X3DV Module Suite v2.0: VRML Support Added

The X3DV Module Suite is a free set of modules to code in X3D, the open standard for interactive and immersive 3D on Internet. With it, you can create virtual worlds in 3D, using the great edition features of Netbeans.

Three modules are available now: language and files support for X3DV, a palette of code for x3dv, and now, with this new version, it has also support for VRML.


What are Netbeans and X3D?
Netbeans is one of the main free Java editors in the market. In fact, it can be used to program in many computer languages.
I have already explained what are VRML and X3D in a previous post. With them, you can create 3D virtual worlds.

The Netbeans X3DV Module Suite is for editing X3D inside Netbeans, in classic VRML encoding (with .x3dv extension). The classic VRML encoding is very easy to read and understand.

What is included in this module Suite?
The three modules contained in the v2.0 version of the Suite (X3DV Encoding, X3DV Palette, and VRML module) can do all this:

• You can edit and create new X3DV files inside Netbeans.
• With the 2.0 version, you can also create and edit VRML world files.
  
• Brackets and quotes completion.
• Icons for X3DV files and VRML files.
  
• Syntax coloring that makes editing easier.
• A practical palette of x3dv code that will make you build worlds faster.
• A button to show the palette.

Have a look at these screens to see how it looks.

First Module: X3DV Encoding

You can create new X3DV files:


It is ready to make your custom code templates:


In the code editor, you can see the X3D icon in x3dv files, and how syntax coloring is applied. As you see, the header has special colors so you can quickly recognize x3d files. Words like PROTO, ROUTE, TO, etc. are in red to easy locating them. Nodes are in blue and fields in green.
As you write, in Netbeans, words are colored. So if you make a spelling mistake, you will know instantly because the node or field is not colored. Comments are in light grey, and the rest in black.


Here's one example more. As you see, DEF and USE words have a different and bright color because when one codes in X3D needs to find these very often, and this allows you to make it quickly.


Here's how are colored inputs and outputs in Script nodes. As you see, types have a bold black color, it helps to see if you typed them well. I used blue for inputs, red for outputs, and green for inputOutput. The reason is psychological, it allows to distinguish them easily. It's easy to think in this like it was a kitchen, the input enters cold (blue) and exits hot (red), being green something neuter that can be used for both.


The initializeOnly fields are in black, as they are just fields that are used later, and don't take a direct play in the output.


Here you can see how strings are colored:


And routes can be easily read because both ROUTE and TO are highlighted in red:


Second Module: X3DV Palette

The X3DV Palette can help you to write code faster. It places a new palette on the right, similar to the Palette that Netbeans has, and when you press one of the icons, a piece of code is copied to the clipboard.
Then, you can paste it everywhere you like. This was done this way because you may want to paste it several times. To copy another code piece, just click another button.

It is based on the practical x3d worldbuilding, so you will find the most used text, without having to remove useless fields. It saves you from typing the same things over and over.


You know which button you have pressed because the icon shows a spark when you click it.


The X3DV Palette has not only code snippets of X3D nodes, it also has a material palette, to create good material, shine, and color properties for objects quickly.


You can minimize the X3DV Palette to the right. To show it, just click its icon again.


For quickly opening the palette you have an icon for your toolbar and also a menu option in the Windows menu, both with the same icon.



Third Module: VRML

Added in the 2.0 version of the X3DV Module Suite. It has all the same features of the X3DV Encoding module, but for VRML.

I decided to add this module because many people still use VRML today, or are migrating their files to X3D, so this tool is very useful for them.

Keep informed, and install what you want

You can install all the modules, or just those that you like, as they are independent.
More features will be added to these modules, and more modules will be added. If you like these software, I suggest you to subscribe to keep informed about this.

Watch the video



Support this project

If you like this project and want it to continue growing, or if your business, project or 3d artwork uses it, consider making a donation. By donating to this project any quantity (from $5 to $250), even if it's small, you benefit yourself too.

These founds will be used for the project growing and promotion, and also encourage further developing.

A 5% of the amount is given to SourceForge to help the community of free software developers.

By donating through this button, your donation will be registered and eventually displayed in this projects donors. If you prefer to donate directly through PayPal, you can do it here.

Click this button for making
a secure donation
via PayPal and SourceForge

If you can't make a donation, another way of helping is voting it in any social bookmarking site you use, or simply voting it in the Netbeans Plugin Directory.

Download

You can download it here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/x3dvmodule/

To install it, you just need the main package, that is named "X3DV Module Suite v.2.0 Install".

The other packages are thought for developers. If you are a developer, respect the LGPL license, and report any improvement you make to the modules.


How To Install

The install process is described in a txt file inside the zip packages, but here it is:

1. Download and install Netbeans IDE. You can use any Netbeans bundle. For example, the Java SE bundle, that can be used to program in Java, and is only 25 MB (or the PHP one, that is only 16 MB, or for C/C++, just 14 MB).
2. Open Netbeans IDE
3. Go to menu: Tools/Plugins
4. Go to tab: Downloaded
5. Click "Add Plugin" button
6. Search the .nbm files of the Module Suite. Add them all, or those that you like, in any order.
7. Click "Install" button
8. Acept the license, and click the "Install" button
9. Click "Continue" when asked about the firm
10. Click "Finish"

Feedback

If you have any feature suggestion, wish list, idea or comment, please use this site and post to suggest it.

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