ABOUT WHITE_DUNE
 White_dune is a low level VRML97 tool for Unix/Linux/MacOSX and M$Windows.
It can read VRML97 files, display and let the user change the scenegraph/fields.
Unlike most highlevel tools, it uses a light model based on the VRML97 standard.

White_dune is not complete yet, especially in the 3D preview window. But even if you do not see the node/field in 3D, you can graphically change the values.

White_dune is a simple NURBS/SuperFormula 3D Modeller, but it do not have tools to change polygon meshes (VRML97 IndexedFaceSet nodes) that can be taken seriously (yet).
VRML97 IndexedFaceSet nodes can be created via conversion from NurbsSurface nodes oder SuperFormula PROTOs or by "pure VRML97" export, but for some tasks you may prefer to work with a polygon mesh 3D modeller with VRML97 export and enhance the results (e.g. color, texture, lightning, animation, interaction....) in white_dune.
white_dune support the VRML97 Inline node, which allows a workflow by using different tools together.

Beside zillions of closed source 3D modellers with VRML97 export, there are free software/opensource 3D modellers with VRML97 (mesh) export:

Depending on hard- and software, white_dune can be a immersive VRML editor with support for stereoscopic view and support for 3D inputdevices.
Click here for more information

COPYRIGHT "white_dune" continue the work of Stephen F. White on the program "dune".
Dune (and therefore white_dune) is free Software under the GNU General Public License (GPL)
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
  • The usage of a 3D hardwareaccelated graphicscard with OpenGL driver support will speedup things dramitically
  • Most (but not all) OpenGL implementations require at least a color depth of 15 Bit (32768 colors on the screen)
  • A halfbaken 3D-desktop like compiz may not work properly with 3D hardwareaccelated applications like white_dune. You may want to use a desktop switcher like CompizSwitch before starting white_dune.
WHAT IS VRML97? VRML97 (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) is the ISO standard for displaying 3D data over the web via browserplugins. It has support for animation, realtime interaction and multimedia (image, movie, sound). VRML97 can be used for scientific visualisations, Web3D games and much more. VRML97 can be written by popular programs like maya, catia, 3D Studio MAX, cinema4D and others. VRML97 can be used in immersive enviroments like Powerwall, CAVE or HMD.

Here is an example what can be done with VRML97 and can be displayed without problems with white_dune today (VRML97 plugin or external viewer requiered).

Here is an example that has been exclusivly created in white_dune (using some image texture files) (VRML97 plugin or viewer with VRML97 Amendment 1 NURBS support (or cosmoplayer) required).

Beside there are some "free beer" VRML browser/viewers available, there are various free software/opensource VRML browsers/viewers:

  • FreeWRL support stereoscopic "toe in" view and HMD (Linux/MacOSX).
    You can download a white_dune like inputdevice driver for FreeWRL's "/tmp/inpdev" joystick input interface here.
    Click here for more information.
  • Xj3D is a X3D/VRML200x browser with VRML97 backward compatibilty (systems supported by java3D)
  • OpenVMRL/lookat contain a VRML parsing/display library/sdk (Linux/Win32/MacOS)
  • Kambi VRML game engine
Conformance to VRML97
(ISO/IEC 14772-1:1997)		 White_dune is a VRML97 editor, not a VRML browser.
  • The incomplete 3D preview of white_dune will not pass the rules of conformance of a VRML browser for a long time.
    For example currently is nothing available for things like sound or interacting in the VRML way with mouse sensors.
    You can create/maintain this things, but you can not see them working without using a real VRML browser.
  • A total different topic is the question about the rules of conformance of a VRML generator . It reads

    "A VRML generator is conforming to this part of ISO/IEC 14772 if all VRML files that are generated are syntactically correct"

    and

    "A VRML generator conforms to the base profile if it can be configured such that all VRML files generated conform to the base profile.".

