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| R2012a Documentation → Simulink 3D Animation | |
Learn more about Simulink 3D Animation |
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There is more than one way to create a virtual world defined with VRML code. For example, you can use a text editor to write VRML code directly, or you can use a VRML editor to create a virtual world without having to know anything about the VRML language. However, you must understand the structure of a VRML scene to connect your virtual world to Simulink blocks and signals.
For a description of the tools to view virtual worlds, see Viewing Virtual Worlds.
The 3D World Editor is the default VRML editor for the Simulink 3D Animation product. For details about specifying a VRML editor, see Set the Default Viewer.
As you create a virtual world, you can use different editors for different phases of the creation process. You can choose the editor that best meets your needs. For a description of the benefits and limitations of different types of editors, see the next section.
You use a VRML editor to create the virtual worlds that you connect to Simulink block diagrams.
A VRML file uses a standard text format that you can read with any text editor. Reading the VRML code in a text editor is useful for debugging and for directly changing VRML code, as well as for automated processing of the code. If you use the correct VRML syntax, you can use any common text editor to create virtual worlds.
Many people prefer to create simple virtual worlds using their favorite text editor. However, the primary way for you to create a virtual world is with a 3-D editing tool. These tools allow you to create complex virtual worlds without a deep understanding of the VRML language.
These 3-D editing tools offer the power and versatility necessary for creating many types of practical and technical models. For example, you can import 3-D objects from some CAD packages to make the authoring process easier and more efficient.
The Simulink 3D Animation software includes the 3D World Editor, which you can use on all supported platforms for the Simulink 3D Animation product. For Windows platforms, you can also use Ligos V-Realm Builder software to create and edit VRML code.
You can use any other VRML editor or text editor to build your VRML environment or world.
3D World Editor — The 3D World Editor, which the Simulink 3D Animation software installs and makes the default editor. You can use the 3D World Editor on all platforms that the Simulink 3D Animation supports.
For Microsoft Windows platforms — In addition to the 3D World Editor, Simulink 3D Animation software also includes the Ligos V-Realm Builder software Version 2.0.
For information on using V-Realm Builder software with the Simulink 3D Animation product, in the MATLAB Help browser, see the V-Realm builder documentation section (the last main section of the Simulink 3D Animation documentation).
Other third-party VRML editors.
The MATLAB editor or other text editor.
For VRML authoring, there are two main types of 3-D editing tools:
General 3-D editors that can export into VRML format
Native VRML authoring tools
General 3–D Editors. General 3-D editors do not use VRML as their native format. They export their formats to VRML. There are many products, such as 3D Studio, SolidWorks®, or Autodesk® Maya, that can do this. These tools have many features and are relatively easy to use.
General 3-D editing tools target specific types of work. For example, they can target visual art, animation, games, or technical applications. They offer different working environments depending on the application area for which they are designed. Some of these general 3-D editing tools are very powerful, expensive, and complex to learn, but others are relatively inexpensive and might satisfy your specific needs.
The graphical user interfaces for many of the general commercial 3-D editors use features typical of the native VRML editing tools. For example, in addition to displaying 3-D scenes in various graphical ways, they also offer hierarchical tree styles that provide a good overview of the model structure and a convenient shortcut to node definitions.
Native VRML Editors. Native VRML editors use VRML as their native format. All the features in the editor are compatible with VRML. Also, native VRML editors support features that are unique for the VRML format, such as interpolators and sensors.
The Simulink 3D Animation software includes two native VRML editors:
The 3D World Editor works on all platforms supported for Simulink 3D Animation product. The V-Realm Builder interface works on Windows platforms only.
The 3D World Editor works on all supported platforms for the Simulink 3D Animation product. The 3D World Editor is installed as part of the Simulink 3D Animation installation, and it is the default VRML editor.
3D World Editor is a native VRML authoring tool that provides a convenient interface to the VRML syntax. The editor supports all VRML97 types and language elements. Its primary file format is VRML97.
The 3D World Editor provides a simple graphical interface for 3-D editing.
It also offers a hierarchical tree style (in the tree structure pane) of all the elements present in the virtual world. These structure elements are called nodes. The 3D World Editor lists the nodes and their properties according to their respective VRML node types. The tree lets you easily change the nesting levels of certain nodes to modify the virtual world according to your ideas. In the tree viewer, you can give the nodes unique names.
The 3D World Editor includes an object properties edit pane, in which you can change values for a property that you select in the tree structure pane.
The 3D World Editor renders inlined objects (grouped objects) and it uses the same renderer as the Simulink 3D Animation viewer. Using the same renderer for the editor and the viewer provides consistent navigation and display throughout the development process.
For details about using the 3D World Editor, see Example of Building a Virtual World and Connecting It to a Simulink Model and Using the 3D World Editor.
The Ligos V-Realm Builder interface is available only for Windows operating systems.
The V-Realm Builder application also is a flexible, graphically oriented tool for 3-D editing. It provides similar functionality as the 3D World Editor.
As of R2010b, the V-Realm Builder offers these features that the 3D World Editor does not:
Manipulators — for dragging objects in the 3–D world
Keyframe animation — animation involving interpolated linear movements
Compared to the 3D World Editor, the V-Realm Editor interface:
Provides dialog boxes for editing properties, which can be less streamlined than the 3D World Editor object properties edit pane
Does not always render virtual worlds the same way as the viewer
Does not support rendering inlined objects
For more information about the V-Realm Editor, in the MATLAB Help browser, at the bottom of the list of Simulink 3D Animation topics, see the following sections:
V-Realm Builder
Working with V-Realm Builder
 | Build Virtual Reality Worlds | Example of Building a Virtual World and Connecting It to a Simulink Model |  |
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