
- View as hidden line wireframe
Renders the scene using a wireframe representation of the scene's geometry
with hidden lines removed.
- View as points
Renders the scene as points (dots) located at each vertex of a scene.
- View as bounding box
Renders objects of a scene as minimal enclosing bounding boxes.
- View as low complexity
Renders portions of objects in a scene to help minimize drawing time.
- Examiner Viewer
Puts the viewer in Examiner mode.
- Fly Viewer
Puts the viewer in Fly mode.
- Plane Viewer
Puts the viewer in Plane mode.
- Walk Viewer
Puts the viewer in Walk mode.
-
- Back
Goes back in the history list to a previously visited VRML URL.
- Forward
Goes forward in the history list to a previously visited VRML URL.
- Home World
Goes to the default home world. [not implemented yet]
- Stop Loading
Stops any current VRML URL load in progress. [not implemented yet]
- View History...
Displays a list of all VRML URLs visited. [not implemented yet]
- Remaining entries
The remainder of the menu contains a list of the VRML URLs visited to date
in most-recent to least-recent order. Selecting any one of these returns
you to that world.
-
- Show Viewpoint...
Shows the parameters for the current camera position in a dialog box.
- Link Viewpoints...
Links the views of two viewing windows together so that when one
camera moves in one scene, the camera in all other child windows
update as well. [not implemented yet]
- Entry View
Changes the camera to the entry view (initial viewpoint) defined in
the VRML file.
- Home View
Displays the home view for a scene.
- Set Home View
Sets the home view for a scene.
- View All
Adjusts the current cammera in order to ensure that all objects
in a scene are visible to the viewer.
- Seek
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.
- Remaining entries
The remainder of the menu contains a list of author-defined camera
viewopints from the current VRML file. Selecting one of these moves
the camera to this viewpoint.
-
- Preferences...
Presents a preferences dialog to set viewer options. [not implemented yet]
- Show Menubar
Shows/hides the menubar. [not implemented yet]
- Show Toolbar
Shows/hides the toolbar buttons.
- Show Location
Shows/hides the URL location text field.
- Show Viewer Controls
Shows/hides the viewer controls.
- Show Status
Shows/hides the status area.
- Full Screen
Toggles the window to full screen. [not implemented yet]
- Back
Returns the viewer to the previous world in the history list.
- Forward
Takes the viewer to the next scene in the history list.
- Reload
Reloads the current URL again.
- Open File
Loads a VRML file by selecting a local file in the file browser dialog box.
- View mode pointer
Views the current world and selects anchors using the right mouse button.
- Edit mode pencil
Views the current world and selects components to edit using the right mouse button.
(see "Edit Mode")
- Home View
Jumps to the home view for a scene.
- Set Home View
Sets the home view for a scene.
- View All
Adjusts the current cammera in order to ensure that all objects
in a scene are visible to the viewer.
- Seek Tool
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.