VRML Worlds

Use

You can import and view VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language Worlds) Worlds (.wrl, .vrml) files. You can also save to these formats.

The .wrl and .vrml file formats are widely used by the Internet community to represent and navigate 3D hyper-linked virtual worlds. VRML is mainly a graphics format that represents simple solid primitives (for example, spheres and cylinders), polygons, polylines, and their visual attributes.

The VRML is a language for describing multi-participant interactive simulations. These are virtual worlds networked using the global Internet and hyper-linked with the World Wide Web. All aspects of virtual world display, interaction, and internet working can be specified using VRML. It is the intention of its designers that VRML become the standard language for interactive simulation within the World Wide Web.

Supported for Import and Export

  • Cameras

  • VRML 1.0 fully supported

Limitations for Import

  • Lights and fog data ignored

  • Textures not mapped to text objects

  • Transparency in textures ignored

  • URL links discarded

  • VRML 2.0

    • Animation data ignored

    • In/Out Events not supported

    • Nested PROTO nodes not supported

    • ROUTE ignored

    • Scripts not supported

    • Vertex colors, line colors, and cells in Elevation Grids not supported

Limitations for Export

Only a single value supported for material ambient color. If the value specified in the Set Ambient Color to field on the Materials tab is not grey, the RGB values are averaged before being exported.

Features

This format contains both import and export options. You can use them to customize the way in which your file is opened and saved.

Import Interface

Field

Functional Description

Flip Coordinate System

Flips the Y and Z axes

Collapsing Hierarchy

Merges the selected objects to collapse the hierarchy

Optimize Hierarchy

Reduces the number of coordinates in the array of per vertex normals

Optimize Geometry

Reduces the number of coordinates in the array of per vertex normals

Create UVs

Creates UV mapping for objects that do not currently have mapping. This enables you to apply texture maps to the object.

Text Quality

Determines the quality of the text if any is contained within the scene. The text is converted to polygon face entities. If a high value is specified, more points and lines are used and the vertex count increases.

Text Extrude

Defines the depth of the characters (extrusion) in the text. For example, a value of 0 results in the text being flat, and a value of 100 results in the text being the maximum thickness possible.

Export Interface

Field

Functional Description

Add Indents

Indents the code within the saved file. This improves file readability.

Export Lights

Saves all light sources in the file

Export Cameras

Saves all cameras in the file

Export Default Camera

Saves the default camera in the file

Export Normals

Saves all normals that are assigned to face vertices

Export Texture Coordinates

Saves all UV texture coordinates that are assigned to face vertices

Export Polylines

Saves all vectors or polylines

Export Materials

Saves all materials that are used by mesh objects

Max Vertices in Polygon

Exports polygons containing less than or equal to the specified number of vertices. This reduces the file size.