[x3d-public] announce: X3D Tooltips now linking to X3D4 working draft 2 specification, multiple asset updates

[Don Brutzman]

[Summary: X3D Tooltips for X3D4 provide a lot of value - am using them on a daily basis.  I thought this would be a short announcement, but the ripples keep spreading in many directions.]

Extensible 3D (X3D) 4.0 Tooltips provide authoring hints for each node and field found in X3D Architecture Specification version 4 draft.

X3D Tooltips provide context-sensitive support for authors and are usable within tools (such as X3D-Edit). Each node's table entry also provides appropriate links to the X3D Abstract Specification, X3D Schema Documentation, X3D DOCTYPE Documentation, the X3D JSON Documentation (draft), X3D Regular Expressions (regexes), and X3D Java SAI Library (X3DJSAIL).

[1] X3D Tooltips
     https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html

[2] Twitter announcements, screenshots
     https://twitter.com/Web3DConsortium/status/1295114967402680320

Thanks to years of steady regular discussion on this mailing list, a number of additional helpful assets are found there:

[3.1] accessType Definitions
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#accessType

[3.2] type Definitions
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#type

[3.3] XML data types
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#XML

[3.4] Range Intervals
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#RangeIntervals

[3.5] Field Type Definitions
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#FieldTypesTable

If you have an X3D FAQ or a curious special case that deserves mentioning, please post it to the list!  Am always happy to improve the X3D Tooltips.

Of note to toolmakers:  original source for all of the tooltips is maintained in XML.  This file is read during production and further integrated into X3D Unified Object Model (X3DUOM), where the tooltips can subsequently be embedded as documentation comments in X3DJSAIL Java, X3DPSAIL Python, and X3D Ontology.  Each language library has a corresponding suite of unit tests for Quality Assurance (QA) checking prior to updates.  Extreme validation in every direction leads to rigorous implementation of scene-graph structures for the X3D Graphics Language.

[4.1] X3D Unified Object Model (X3DUOM)
       "The X3D Unified Object Model (X3DUOM) is a full set of object-oriented interfaces
        for all nodes, fields and statements in the X3D Architecture Specification."
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3DUOM.html

[4.2] X3DUOM Source
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3dUnifiedObjectModel-4.0.xml

[5.1] X3D Java SAI Library (X3DJSAIL)
       "X3DJSAIL supports programmers with standards-based X3D Java interfaces and objects, all as open source. "
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/java/X3dJavaSceneAuthoringInterface.html

[5.2] X3DJSAIL Javadoc Documentation
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/java/javadoc

[6.1] X3D Python SAI Library (X3DPSAIL)
       "The x3d.py Python X3D Package supports programmers with Python interfaces and objects for standards-based X3D programming, all as open source."
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/stylesheets/python/python.html

[6.2] X3D Python Package x3d.py
       "Package support for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics International Standard (IS)"
       https://pypi.org/project/x3d/
       http://www.web3d.org/x3d/stylesheets/python/x3d.py

[7.1] X3D Ontology for Semantic Web
       "The X3D Ontology for Semantic Web provides terms of reference for semantic query of X3D models."
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/semantics/semantics.html

[7.2] X3D Ontology Source
       https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/semantics/ontologies/X3dOntology4.0.ttl

The latest update includes the description, load and refresh fields for nodes supporting X3DUrlObject interface.  These are first added to X3D XML Schema for proper validation checking.

[8.1] X3D Specifications: Schema and DOCTYPE Validation
       "These assets are commonly used for XML validation of X3D scenes, and in-depth documentation is also provided here."
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/

[8.2] X3D XML Schema, DOCTYPE changelogs
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/x3d-schema-changelog.txt
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/x3d-dtd-changelog.txt

[8.3] X3D XML Schema, DOCTYPE documentation
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3dSchemaDocumentation4.0/x3d-4.0.html
       https://www.web3d.org/specifications/X3dDoctypeDocumentation4.0.html

All of these assets are open source and visibly maintained in Web3D Consortium version control on Sourceforge.  As of this morning, we've had (cough cough) 30,803 changes and submissions.

[9] SOURCEFORGE x3d project
     "X3D is the open-standard format for 3D graphics scenes on the Web."
     https://sourceforge.net/projects/x3d
     https://sourceforge.net/p/x3d/code/HEAD/tree/www.web3d.org

None of this progress towards X3D4 would be possible without the steady presence and critical activities of the Web3D Consortium.  Membership has value!  If you haven't yet joined, please consider doing so.  Members will vote on eventual acceptance of X3D4 Specifications before submission to International Standards Organization (ISO).

[10.1] Join the Web3D Consortium!
        "The Web3D Consortium is a non-profit group open to industry, academic, government and individual members."
        https://www.web3d.org/join

[10.2] X3D Version 4 Overview
        "X3D4 is a major upgrade to the X3D Graphics International Standard that provides close support for the HTML5 Recommendation."
        https://www.web3d.org/x3d4

[10.3] X3D4 Public Working Draft Specification
        "The Web3D Consortium is happy to release the second public X3Dv4 Working Draft (WD2) Specification."
        https://www.web3d.org/x3dv4-public-working-draft

Wow, here we go.  Have fun with X3D4! 8)

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