[X3D-Public] [FreeWRL-develop] .x3z and minizip; bundling of resources for X3D binary

[Don Brutzman]

copy: x3d-public mailing list

On 9/4/2013 7:50 AM, Ian Stakenvicius, Aerobiology wrote:
> On 04/09/13 10:42 AM, Brutzman, Donald (Don) (CIV) wrote:
>> Wondering, what are resources?  Is that a "mac thing" ?
> 
> Resources are any files (ie, images for textures, other model files, 
> etc) that are referenced within an X3D (or WRL) file.
> 
>> Of relevance:  there already exists an .x3db binary encoding, and
>> an option to use gzip.
> 
> That relates to the encoding of the world file itself.  Although
> useful, it doesn't help the case where multiple files need to be
> bundled together -- that is what Doug is trying to accomplish with
> the .x3z format.

Thanks for the helpful clarification Ian.

We have referred to these kinds of goals as "bundling" in the X3D binary work - looks like "resource bundling" is a better term.

http://www.web3d.org/realtime-3d/working-groups/x3d/compressed-binary/x3d-compressed-binary-encoding-call-contributions
> Bundling: Mechanisms for bundling multiple files (e.g. X3D scene,
> Inlined subscenes, image files, audio file, etc.) into a single
> archive file will be considered. Similar bundling capabilities are
> emerging for uncompressed X3D scenes embedded within HTML pages.

I've added initial prose for a new section "Resource Bundling" to the public wiki page on progress for this topic.  Improvements welcome.

http://web3d.org/wiki/index.php/X3D_Binary_Compression_Capabilities_and_Plans
http://web3d.org/wiki/index.php/X3D_Binary_Compression_Capabilities_and_Plans#Resource_Bundling

> Resource Bundling
> * Mechanisms for bundling multiple files (e.g. X3D scene, Inlined subscenes, image files, audio and video files, etc.) into a single archive file will be considered.
> * Similar bundling capabilities are emerging for uncompressed X3D scenes embedded within HTML pages.
> * Benefits support improved deployability and archivability of X3D content
> * Technical issues include .gzip versus .zip, bundling of metadata (demonstrated by Java .jar and .war formats), etc.
> * The FreeWRL project is implementing and exploring possible approaches to this challenge

In addition to x3d-public mailing list, binary issues are now emerging as a regular topic of discussion on our X3D weekly working group teleconferences.  We can schedule a dedicated meeting on this topic if people are interested... we'll watch and see how discussion goes on the mailing list.

all the best, Don
-- 
Don Brutzman  Naval Postgraduate School, Code USW/Br       brutzman at nps.edu
Watkins 270,  MOVES Institute, Monterey CA 93943-5000 USA   +1.831.656.2149
X3D graphics, virtual worlds, navy robotics http://faculty.nps.edu/brutzman