[x3d-public] DOM integration with cobweb

[Andreas Plesch]

I could generalize the handling of attribute changes by using the cobweb
parser, with only a few lines (but a lot of investigation). This means that
most field types should be accessible from the DOM now. However, I only
tested with diffuseColor. I also figured out how to immediately apply the
changes by triggering a set event for the changed field.

Adding and removing of nodes is next. I think statements also need special
treatment. For external statement changes and prototype changes, it may be
best to reload the whole scene (?) .

I adopted the x3dom basic attribute manipulation example:

https://andreasplesch.github.io/cobweb_dom/jqueryui_cobweb.xhtml

It worked without changes to the control code and demonstrates that the
mutation observer is fast. This means it may be time to provide this as a
simple js library to add on to cobweb pages since there is enough
functionality.

-Andreas



On Sun, Sep 4, 2016 at 12:40 AM, Andreas Plesch <andreasplesch at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Here is a thought experiment which developed into a strawman
> implementation.
>
> First the result:
>
> https://andreasplesch.github.io/cobweb_dom/index.xhtml
>
> After clicking the new color button, and moving the mouse, the color of
> the box should change.
>
> The interesting feature here is that the color change is triggered by a
> modification of the diffuseColor _attribute_ of the Material _html_
> element, in a way that should be possible to generalize to most (all)
> fields in x3d nodes.
>
> This is the x3dom pattern of controlling a x3d scene. But here I use
> cobweb as the x3d browser. Cobweb has very good coverage of the x3d
> standard including Prototypes, scripting and the SAI. Being able to use
> both, internal x3d scripting and external control using the DOM could be
> quite fruitful.
>
> I had to modify cobweb only slightly based on an idea developed during the
> discussion around the id attribute inspired by x3dom. The main change is to
> attach a reference to the generated x3d scene graph node from the DOM
> element during parsing. This then enables access from the DOM to the x3d
> node.
>
> The next step would be to expand to all field types, perhaps reusing the
> cobweb parser, or SAI functions. and to allow for removal and addition of
> nodes.
>
> [If all works, there is the issue of <script> being claimed by the web
> browser. I think the only solution may be to break backward compatibility
> and allow <x3dScript> as an alias to <script>]
>
> The examples also shows how to use inline x3d rather than an url with
> cobweb. Since cobweb is strict about XML, this is only possible if the html
> page has xhtml encoding. xhtml in turn triggered an issue with the fps
> counter display and the context menu, as a side note.
>
> The code is all on github: https://github.com/andreasplesch/cobweb_dom
>
> I had to learn a lot about cobweb (and jquery and AMD...) and look forward
> to any feedback or even hands-on contributions ? Perhaps the cobweb team is
> also interested ?
>
> -Andreas
>
> --
> Andreas Plesch
> 39 Barbara Rd.
> Waltham, MA 02453
>



-- 
Andreas Plesch
39 Barbara Rd.
Waltham, MA 02453
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