Re: Could somebody please test my VRML file...

Syndesis Corporation ([email protected])
Thu, 11 May 1995 09:13:15 -0500


>Im sure you dont want this mailing list to turn into a
>"could you please xxxxx" but since the only publically available
>viewers are running on SGIs....

Sounds like the spec could use a tool that performs syntax checks,
perhaps a version of QvLib that spits out lots of diagnostics.

>Look out soon for a program that converts Lightwave files to VRML
>scenes with and ingenious way to include Links (WWWAnchors).

My company makes InterChange, a program that translates between
more than thirty 3D file formats. We've added support for VRML
export. We do import entire LightWave scenes and can convert to
VRML.

We've thought about ways to make more properly-formed VRML
files from general 3D-to-3D conversions. One trick might be to
overload surface (material) names or sub-object names as URLs.
For example, if the object or surface name contains a string "URL:",
we'd add the reference to the VRML file when we convert.
(Whoops, now everyone else can steal my idea. :-)

In the more general sense, given all the extra info in VRML,
it's clear that there's going to be a lot of hand-editing of
scenes until VRML-specific features are added to 3D editors.

- John Foust

P.S. blatant plug: If you'd like info about the InterChange software
mentioned above, or would like a catalog describing Syndesis's products,
including the Syndesis 3D-ROM Volume I collection of more than 500 3D models
and 200 texture maps for $99.95, or the Volume II with more than 200 models,
or the Syndesis Avalon CDROM, a snapshot of the Internet Avalon site,
just send me your postal (paper) mailing address and I'll send a catalog.