Welcome to another version of VRML Equinox. I hope you can see the results of the work we have put into it. Again, please keep in touch, because we are keeping a mailing list of users and that is the best way to get support and be notified of new versions.
We now prompt you for user data when downloading from our web site. This enables us to keep good records about what configurations our users have and lets us get your email addresses so we can let you know about VRML Equinox developments.
As you probably know www.northplains.com is up and running. This is another way we can provide good examples of new VRML technology (be on the lookout for cool database interactivity and our new VRML Equinox Netscape PlugIN!)
The two biggest causes of VRML Equinox not performing as expected are:
Ñ Not having at least QuickDraw 3D 1.0.3 installed. Earlier versions WILL NOT WORK.
Ñ VRML files that violate vrml 1.0 spec. Please try and ensure that the files you are parsing do not do this. You will get an error from the Parser if this happens. In the next release I will include a VRML diagnosis tool.
Also, VRML Equinox runs in about 2.5 meg of memory. BUT QuickDraw 3D needs a bunch more on top of that. Try starting up VRML Equinox with at least 8 megs of FREE ram. Remember too that QuickDraw 3D actually works faster in 16 and 24 bit colour than in 8 bit.
VRML Equinox can be used to view VRML files on a Power Macintosh. Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a specification for adding 3D data to the Web using a cross-platform language similar to the Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML). VRML is a language for describing multi- user interactive simulations -- virtual worlds networked via the global Internet and hyperlinked within the World Wide Web.
These files are becoming a standard on the internet and we hope you are as excited about their potential as we are.
VRML Support:
In the latest alpha version of VRML Equinox the following VRML features are fully or near-fully supported:
Shape Nodes:
Ñ AsciiText (QuickDraw GX required)
Ñ Cone
Ñ Cube
Ñ Cylinder
Ñ IndexedFaceSet (no materials/mapping)
Ñ IndexedLineSet
Ñ Sphere
Geometry/Material Nodes:
Ñ Coordinate3
Ñ Material
Ñ Texture2 (local files only, no URLs)
Transformation Nodes:
Ñ Rotation
Ñ Transform
Ñ Translation
Lighting Nodes:
Ñ Directional Light
Ñ PointLight
Group Nodes:
Ñ Group
Ñ Separator
Ñ WWWAnchor
Caveats:
Ñ A VRML file MUST be bracketed with a Separator (as defined in the 1.0 spec). If it is not bracketed this way VRML Equinox will not show you anything.
Ñ VRML Equinox sometimes freezes up parsing a file. We haven't narrowed this down yet, but it is definitely NOT in one of the above supported node types.
Ñ WWWInlining of shapes and files is only partially there. Inlining of files in the same directory seems to be working
VRML Equinox and Netscape's Navigator:
VRML Equinox works best as a helper app for Navigator. The mime type is:x-world/x-vrml. The file extension is .wrl.
VRML Equinox can also talk back to Navigator. If there have been WWWAnchor nodes defined you can click on the anchored object and have Navigator navigate to the correct URL.
VRML Equinox and QuickDraw3D:
VRML Equinox uses Apple's QuickDraw3D for it modeling. This is both good (Apple has done a great beginning) and bad (crappy interface). The interface that you get on your main model windows is one of the things at the top of the list to be beefed up. A more intuitive movement control system has been developed and should be along soon.
In the Works:
Not that I should be talking about unannounced software, but, for the future:
Ñ Finish implementation of VRML 1.0
Ñ Implement 1.1 (and Sony extensions?)
Ñ Add Behaviors using JavaScript
Please email us at either of the email addresses listed below to:
a) report and reproducible bugs
b) point us to a URL that has some unparseable VRML
c) give us any ideas you might have on making VRML Equinox a better Mac product
d) give us words of encouragement.
Thanks for your interest in VRML Equinox and stay in touch!
Ñ More fixes for imbedded texture files (across the net). Netscape still sucks when it comes to AppleEvent support. IT may crash (but not VRML Equinox) after retrieving a file.
Ñ Fixed a problem with IndexLineSet nodes. I had mis-read the VRML 1.0 spec. This should clear up those 'fewer vertices than we expected' errors!
Ñ Started work on cleaning up the parser. You should see less crashes, but I will be fully re-writing the parser this month.
Ñ New navigational scheme: The directional palette lets you 'walk' through your VRML scene. You can still do 'direct manipulation' of the entire scene by holding down the option key.
Ñ Write a prefs file into the Preferences folder to keep track of things. Most noticably: the palette positions are remembered.
Ñ Fixed the freezing when parsing large Normal nodes. You will still not be able to sucessfully parse them, but you machine should no longer crash. You will get the '-1' error from the LVRMLParser.
Ñ Fixed up the application of material and texture nodes to be complient with spec.
Ñ Added Info floating window. This will let you know if the object the mouse is over will link to anything if you click it. The linking is accomplished via Netscape's Navigator. It MUST be RUNNING for this linking to work. Eventually the choosing of a browser will happen in (the yet to be coded) Preferences area. Also, auto-launching is coming.
Ñ Fixed a problem with multi-screens.
Ñ Hammered out some parsing bugs.
Ñ Got rid of all the DebugStr's and replaced them with alerts. If you get an alert (of any kind) from VRML Equinox we would appreciate hearing about it.
Ñ Removed the requirement for Apple Script Lib to be installed.
