[x3d-public] setUSE in X3DJSAIL. Impact on X3DJSONLD.

[Don Brutzman]

On 7/20/2017 1:17 PM, John Carlson wrote:
>  From looking at the Java SAI I found online, I would say that X3DJSAIL and X3D Java SAI serve different purposes.  One is used for importing XML, building a scenegraph, and exporting X3D encodings, and the other is for manipulating the scenegraph (SAI).

Both correct, also overlapping - as explained in preceding message.

> I believe that X3DJSAIL incorporates many features of X3D-Edit and Xj3D not found in Java SAI (but I could be missing something big in Java SAI, I just glanced at it).

Yes, there are certainly important lessons learned from Xj3D and X3D-Edit.

Of note is that there are three different SAI-like interfaces within Xj3D; they can be confusing to distinguish and extend.

Of special note is that despite the presence of browser-portable Java interfaces for X3D Java SAI for many years, there is a great absence of author-produced X3D Script node code written in Java.  The browser wars against Java and growing power of JavaScript no doubt have a lot do with that.  Not taking sides here, just trying to discern "lessons learned" that can help us improve the X3D Java SAI API and usage of X3D in Java programming effectively.

One more important difference: the original Java SAI appeared to be primarily motivated by Script node usage.  The extensions in X3DJAIL around that API definitely add application-side and server-side programming support to the mix.  Rendering isn't the only game in town! 8)

It certainly seems like we are finding similar potential improvements in X3D JavaScript SAI as we move out beyond X3D Script node usage (which of course remains important) to broader spaces of JSON and node.js usage for X3D models.

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