RELEASE NOTES

Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer (version 1.0) is based on WorldView 2.0 from Intervista Software.

Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer Installation

To use Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer you will need the following:

• Pentium 100MHz or better
• 16MB memory
• 20M free disk space
• Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0
• Internet Explorer 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, or 4.0 versions

If you installed any Beta release of Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer, you should uninstall it before installing this version. To do this, choose "MS VRML Control" from the Control Panel, Add-Remove Programs.

MS VRML 2.0 Viewer and Windows NT

The VRML 2.0 Viewer requires Service Pack 3 in order to work on NT 4.0.

Java External Authoring Interface Installation

By default, the Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer setup program will install .class files to your windows\java\classes directory.

The installation program will NOT prepend the location to the CLASSPATH environment variable set in the AUTOEXEC.BAT. It will append the location to the CLASSPATH setting in the registry under
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Java VM\Classpath
If you install a new version of the Java VM, this entry may be overwritten.

If you get ClassNotFoundException:vrml.external.browser (in the VRML console or Internet Explorer's status bar) while trying to browse a world that uses the EAI, you might be having a conflict with other products' vrml classes. This problem can by solved by chexking your CLASSPATH setting in the registry.

Sending Feedback

Your feedback on Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer is very important to us. Information on performance, features, compatibility, and usefulness will help the Microsoft VRML team create a better product.

You may send us feedback by sending e-mail to msvrml@microsoft.com.

Compatibility Notes

• Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer supports standard VRML 2.0 files and specification-compliant VRML 1.0 files. If you attempt to read a draft VRML 2.0 file, warnings (and possibly errors) will be displayed.
• The VRML 2.0, Java in Script Nodes, and JavaScript implementations correspond with the ISO/IEC DIS 14772-1 specification dated 4 April 1997, except as noted in the Developer's Guide and the Known Problems section, below.
• The Java External Authoring Interface implementation corresponds to the Proposal for a VRML 2.0 Informative Annex dated 21 January 1997.

Known Problems and Important Changes

User Interface and Usability

• When downloading some worlds you may get a warning concerning gzip files. Click OK on the warning dialog; the world will continue to load normally.
• Study mode can have unpredictable behavior in worlds that use ProximitySensor-based heads-up-displays.
• Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer does not load when browsing sites where CGI scripts output VRML 1.0.
• The area under the right-button pop-up menu is not always redrawn once the menu is dismissed.
• Pressing and releasing the CTRL key can cause you to navigate slightly.
• The cursor blinks continuously on many laptop PCs.
• Using Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer on a system that has an uncalibrated joystick installed can cause erratic and unpredictable navigation. To correct this problem, calibrate or unplug the joystick.
• Some 3-D hardware accelerators do not fully support the features in Direct3D, and can introduce limitations. For example, when you are running Microsoft VRML 2.0 Viewer with hardware acceleration enabled, transparent objects may appear solid, textures may not appear or you might be unable to see worlds in wireframe. To turn off hardware acceleration, choose Options... from the right-button pop-up menu and remove the check mark from Use hardware acceleration.
• Some URL syntax may fail when the WRL file is opened locally.
• Anchors that use "#viewpoint" won't take the camera to the viewpoint. This is an issue with how the Viewer works with Internet Explorer
• When loading Java Classes locally, the directory containing the class file must be included on the CLASSPATH
• Text strings that are justified horizontally will only display at a size of 1.0
• Routing to the geometry field does not work correctly