User guide - ModelBrowserJFX 0.4.1

Features

• Importers for the 3D model formats 3ds, COLLADA™, FXML, OBJ, STL, and X3D™
• JavaFX™ FXMLLoader for 3D FXML files

• FXML export of loaded scene graph

• File system browser with single click selection
• Scene graph tree of loaded 3D file with variation of draw mode and visibility

• Mouse 3D navigation
• Viewpoint creation for camera nodes of COLLADA, FXML, and X3D files
• Common viewpoints for all loaded models
• Shape3D picking
• Center of rotation selection
• Scene and viewing axes
• Scene anti-aliasing

Browser Pane

Menu

• Load... - Opens the file chooser
• Export as fxml... - Opens the file saver
• Clear importers & GC - Disposes of the imported data and runs the garbage collector.
• Close importers & GC - Disposes of the imported data, closes the importers, and runs the garbage collector.
• About... - Opens the application information dialog
• Help... - Opens the user guide
• System... - Opens the system information dialog
• Exit - Terminates the application

File Browser

• Directory tree

  Single click on the arrow symbol expands or collapses the directory, a single click on the name shows its children in the directory and file table.
  
  The selected directory will not be highlighted because the tree isn't bidirectionally bound with the table, which may show children of another directory afterwards.
  
  The arrow-button hides the tree. It can be opened again by dragging the splitpane divider.

• Directory and file table

  Shows the children of a selected directory considering the chosen file filter. A single click on a 3D file will load this file into the viewer if a model importer is chosen. The former 3D model will be replaced. The user interface is disabled until the import is completed.
  
  For each 3D file following information will be provided: 3D format symbol, file name, size in kilo bytes, and the date of last modification.
  
  The 'Root', 'Up', and path buttons allow to navigate through the file system independently from the directory tree.

• File filters

  Importer instances will be created not before a corresponding file is selected for the first time after starting the program or after closing the current importers. Then they will be re-used to benefit from already allocated data buffers and dynamic recompilation. The FXMLLoader instance will be created anew for each use.

  • All files - 3D file loading disabled
  • All 3D model importers, *.3ds, *.dae, *.zae, *.fxml; *.obj, *.stl, *.x3d, *.x3dz - All importers
  • 3dsModelImporterJFX, *.3ds - 3ds importer
  • ColModelImporterJFX, *.dae, *.zae - COLLADA importer
  • FxmlModelImporterJFX, *.fxml - FXML importer
  • ObjModelImporterJFX , *.obj - OBJ importer
  • StlMeshImporterJFX, *.stl - STL importer
  • X3dModelImporterJFX, *.x3d, *.x3dz - X3D importer
  • FXMLLoader, *.fxml - JavaFX FXML loader


• Refresh - Updates the tree and table, e.g. after the file system has been changed.

Scene Graph

• Tree table - Tree representation of the loaded scene graph consisting of Group, Shape3D, ParallelCamera, PerspectiveCamera, AmbientLight, and PointLight nodes.
  
  
  • Transforms - Affine (A), Rotate (R), Translate (T), and Scale (S) transformations of the node
  • Faces - Number of triangles of the TriangleMesh
  • Maps - Bump (B), diffuse (D), self illumination (Se), and specular (Sp) maps of the PhongMaterial


• Context menu
  
  
  • Scene graph (Possibly long-lasting operation in case of 'huge' trees.)
    • Expand - Expands all groups of the entire scene graph
    • Collapse - Collapses all groups of the entire scene graph
  • Selected Group node
    • Expand - Expands all groups in the sub-graph
    • Collapse - Collapses all groups in the sub-graph
    • Look at - Focuses the view on the sub-graph's boundary.
    • Hide - Hides all Shape3Ds in the sub-graph.
    • Show - Shows all Shape3Ds in the sub-graph.
    • Shaded surface - Draws all Shape3Ds with DrawMode.FILL.
    • Wireframe - Draws all Shape3Ds with DrawMode.LINE.
  • Selected Shape3D node
    • Look at - Focuses the view on the Shape3D's boundary.
    • Hide / Show - Hides or shows the Shape3D
    • Shaded surface / Wireframe - Draws the Shape3D with DrawMode.FILL or DrawMode.LINE.
  • Selected BaseLight node
    • On / Off - Switches an AmbientLight or a PointLight on or off.
  • Common
    • Clear selection - Clears any selection.

FXML Export

• The entire loaded scene graph will be written into an FXML file.
  
  For each Image element the original image path from the imported file is assigned to the 'url'-attribute. Image data will not be written. Therefore it is recommended to save the FXML file into the directory of the original file to keep relative image paths intact. The initial directory of the file saver dialog is set correspondingly.


• FXML files loaded with the JavaFX FXML loader can't be (re-)exported because this loader doesn't provide access to the 'url'-attribute of the Image element.


• The user interface is disabled while the export process is running. The file system tree and table will be refreshed as soon as the export is finished.

Viewer Pane

Import

• Load - Opens a file chooser dialog which provides filters for all 3D model importers (see above).


• Reload - Reloads the current 3D model, e.g. after changes have been made in the file.

Viewing

• Viewpoints - Views derived from imported cameras (COLLADA, FXML, and X3D) and default views.


• -Z +Z +X -X +Y -Y - Front, back, right, left, top, and bottom view in accordance with the JavaFX coordinate system.


• Picking

  Shape 3D picking.

  • Shape3D view - A left double-click focuses the view on the picked Shape3D's center of rotation.
  • Shape3D selection - A right double-click selects and highlights the picked Shape3D within the scene graph tree.

  Data mode selection

  • Bounds - Pick results base on the Shape3D's rectangular bounding box
  • Geometry - Pick results base on the Shape3D's geometry
  • Off - Disables picking

  The geometry data mode might slow down 3D mouse navigation in case of Shape3Ds with a huge amount of triangles. On the other hand the bounds data mode is less accurate in case of nested or intersecting Shape3Ds.



• Rotation - Selecting the center of rotation.
  
  
  • Origin (0,0,0) - The 3D space origin.
  • Scene center - The center of the current scene.
  • Picked Shape3D center - The center of the picked Shape3D's geometry.
  • Picked Shape3D point - The intersected point of the picked Shape3D's surface.
  • Picked Shape3D vertex - The vertex closest to the intersected point.
  • Look at center of rotation - The view will be directed to the center of rotation or remains unchanged.


• 3D mouse navigation - The left button rotates, the middle button and the wheel zoom, and the right button drags the scene.

Viewer

• Axes - Scene and viewing axes can be made visible or be hidden.


• Antialiasing - Scene anti-aliasing selection: BALANCED or DISABLED.


• Lights - Headlight and ambient light can be turned on and off.

Trademarks

COLLADA is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.
Java and JavaFX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries.
X3D is a registered trademark of Web3D Consortium, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.