[x3d-public] PROTO authoring. How is is done?

[Don Brutzman]

On 3/1/2020 3:59 PM, John Carlson wrote:
> How is PROTO authoring done, beyond text editing?   Can someone show me a video in blender, or similar X3D authoring tool?

X3D-Edit 3.3 has a number of authoring assists built into the panels for ProtoDeclare, ExternProtoDeclare, ProtoInstance, field and fieldValue.  This is especially helpful when embedding Script nodes.

* X3D-Edit Authoring Tool for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics
   https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit

"ExternProtoDeclare field verification checks that field signatures match the original ProtoDeclare definitions, providing author with the option to apply updates."
  https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/images/ExternProtoDeclareFieldVerification.png

"Inline and Prototype templates as draggable palette icons, based on contributions found in various scene archives including X3D for Web Authors, X3D Basic Examples and Savage Examples."
  https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/images/InlinePrototypeTemplatesPalette.png

X3D Validator has lots of tests to check for correctness and warn about issues.

* https://savage.nps.edu/X3dValidator

X3D Graphics for Web Authors has an entire chapter dedicated to this topic, plus course notes with five videos.

* http://x3dgraphics.com
   http://x3dgraphics.com/slidesets/X3dForWebAuthors/Chapter14Prototypes.pdf
   https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuSIsM-86simQ4u2XxKZS7PU381BfFjIk
   
X3D Scene Authoring Hints has a section devoted to this topic.

* X3D Scene Authoring Hints: Inline Scenes and Prototype Templates
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/X3dSceneAuthoringHints.html#Inlines

X3D Tooltips has guidance and tons of links, as usual.

* https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#ProtoDeclare
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#ProtoBody
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#ProtoInterface
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#ExternProtoDeclare
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#ProtoInstance
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#field
   https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/X3dTooltips.html#fieldValue

Looking at examples is a good way to become expert.

* https://x3dgraphics.com/examples/X3dForWebAuthors/Chapter14Prototypes/
* https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/Vrml2Sourcebook/Chapter31Prototypes
* https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/ConformanceNist/Miscellaneous/PROTO
* https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/ConformanceNist/Miscellaneous/EXTERNPROTO

Prototype extensibility is the most powerful X in X3D.  Have fun with prototypes!

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