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X3D-Edit 4.0 Authoring Tool |
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Overview | Acknowledgements | Books | Chat | Downloads | Features | Issue Tracking | Licenses | Mailing Lists | New | Plugins | Source | Support | TODO | Visualization | Savage Developers Guide | X3D Resources | X3D Scene Authoring Hints | X3D Validator | Xj3D | Contact
X3D-Edit is a free, open-source Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics authoring tool for simple high-quality authoring, editing, import/export, validation and viewing of X3D scenes.
News: X3D-Edit 4.0 installers are now in beta testing with around 300 downloads so far.
Periodically available: pre-release versions. Now testing X3D-Edit Update Center (updates.xml) to simplify updates for all deployed versions.
Now using Java OpenJDK 19 and Apache NetBeans 15. Major release updated for Web3D 2022 Conference, November 2022.
You are welcome to send issue reports (success, failure, suggestions) to brutzman at nps.edu and tdnorbra at nps.edu
The X3D-Edit 4.0 Authoring Tool for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics supports the creation, checking, display and publication of X3D scenes. It is written in open-source Java and XML using the NetBeans platform, making it suitable both as a standalone application and as a plugin module for the NetBeans integrated development environment (IDE).
Motivation for X3D-Edit design has always been centered around authors making great X3D content for Web users, precise implementation of the X3D specifications, and quality assurance (QA) for producing reliable results.
X3D-Edit features include direct editing of X3D scenes using the XML (.x3d) encoding, embedded visualization of scenes using an enhanced version of the original Xj3D viewer, XML validation using X3D DTD grammars, X3D Schema grammars and X3D Schematron rules, drag-and-drop palette for X3D nodes, popup panels for node editing, and extensive help resources. Menu selections provide import/export support for the VRML97 (.wrl), ClassicVRML (.x3dv) and X3D compressed binary (.x3db) encodings. Further features include encryption and digital-signature authentication using XML Security standards, and additional X3D scene authoring support.
X3D-Edit 3.3 is undergoing developmental testing. Tool capabilities are summarized in the X3D-Edit Update slideset presentation.
X3D-Edit 4.0 was created by Mike Bailey, Don Brutzman and Terry Norbraten. Additional help and feedback was provided by Don McGregor, Terry Norbraten, Jeff Weekley, plus the MV3204 Introduction to X3D Graphics and the MV4205 Advanced X3D Graphics classes at NPS.
We gratefully acknowledge further assistance by Leonard Daly (Daly Realism), Alan Hudson (Yumetech), Rick Goldberg (Aniviza), plus members of the Web3D Consortium and the X3D Graphics Working Group.
X3D-Edit was built as an externally funded research project performed by the Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) Institute at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey California USA.
Research and development inquiries are welcome. We are happy to discuss the possibility of embedding other open-source Java libraries and providing further X3D functionality within X3D-Edit.
Beta testing in progress: X3D-Edit installers release and X3D-Edit installers pre-release.
Now testing X3D-Edit Update Center.
Add Update Center:
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Adjust Settings:
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Get an Update:
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X3D-Edit Update Center
https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/netbeans_modules/updates.xml
See TODO section for known problems and current work.
You are welcome to send issue reports (success, failure, suggestions) to brutzman at nps.edu and tdnorbra at nps.edu so that we might continue to improve X3D-Edit.
TODO. The following section is old and will be revised.
Standalone Application (30 August 2021 version)
We have rebranded and relaunched X3D-Edit 3.3 as X3D-Edit 4.0.
All operating systems: download x3dedit40.zip and extract it into a convenient directory.
Once unzipped, navigate to the new x3dedit40/bin
subdirectory.
Then launch the standalone executable for your operating system
(x3dedit40
for MacOSX/Linux or x3dedit40.exe
/x3dedit4064.exe
for Windows).
Once unzipped, navigate to the new x3dedit40/bin
subdirectory.
x3dedit40
for MacOSX/Linux or x3dedit40.exe
/x3dedit4064.exe
for Windows).
Initial Configuration (Current version, manual steps following installation)
Once running, We are working to automatically configure the following steps which improve application layout.
C:\x3d-code\www.web3d.org\x3d\content\examples
C:\x3d-code\www.web3d.org\x3d\content\examples\HelloWorld.x3d
NetBeans Plugins (Not working)
Install the latest Apache NetBeans, which is a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with many features for project development.
As shown in
screenshot,
select and install the plugins via
NetBeans menu
Tools > Plugins > Downloaded
(tab) > Add Plugins
(button) >
file selector.
Once selected, press the Install
button. You are required to accept all terms of the associated open-source licenses.
You will also need to accept all of these plugins as untrusted, since we have not yet implemented module signing.
Restart the NetBeans IDE to complete the installation.
Overview
X3D-Edit version 3.3 standalone application and NetBeans plugin are available and ready.
X3D-Edit is written using Java 8 for NetBeans 8 platform. It has been tested satisfactorily for NetBeans 11.1, Oracle JDK13 and Open JDK13 (preferred). X3D-Edit runs on desktop/laptop/tablet systems and is portable across major operating systems (Windows 7-10, MacOSX, Linux).
