While I think SGI is the only party quick enough for this dance, it's nice
to know
what others are doing.
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From: carson
To: carson; rpuk; stockwell; 71302.417; protzman; carolm; garner; mmh;
lofton; lrosenthal; mcbroome; peltzman; pss; rikk; dbunny; fabio
Cc: x3h31
Subject: 3D Metafile Minutes
Date: Saturday, October 29, 1994 4:13PM
X3H3/94-117
Minutes of the
3D Graphics Metafile Meeting
Airlie, VA
October 11, 1994
Steve Carson, X3H3.1 Chair, opened the meeting by summarizing the purpose
of the meeting. He then asked everyone to introduce themselves.
Attendees:
Fabio Pettinati Apple Computer [email protected]
Kent Davidson Apple Computer [email protected]
Rikk Carey SGI [email protected]
Paul S. Strauss SGI [email protected]
Alan Peltzman DISA Center for Standards [email protected]
Greg McBroome Lockheed [email protected]
Lynn Rosenthal NIST [email protected]
Lofton Henderson Henderson Software [email protected]
Mike Heck Template Graphics Software [email protected]
Bruce Garner Lawrence Livermore Laboratory [email protected]
Carol Marians Rosetta [email protected]
Bill Protzman DCI [email protected]
John E. Gebhardt InterCap/Intergraph [email protected]
Bruce Stockwell Digital Equipement [email protected]
Richard F. Puk Intelligraphics Inc. [email protected]
Steve Carson GSC Associates Inc. [email protected]
Background
Mr. Carson distributed documents from previous meetings on this topic:
- 3D Metafile Minutes of January 19, 1992
- Comments 3D Graphics Metafile Specification
- 3D Metafile Requirements
- Report on CGM 3-D Requirements with respect to ISO 10303 (STEP)
Mr. Carson presented the Computer Graphics Reference Model and its
reference to 3D Metafiles.
The following presentations were scheduled:
- Apple (Attachment 1)
- SGI (Attachment 2)
- Intercap (Attachment 3)
- STEP
The content of these presentations is summarized in the attachments through
the handouts made available by the presenters.
A few important, shared observations were:
- The need for a 3D cross-platform graphics format is recognized as
an urgent requirement by most developers. The market is currently hindered
by the lack of such a standard.
- The markets that must be addressed are broad and horizontal in
nature, rather than narrow and vertical. (See the market segment charts in
the Apple and SGI presentations.)
Additional information from SGI:
SGI offerred to send a set of books on Open Inventor to meeting
participants if requested by e-mail at [email protected].
SGI noted the availability of documentation from their WWW page
"http://www.sgi.com/tech/Inventor.html". In particular "How to Write an
Inventor File Xlator".
Both Apple and SGI indicated that they are willing to contribute their
designs and modify them in order to produce a single ISO 3D Metafile
standard. Mr. Bono described the typical resources needed to participate
in a standards development effort. Since there appear to be two more or
less mature initial drafts, the first job will be to identify how the two
forms can be merged.
Unfortunately, SGI had to leave prior to the last two presentations.
Mr. Gebhardt presented requirements for merging seemlessly 2D and 3D data.
Mr. Peltzman recommended that STEP be considered when developing a 3D
standard. Parts 42 & 46 of STEP can be obtained from [email protected]
(Brad Smith). Brad's telephone numbers are:
1-301-975-3558
1-301-258-9749
Part 11 of STEP contains the file encoding.
General Discussion:
A general discussion revealed a variety of interest in working on a 3D
project from intense interest with much bandwidth available to minimal
interest and no bandwidth.. It became apparent that participation by SGI
and Apple would be critical to the success of the project. However, both
have expressed interest in participating.
John Gebhardt agreed to act as project manager for a 3D metafile project.
Tasks which need to be accomplished in the interim include:
- SD-3 for Project
- Capabilities matrix comparing Apple, SGI, and STEP
- Identify editors for the functional description and each of the
encodings to be developed
- Identify technical issues which must be resolved and obtain
argumentation and alternatives from the various input specifications
There was a sense that there should be a meeting within the next three or
four months.
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Steve Carson phone: +1-505-521-7399
GSC Associates Inc. fax: +1-505-521-9321
5272 Redman Road e-mail: [email protected]
Las Cruces, NM 88011 USA
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