[x3d-public] Cobweb Release Announcement

[Vincent Marchetti]

Holger,

After reading your reply, allow me to respectfully propose that you consider a design change to the Cobweb browser, or perhaps an alternative method of inserting X3D content (of whatever encoding) in an XHTML page.

You write that "<X3D> element is equal to the <canvas> element", which I understand. However, the name "X3D" is also used for the document root element of the XML encoding for X3D, and this confused me, as it may have also confused Don Brutzmann at first. The usage of X3D with a url attribute might also be confusing for validation tests which would rely on the definition of the X3D node as specified in the XML Schema and DTDs which are part of the X3D standard. -- and the dual use of the element name "X3D" might be confusing for page developers, an  important audience for both the Cobweb browser and the X3D standard

Would it be possible to allow the following as an alternative to the <X3D url="...."> structure, using a new element X3DCanvas (which I suggest as only a first attempt at a name):

<!-- for displaying content from another server; which can be in any X3D encoding -->
<X3DCanvas url="http://box.x3d">
<div>Your browser does not support Cobweb</div> <!-- fallback content -->
</X3DCanvas>

<!-- for inlining an X3D Scene (XML encoding) -->
<X3DCanvas>
  <div>Your browser does not support Cobweb</div> <!-- fallback content -->
  <!-- the X3D node here and its contents can be validated against X3D Schema -->
  <X3D version="3.2" profile="CADInterchange">
	<Scene>
	....
	</Scene>
  </X3D>
</X3DCanvas>


---
I am really excited by the capabilities of this browser and I look forward to discussing these issues with you.

Vince Marchetti


> On Dec 28, 2015, at 10:41 AM, Holger Seelig <holger.seelig at yahoo.de> wrote:
> 
> 
> >> -  do you also allow contained X3D XML content within the HTML page,
> >> i.e. a full scene?
> 
> The <X3D> element is equal to the <canvas> element in that, it is easy to define some fallback content, to be displayed in older browsers not supporting it, like currently all other browsers than the recent version of Firefox or older versions of that. You should always provide fallback content to be displayed by those browsers.
> 
> Providing fallback content is very straightforward: just insert the alternate content inside the <X3D> element. Browsers that don't support <X3D> will ignore the container and render the fallback content inside it. Browsers that do support <X3D> will ignore the content inside the container, and just render the canvas normally.
> 
> For example, we could provide a text description of the canvas content or provide a static image of the dynamically rendered content. This can look something like this:
> 
> <X3D url='"world.x3dv"'>
>   <img src="images/clock.png"/>
> </canvas>
> 
> <X3D url='"world.x3d"'>
>   <p>Current stock price: $3.15 +0.15</p>
> </canvas>
> 
> >> - do you expect the url field can contain different X3D encodings, or
> >> just .x3d XML?
> 
> As of version 1.19, Cobweb can now parse beside X3D XML Encoding either X3D Classic Encoding. This gives authors the capability to display their existing projects like .wrl worlds, too.
> 
> Additionally the files can be compressed using gzip compression.
> 
> Supported file extensions are .x3d, .x3dz, .x3dv, .x3dvz, .wrl and .wrz.
> 
> Holger
> 
> 
> Am 21.12.2015 um 21:22 schrieb Don Brutzman:
>> actually not ready to release yet... some questions first please:
>> 
>>  Am 21.12.2015 um 00:15 schrieb Don Brutzman:
>>> 
>>> First questions for you - looks like the Cobweb X3D url field loads a
>>> scene into the player. Wondering:
>>> -  do you also allow contained X3D XML content within the HTML page,
>>> i.e. a full scene?
>>> - do you expect the url field can contain different X3D encodings, or
>>> just .x3d XML?
>> 
>> all the best, Don
> 
> 
> -- 
> Holger Seelig
> Mediengestalter Digital – Digital Media Designer
> 
> Scheffelstraße 31a
> 04277 Leipzig
> Germany
> 
> Cellular: +49 1577 147 26 11
> E-Mail:   holger.seelig at yahoo.de
> Web:      http://titania.create3000.de
> 
> Future to the fantasy ★ ★
> 
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Vincent Marchetti
vmarchetti at ameritech.net