[x3d-public] Prototypes without Scripts

[Don Brutzman]

On 6/7/2016 8:12 PM, John Carlson wrote:> By the way Leonard, NancyPrototypes.x3d is the closest thing I’ve see to a significant Proto without Scripts.  Not a bad example, but still probably not realistic for today’s apps!  Please try to duplicate in X3DOM as best you can!  I only get part way.  I think it’s due to unimplemented nodes, but I haven’t checked.

Good thinking John.

The H-Anim and CAD grouping nodes were all first implemented using Prototypes without Script nodes, allowing experimentation and addition of new components to X3D without necessarily needing browser support.

Other components such as Geospatial and DIS and Nurbs were also developed using prototypes, mostly with Script code involved to achieve (at that time) advanced functionality.

Of note is that this capability has been used to extend the footprint of VRML97 as well.  Whenever a prototype is available, the X3dToVrml97.xslt stylesheet converter will insert it so that VRML players can support a number of X3D nodes.  These are listed in the X3D Node Inventory Comparison spreadsheet.

	http://www.web3d.org/x3d/stylesheets/X3dToVrml97.xslt

	http://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3dNodeInventoryComparison.pdf

Reading the box score at the bottom, 55 nodes in original VRML97 specification grows to 121 nodes today when prototypes are allowed.

And of course prototypes are just one of several fundamental forms of Extensibility, the "X" in X3D.  Described further in:

	_X3D for Web Authors_, Chapter 1 Technical Overview.
	http://x3dgraphics.com/chapters/Chapter01-Technical_Introduction.pdf

Pretty obvious that X3D (and VRML) language would not be what they are today without Prototype support for innovation and development.

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