    As far as we know, white_dune passes this VRML generator conformance rules, if you do not load a invalid VRML97 file into it.
    White_dune (as a lowlevel tool) tries to write back any input without changing content and do not contain a foolproove VRML validator.
Contributers
(from copyright statements)
  • Stephen F. White (wrote dune-0.13, a full featured portable graphical VRML editor, the base of this program)
  • J. "MUFTI" Scheurich (changed about 137 of 154 source files and about 131 of 147 header files, added english/german documentation, fixed bugs and added some features like VR support (3D-inputdevices/stereoview)), experimental X3DV export/import etc.)
  • Ian Lance Taylor (rclex.l, rcparse.y)
  • Patrick Powell, Brandon Long, Thomas Roessler, Michael Elkins (mysnprintf.c/h)
  • Chris Morley/OpenVRML (pngLoad.c/h and codebase of hull creation of NodeExtrusion::createMesh and supporting functions)
  • Kirk L. Johnson (gif.c/h)
  • Thiemo Seufer (initial debian packaging, modifications to port version 0.17 back to M$Windows)
  • Christian Hanisch (ColorCircle.cpp)
  • Kevin Meinert/VRJuggler (aflock.cpp/h)
  • J. Dean Brederson/I3Stick (aflock.cpp/h)
  • Herbert Stocker (modifications to port version 0.19 back to M$Windows, hint to save before crash on M$Windows)
  • Bart/VRMLSUCK (website design, black&white icons, keyboard shortcuts and original of example world)
  • Steve Baker/TUX_AQFH (Tux 3D Modell of the logo)
  • Aaron Cram/SAND Dune (DevIL support, "open in almost the same window", some bugfixes)
  • Maksim Diachkov (slackware Linux packaging, added russian translation of documentation)
  • John Stewart/ FreeWRL (base of NodeIndexedFaceSet::generateTextureCoordinates, base of rendering of Background sphere)
  • Sam Lantinga/ SDL (codebase of SDLJoystick)
  • Max Horn/ SDL (darwin/SDL_sysjoystick.c)
  • Thomas Rothermel (primitive to nurbssurface conversion, nurbsline revolve)
  • Philippe Lavoie/ NURBS++ (part of NurbsCurveDegreeElevate.cpp)
  • Harun Sentuerk (keyboardless usage preparation)
  • Markus Schneider (MacOSX droplet)
  • Martin Briegel (MacOSX droplet)
  • Jens Wilhelm (bugfixing and M$Windows related improvements)
  • Wu Qingwei (handles of Cylinder, Cone, Sphere and Extrusion, port of Extrusion rendering, port of Background sphere)
  • Roberto Angeletti (configurable point size patch, translated menu/dialogs and usage documentation to italian)
  • Satoshi Konno/cybergarage (codebase of cap creation of NodeExtrusion::createMesh)
  • Haining Zhi (translation of german tutorial to english language, experimental M$Windows inputdevices, inputdevice settings)
  • Free Software Foundation, Inc/gcc (lex string parsing rule)
  • orbisnap (patches to NodeExtrusion::createMesh)
  • Hubert Alwin Kaißer (VRML-CD (based on game knoppix 3.7) containing white_dune)
  • Dr. Guido Kramann (free motion capture VRML files)
  • Philippe Coval (debian packaging and related bugfixes)
  • Pawel W. Olszta (openglutfont.c/h)
  • The OpenGLUT contributors (openglutfont.c/h)
  • all freeglut contributors (openglutfont.c/h)
  • Spencer Kimball/gimp (images in lib/textures)
  • Peter Mattis/gimp (images in lib/textures)
  • Luigi Auriemma (reported two security problems)
  • Gilles Debunne/QGLViewer (Quaternion::Quaternion(Vec3f from, Vec3f to))
  • Leonardo Zide/LeoCAD (Util::convertLDrawColor2LeoCADColor, icon for LdrawDatExport node)
  • Janosch Gräf (libnxtusb part of nxtDials::nxtDials)
  • The Open Group (swSetFontPath() from xset)
  • Michalis Kamburelis (added documentation about rendering bugs)
  • Giacomo Poderi (some translation of italian menus)
 
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