VRML

From Free net encyclopedia

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, usually pronounced vermal) is a standard file format for representing 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vector graphics, designed particularly with the World Wide Web in mind.

Contents 1 Format 2 Standardization 3 Emergence, popularity, and decline 4 See also 5 Open source programs that can export VRML 6 Open source VRML programs (external links) 7 More external links

Format

VRML is a text file format where, e.g., vertices and edges for a 3D polygon can be specified along with the surface color, image-mapped textures, shininess, transparency, and so on. URLs can be associated with graphical components so that a web browser might fetch a web-page or a new VRML file from the Internet when the user clicks on the specific graphical component. Animations, sounds, lighting, and other aspects of the virtual world can interact with the user or may be triggered by external events such as timers. A special Script Node allows the addition of program code (e.g., written in Java or JavaScript (ECMAScript)) to a VRML file.

VRML files are commonly called worlds and have the .wrl extension (for example island.wrl). Although VRML worlds use a text format they may often be compressed using gzip so that they transfer over the internet more quickly. Most 3D modeling programs can save objects and scenes in VRML format.

Standardization

The Web3D Consortium has been formed to further the collective development of the format.

The first version of VRML was specified in November 1994. This version was specified from, and very closely resembled, the Application Programming Interface and file format of the Open Inventor software component, originally developed by SGI. The current and functionally complete version is VRML97 (ISO/IEC 14772-1:1997). VRML has now been superseded by X3D (ISO/IEC 19775-1).

Emergence, popularity, and decline

The term VRML was coined by Dave Raggett in a paper submitted to The First International Conference on the World-Wide Web in 1994, and first discussed at the WWW94 VRML BOF established by Tim Berners-Lee, where Mark Pesce presented the Labyrinth demo he developed with Tony Parisi & Peter Kennard.

VRML reached the height of its popularity after the release of VRML2 in 1997, when it was used on some personal homepages and sites such as CyberTown, which offered 3D chats. The format had been championed by SGI's Cosmo Software; when SGI restructured in 1998 the division was sold to Platinum Technologies, which was then taken over by Computer Associates, which did not develop or distribute the software. To fill the void a variety of short-lived proprietary Web 3D formats emerged over the next few years, including Microsoft Chrome, Adobe Atmosphere and Shockwave 3D, none of which are supported today. VRML's capabilities remained largely the same while realtime 3D graphics kept improving. The VRML Consortium changed its name to the Web3D Consortium, and began work on the successor to VRML - X3D.

While VRML is still occasionally used, particularly in education and research where an open specification is most valued, it has now been superseded by X3D. The MPEG-4 Interactive Profile (ISO/IEC 14496) was based on VRML (now on X3D), and X3D is largely back-compatible with it. VRML is also still used as a file format for interchange of 3D models, particularly from CAD systems.

See also

• List of vector graphics markup languages
• Comparison of vector graphics markup languages

Shockwave 3D is a feature of Macromedia Director's authoring environment and is still actively used by developers.

Open source programs that can export VRML

• Wings 3D - 3D modeling software
• Blender - 3D modeling, animation, rendering software
• HoloDraw - Reads X Y Z data files and generates VRML

Open source VRML programs (external links)

• FreeWRL VRML and X3D browser for Linux, Unix and OS X.
• Xj3D VRML97/X3D browser/java loader
• Coin3D SDK, a software component supporting VRML97
• OpenVRML, a cross-platform VRML library
• CyberX3D, C++ and Java libraries for VRML
• white_dune VRML97 editor
• Art of Illusion 3D modeller with static VRML97 export

More external links

• VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and X3D
• VRML ISO/IEC 14772 standard document
• Web3D Consortium
• Extensible 3D: XML Meets VRML
• VCollab, A strong VRML viewer for CAD/CAE data
• The X3D Experience - an X3D/vrml showcase website
• VRML Plugin and Browser Detector (X3D Too)
• Cortona VRML Plugin Web-Browser Plugin and VRML Viewer for Windows
• The xVRML Project and Carina Viewer an alternative with VRML97 and X3D import
• !VRML a VRML Browser for Risc OS
• VRML Editor a free VRML Editor given good reviews by PC Magazineda:Virtual Reality Modeling Language

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