SwirlX3D VRML and X3D Editor

SwirlX3D is a powerful X3D and VRML authoring environment that displays scenes as they are being built. X3D is an interactive 3D medium that is designed from communication over the internet. Not only does it contain a rich variety of geometry nodes, but it also supports animation through TimeSensor, interpolator and Script nodes. It also supports user interaction through sensor nodes. The graphical editing interface of SwirlX3D gives full access to the data structures in an X3D file and is able to preview the completed scene.

Version 1.7 adds support for the new X3D components for CAD, Layout and Layering.

Recent improvements include collision and gravity in preview, comprehensive Undo and Redo commands, clipboard operations for moving branches of the node tree, and an easier node selection process by using the right mouse button on the 3D display to select nodes for editing. HAnim nodes have now been added in preview mode.

In recent releases many new editing dialogs have been added to help with the creation of complicated nodes. These dialogs can be accessed by right clicking on a node in the Node Tree window, and selecting Edit Dialog.

X3D is the language that brings 3D scenes and interactivity to the internet, and to standalone applications. X3D is the open standard for 3D on the internet.

SwirlX3D uses OpenGL for high quality rendering and hardware acceleration.

The main editing window allows access to the full content of the X3D file. Visual verification is possible during the editing process. All data structures are accessible in the windows that surround the 3D screen. Nodes can be selected for editing either by navigating through the node tree, or by selecting an object in the 3D screen with the right mouse button. Changes to the scene are visible in the 3D screen.

The Node window displays all nodes in the scene and controls the selection of nodes for editing. The node tree is the foundation for the 3D data within the X3D scene. New nodes are easily created by selecting a node type from a dialog whose content will change according the nodes that are permitted at the current position in the node tree.

As different nodes are selected the contents of the Fields window will change. Other editing commands specific to the currently selected node can also be accessed by right clicking on the current node.

The Fields windows is used to edit all the fields of the currently selected node. As each node in the node is selected, the fields for that node are displayed in this window and the fields can be directly edited here. In XML terminology the fields are the attributes of the nodes. SFNode and MFNode fields on the other hand correspond to individual or groups of child nodes. The SFNode and MFNode fields can also be edited in this window.

Starting in version 1.3, specialized editing dialogs have been added to facilitate the creation of more complicated nodes. All nodes can be fully edited in the main screen. However, for nodes such as the background nodes illustrated here, a specialized dialog can ease the creation process. More such dialogs are planned to be added in the version 1 series of releases.

The environment window gives access to the Named Nodes, Routes, Protos, Extern Protos, Imports and Exports for the scene. The named nodes and routes are the basis of the animations that can be programmed into X3D.

The preview mode allows the running of the scene to verify animation, TimeSensors, Interpolators and behavior resulting from user interaction. When an animation behavior is added to the scene in the edit screen, it is necessary to start the preview mode to see the results of the animation. For behavior that is bound such as a background or fog, it is also necessary to start the scene running. The same is also true for sounds.