As with any application, users may need administrative permissions to fully install or uninstall X3D-Edit on their system.
The X3D-Edit codebase builds and runs using either Java 7 or (preferred) Java 8. If needed, you can verify your installed Java version.
Standalone Application (2018 version)
Prerequisite: please install the latest Java Run-Time Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) on your local system.
Next download X3D-Edit3.3.zip and extract it into a new directory. Then launch the standalone executable:
runX3dEditWin.bat
on a Windows machine.
runX3dEditMac.sh.command
on a Mac.
runX3dEditUnix.sh
on a Linux/Unix system.
Depending on the preferences you set, the X3D-Edit application checks for automatic updates either weekly or each time it is launched.
NetBeans Plugin (2018 version)
Prerequisite: please install the latest NetBeans on your local system.
NetBeans users can connect to the NetBeans Update Center for automatic plugin download and installation using the following procedure. The image links below provide screen snapshots corresponding to each installation step.
Install instructions for NetBeans plugin:
Tools > Plugins > Settings > Choose "Every Startup" and Select "Add"
,
Name: X3D-Edit Update Center
URL:
https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/netbeans_modules/updates.xml
OK
.
Configuration of Update Centers
area for the X3D Edit Update Center
entry,
and ensure the Active-column checkbox in the lower left is checked.
Available Plugins
tab, select the upper-left
Install box for the X3D-Edit plugin,
Install
button.
Next
button.
Install
button.
Continue
.
Here is our
current certificate information.
Current difficulties with NetBeans module signing are documented in
issue 1518.
Finish
button.
Plugins
panel.
NetBeans is now ready to edit X3D scenes, also checking for weekly (or daily) updates.
Manual download and install of NetBeans plugin modules
Download and save the plugin modules from https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/netbeans_modules directory to a temporary directory on local disk.
Then select
Tools > Plugins > Downloaded
to
load plugin modules from a local disk directory
to install those downloads.
NetBeans indicates when plugin updates are available for download and installation.
Alternatively you check for an update yourself. Select
Tools > Plugins > Updates
and then
click the update button
to confirm whether a newer version of X3D-Edit is available.
This works identically both for the X3D-Edit standalone application and for the NetBeans plugin.
Changelog summaries and date of latest revision
are found in the project
manifest.mf
file.
(Also available:
Xj3dWrapper/ manifest)
TODO. X3D-Edit automatic updates were accepted by the NetBeans Plugin Portal 2008-2019.
Users working with X3D-Edit versions prior to 1 May 2021 are advised to uninstall the tool completely. Simply deleting all files for the past version (or uninstalling the prior plugin from NetBeans) avoids any version conflicts. Manual updates will work properly for the foreseeable future.
When cleaning up prior installations, please note that NetBeans (and thus X3D-Edit)
can also put personal preferences in a local directory such as
C:\Users\*MyUserName*\AppData\Roaming\NetBeans\8.1\
(No longer supported by NetBeans) Chat-based collaboration and file sharing required an additional plugin installation once the X3D-Edit application is installed.
anonymous
access to check out the source.
https://x3d.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/x3d/www.web3d.org/x3d/tools/X3dEdit3.3
usually to a local directory such as
C:\www.web3d.org\x3d\tools
(NetBeans
screenshot 1,
screenshot 2
https://x3d.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/x3d/www.web3d.org/x3d/tools/KmlEditorModule
X3D-Edit has grown in parallel to the X3D Specification, testing X3D functionality throughout years of development. Built-in features include:
X3D-Edit Preferences panel exposes numerous settings for users.
New and additional features include:
unit
command is supported by a new
unit
editing panel
that provides easy reference to conversion factors for angle, length, mass and force.
X3D-Edit 4.0 is open source, written in Java and XML, based on the NetBeans platform. It may be used for any legitimate purpose.
Other ancillary supporting packages are provided under the terms of their own respective open-source licenses.
To ensure your X3D-Edit stays up to date,
select
Tools > Plugins > Settings
then select
Check Interval: Every Startup.
X3D-Edit users can also install the following additional NetBeans plugins.
X3D-Edit runs on desktop/laptop/tablet systems and is portable across major operating systems (Windows 7-10, MacOSX, Linux).
You are welcome to send issue reports (success, failure, suggestions) to brutzman at nps.edu and tdnorbra at nps.edu
Current X3D-Edit development is using NetBeans 15 and OpenJDK-19S. Configuration information can be found in the Savage Developers Guide.
savage.nps.edu
.
Long term, we plan to move to a new Apache NetBeans plugin repository once available.
Author-assist visualization graphics are provided for certain X3D nodes in order to help show their effects.
whichChoice=0
) or
hide (whichChoice=-1
) the customized visualization graphics
Visualization graphics are available for the following X3D nodes:
<-- <Extrusion/> -->
node
and appends a corresponding
ExtrusionCrossSection
prototype instance that shows the spine line along with
semitransparent outer hull and crossSection slices.
Questions, suggestions and comments about these resources are welcome. Please send them to Don Brutzman (brutzman at nps.edu)
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for this page is https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/X3D-Edit.html
Page revised 8 January 2023.
"Material contained herein is made available for the purpose of peer review and discussion and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense."