X3D-Edit 4.0 Authoring Tool for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics

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.

Overview

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.

Acknowledgements

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.

Books

• Among other things, X3D-Edit supports the book X3D: Extensible 3D Graphics for Web Authors by Don Brutzman and Leonard Daly, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, April 2007, 468 pages. Related support includes chapter slidesets, example scenes (available via X3D-Edit menu X3D -> Examples), mailing lists, and videos.
• X3D Resources: Books lists additional X3D and VRML books.
• Helpful reference for NetBeans users: 100 NetBeans Tips and Tricks by Ruth Kusterer, Prentice Hall 2008, 170 pages. (online review, list)
• Helpful reference for NetBeans developers: NetBeans Platform for Beginners: Modular Application Development for the Java Desktop by Jason Wexbridge and Walter Nyland, Leanpub 2014. Also available as co-bundle: Exercises in Porting to the NetBeans Platform by the same authors.
• Helpful reference for Collada authors: COLLADA: Sailing the Gulf of 3D Digital Content Creation by Remi Arnaud and Mark Barnes, A.K. Peters 2006, 250 pages. (website)
• A helpful reference for KML authors is The KML Handbook: Geographic Visualization for the Web by Josie Wernecke, Addison-Wesley 2008, 368 pages.
• A key reference for NetBeans application development is Rich Client Programming: Plugging into the NetBeans Platform by Tim Boudreau, Jaroslav Tulach, and Geertjan Wielenga, Prentice Hall April 2007, 640 pages.

Downloads

Beta testing in progress: X3D-Edit installers release and X3D-Edit installers pre-release.

Now testing X3D-Edit Update Center.

• Add Update Center:

  Adjust Settings:

  Get an Update:

• 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.

0. Prerequisite: please install the latest version of Java on your system, the minimum level for X3D-Edit is Java 17 LTS (Long-Term Support) milestone. We are currently using OpenJDK-19.
   To learn more: Savage Developers Guide: Java.

1. 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.

   1. Windows users may need to provide permission to run this executable. Right click x3dedit4064 to select Properties then General tab then Unblock security restrictions.
   2. For Windows high-resolution screens, the Xj3D "quarter screen" rendering bug is corrected by similarly setting executable properties for DPI override as shown in Properties screenshot (example result).
   3. You can now launch the standalone executable for your operating system (x3dedit40 for MacOSX/Linux or x3dedit40.exe/x3dedit4064.exe for Windows).

2. Initial Configuration (Current version, manual steps following installation)

   Once running, We are working to automatically configure the following steps which improve application layout.

   1. Windows menu: add Favorites and Navigator
   2. Favorites menu: add directory location of your X3D example models, such as
      C:\x3d-code\www.web3d.org\x3d\content\examples
   3. Can close adjacent bin tab showing executables (if present)
   4. Load an X3D model such as
      C:\x3d-code\www.web3d.org\x3d\content\examples\HelloWorld.x3d
   5. Select Xj3D button. Initial launch of Xj3D View is undocked, so right-click the tab to Dock it. Select and drag the pane to more usable location next to Navigator. Orange box outlines provide a guide.
   6. The full set of NetBeans plugins appears to be compatible. For example, you can add support for version control by
      1. first selecting Tools > Plugins
      2. then Available Plugins tab,
      3. then select checkboxes for git and Subversion,
      4. then press the Install button.

3. Standalone Application Alternatives (Not working)

   • x3dedit40-linux.sh
   • x3dedit40-macosx.tgz
   • x3dedit40-windows.exe

4. 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.

Features

X3D-Edit has grown in parallel to the X3D Specification, testing X3D functionality throughout years of development. Built-in features include:

• Open source, royalty free, cross-platform, manual updates
• Text editing or tree navigation, with color-coded syntax checking of XML source and JavaScript editing
• Drag-and-drop palette for adding new nodes, such as Shape customizer for quickly choosing and adding geometry
• Customized editors for each node, along with download wizard for the X3D example archives
• X3D Validator checkmark button for quality assurance (QA) provides multiple validation, data checking and format-conversion capabilities (also available via X3D Validator online)
• Extensive help system includes multilingual X3D Tooltips and X3D Standards
• View changes using embedded Xj3D viewer, external Web browser plugin, or configurable set of selectable X3D viewers
• Launch an X3D scene into another configurable set of selectable X3D authoring tools
• Rich set of user-addable NetBeans plugins including version control using Subversion (svn), Concurrent Versioning System (cvs) or Mercurial

X3D-Edit Preferences panel exposes numerous settings for users.

• X3D-Edit is able to launch user-downloaded external tools for further editing of multimedia files. User invocation of these cross-platform tools is provided as part of the url editor or the meta tag editor.
• X3D Players Available supports download, installation and launch of a variety of X3D players. Testing all players at once is an excellent way to confirm consistent playability.
  • See X3D Resources: Applications, Players and Plugins for a complete list of available X3D players.
• X3D-capable authoring tools can be used to complement X3D-Edit functionality when creating X3D scenes.
  • Launch and installation support is provided for Blender, BS Content Studio, MeshLab, Paraview, Okino NuGraph, Seamless3d, UltraEdit, White Dune and Wings3d (launch menu)
  • See X3D Resources: Authoring Software for a complete list of available X3D-capable authoring tools.
• User-chosen built-in support is provided for launching the following editing tools.
  • Audio tools: Audacity and MuseScore
  • HTML/XML/text tools: Amaya, svg-edit and UltraEdit
  • Video tools: vlc video player
  • Image tools: GIMP, Fiji, ImageJ, ImageMagick (screenshot)
  • Volume authoring and image-slicing tools: Fiji, ImageJ, ITK-SNAP, Seg3D, and 3D Slicer
• X3D-Edit Visualization Preferences exposes user preferences when adding X3D-Edit visualization widgets to X3D scenes.
• CAD Filters provides parameters for CAD Distillation Filter (CDF) geometry reduction.
• XML Security preferences panel provides links to the local keystore and instructions.

New and additional features include:

• Panel utilities: improved X3D-Edit author workflow includes HTML5 DOM export using either X3DOM or X_ITE (formerly Cobweb), Rotation Calculator (example scene), Axis Lines RGB (screenshot) as a scalable XYZ axis-display option on the Shape interface, plus an improved geoSystem Panel.
• Updated X3D-Edit Toolbar Buttons support X3D author workflow. Includes quick-launch icons and hotkeys for Edit Element (Ctrl+Shift+E), Xj3D Validator (Ctrl+Shift+F2) and Xj3D Viewer (Ctrl+Shift+X).
• Support for X3D to JSON stylesheet converter includes stylesheet conversion options pane.
• External editor launch menu to enable further work on X3D scenes by other authoring tools. Settings are adjusted on the X3D-Edit Preferences panel via the X3D authoring tools tab.
• Now bundled: svg-edit, a complete open-source vector graphics editor in the browser (in JavaScript)
• X3D Tidy conversions panel can apply fixes for a variety of common authoring mistakes. Supported also provided to remove Shape geometry while leaving HAnimHumanoid joint/segment/site/viewpoint intact, and can also add visualization geometry to a skeleton.
• ExternProtoDeclare field verification checks that field signatures match the original ProtoDeclare definitions, providing author with the option to apply updates.
• Conversion support for X3DOM (pronounced "X-Freedom") plugin-free embedding of X3D source in HTML5 scenes using the X3dToX3domX_ITE.xslt stylesheet.
• Support for Microsoft Surface tablet (also a photograph) along with other multimedia tools and X3D viewers.
• X3D Tidy. is an XSLT stylesheet that checks for simple errors in X3D scenes and fixes them. Available under menu item X3D > Conversions > X3D Tidy
• X3D-Edit now includes support for X3D version 4.0 validation. The unit command is supported by a new unit editing panel that provides easy reference to conversion factors for angle, length, mass and force.
• Trace capabilities are available for ROUTE, sensors, interpolators and other nodes that produce or consume events. Trace output results are logged on the browser console to show the timing and values passed events. When the Trace checkbox is selected by the author, a Script node is inserted immediately after the node to accomplish this task. This is a useful debugging technique.
• SFImage support: X3D-Edit includes PixelTexture image-conversion import can embed an image directly inside an X3D scene by converting it into an SFImage block within a PixelTexture node.
• A unit-conversion scaling menu simplifies Transform scale settings to resize child content from a variety of length units into meters.
• Easier entry of radian angles using degree values: any values with magnitude greater than 2π radians prompt author to confirm whether degree-to-radian conversion is desired. Tooltips showing both degrees and radians are also given when the mouse is over an angle field. Normalization of SFRotation axis vectors is also provided to ensure that the x-y-z axis vector has magnitude equal to 1. Hint: angle values within the range [-6..+6] degrees can be entered as [354..366] degrees.
• X3D quality assurance (QA) (snapshot): XML well-formed checks, X3D DTD validation, X3D Schema validation, and X3D Schematron consistency rules
• Inline and Prototype templates as draggable palette icons, based on contributions found in various scene archives including X3D for Web Authors, X3D Basic Examples and Savage Examples.
• Import/export for ClassicVRML, VRML97, X3D Compressed Binary and Canonical X3D encodings into .x3d (XML) encoding
• X3D Components support includes CAD Geometry, Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), Geospatial (X3D Earth), Humanoid Animation, and MultiTexture nodes in the Texturing component
• Collada .dae model editing, validation, code completion, and conversion to .x3d (XML) encoding
• Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) utility panels for packet generation as well as recording and playing back network traffic, built using the Open-DIS software distribution (available at Sourceforge), with additional "DIS information" available on the Savage Developers Guide: DIS
• Active url list editor checks for resource availability (green=found, black=retrieving, red=unavailable, orange=filename case mismatch)
• Integrated display is provided by the enhanced Xj3D player, which also provides Xj3D CAD filter for geometry simplification and profile reduction
• X3D Security using XML Signature (digital authentication) and XML Encryption Recommendations, with additional support using Portecle for keystore management.
• Support for the X3D Rigid Body Physics Followers (Chasers and Dampers), and and Programmable Shaders components
• Source-editor support for Web development including Apache Ant build scripts, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML5, JavaScript, PHP programming, XML (documents, DTDs and schemas), and XML Stylesheet Language for Transformations (XSLT) stylesheets
• Latest developmental version of Xj3D player that includes recent tested source checkins
• Directions for Blender model export to X3D

Issue Tracking

Licenses

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.

• The X3D-Edit application and module source code is issued under a non-viral BSD-style open-source license (.txt) by the Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) Institute at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS).
• Xj3D is provided under the terms of the Xj3D open-source licenses.
• NetBeans is provided under the terms of the COMMON DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION LICENSE (CDDL).

Other ancillary supporting packages are provided under the terms of their own respective open-source licenses.

Mailing Lists

• Open x3d-public@web3d.org mailing list at https://www.web3d.org/mailman/listinfo/x3d-public_web3d.org (archives)

Plugins

Support

X3D-Edit runs on desktop/laptop/tablet systems and is portable across major operating systems (Windows 7-10, MacOSX, Linux).

• X3D Resources at https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/X3dResources.html
• X3D Specifications are provided online and included in full as part of the X3D-Edit help system.
• X3D-Edit 4.0 subversion master source at https://sourceforge.net/p/x3d/code/HEAD/tree/www.web3d.org/x3d/tools/X3dEdit3.3
• Original X3D-Edit 3.1 (now superseded) at https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/README.X3D-Edit.html
• Xj3D Viewer at https://savage.nps.edu/Savage/developers.html#Xj3D
• Web3D Consortium and X3D Graphics Working Group
• NetBeans User Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at https://wiki.netbeans.org/NetBeansUserFAQ

TODO

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.

Confirmation Requests

1. Java support. Is X3D-Edit runnable with just Java Runtime Environment (JRE), or is the full Java Development Kit (JDK) needed?
2. Linux support. Does X3D-Edit run on Linux? Yes, we have two beta testers.

Current Issue List

1. Fixed. Check X3D > X3D Examples > Download Example Archives... all working. Added Humanoid Animation (HAnim) examples archive.
2. Mostly fixed. Check X3D > X3D-Edit Preferences for correct url addresses and launching of all applications. Add Protege.
3. Added. Add X3D > Export from .x3d > Export Turtle .ttl menu item and action button
4. In progress. Add X3D > Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) menu item and action button for launching local https server, supporting X_ITE operation on local files. Attempt to automate such functionality as a user preference.
5. Needed? Update X_ITE logo.
6. Add X3D JSON Schema validation when available.

Xj3D Issue List

1. Most X3D version 4 capabilities not yet supported.
2. Fixed on Windows: Xj3D "quarter screen" rendering bug is corrected for standalone application by setting executable properties for DPI override as shown in Properties screenshot (example result).
3. Text node vertical justification remains broken, ouch...
4. Fixed: driver problems (jogamp, aviatrix) on all operating systems.
5. Fixed, tests are ongoing: Xj3D did not handle https, refactoring performed.
6. Fixed: Xj3D did not USE nodes properly in HelloWorld example.
7. Fixed: bump Xj3D version to 2.3.

Deferred Issue List

1. JavaHelp not supported in NetBeans 12, taking alternative approach to restoring functionality by adding X3D > Help menu items. TODO if presentation quality improves someday, possibly restore JavaHelp as a launchable help window.
2. Issue tracking: once initial issues are handled, decide on how to best handle issue tracking (likely on SourceForge X3D discussion).
3. Once the updated X3D-Edit 4.0 suite is again fully stable, we need to renumber the existing directory trees in subversion.
4. Signing deliverables: once everything works satisfactorily, we will explore signing jar and module files for reliability.
5. Once fixed, share links for standalone applications (WIndows, Mac, Linux) in order to support beta testing.
6. Working on plugin deployment for NetBeans, direct installation locally works. Likely problem is layer.xml choreography.
7. NetBeans plugin sharing: we are again experimenting with savage.nps.edu. Long term, we plan to move to a new Apache NetBeans plugin repository once available.

Deferred Application Configuration

1. Favorites and Navigator enabled, Xj3D panel enabled and docked.
2. NetBeans git and subversion plugins automatically included in deployed application.

Visualization Features

Author-assist visualization graphics are provided for certain X3D nodes in order to help show their effects.

• Visualize checkbox selection on a node-editing pane embeds additional X3D content immediately after the node
• Placing a pointing device (mouse, cursor, wand, etc.) over the visualization geometry uses a TouchSensor to display a description of the node visualization
• CoordinateAxes optionally shows node location in the local coordinate system
• A single parent Switch node allows authors to easily display (whichChoice=0) or hide (whichChoice=-1) the customized visualization graphics

Visualization graphics are available for the following X3D nodes:

• Shape, grouping and bounded nodes outline a semitransparent bounding Box that shows bboxCenter and bboxSize location (if defined)
• Transform nodes also use the CoordinateAxes prototype to show center, axis of rotation and scaling (if any)
• Extrusion editor provides a 2D plot of the defined crossSection array by using JFreeChart, also indicating open/closed status for crossSection and spine as an optional contained comment. Additional panes are provided for attributes, spine and scale, and orientations editing.
• Extrusion visualization hides the original <-- <Extrusion/> --> node and appends a corresponding ExtrusionCrossSection prototype instance that shows the spine line along with semitransparent outer hull and crossSection slices.
• ProximitySensor outlines a semitransparent Box showing sensor boundaries
• PointLight adds a Sphere with matching radius and color
• SpotLight adds a wireframe Cone for inner beamWidth and transparent Cone for outer cutOffAngle
• Sound adds CoordinateAxes at the sound center and draws semitransparent ellipses for inner (min) and outer (max) ranges
• Viewpoint, OrthoViewpoint and GeoViewpoint visualization adds a ViewFrustum prototype to outline fieldOfView and visibilityLimit for near and far clipping planes
• Viewpoint Rotation Calculator (composed with ViewFrustum) helps authors compute the correct Viewpoint orientation when looking from one position towards another. Authors can optionally save lookat-point coordinates as a contained comment.

Contact

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.

(official disclaimer)

"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."