Post

Naming Nodes

Posted Updated
By CREATE3000
2 min read
Naming Nodes

Motivation

  • If several shapes have the same geometry or appearance, you must use multiple duplicate nodes, one for each use
  • Instead, define a name for the first occurrence of a node
  • Later, use that name to share the same node in a new context

Syntax: DEF

The DEF syntax gives a name to a node.

XML Encoding

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<Shape>
  <Appearance>
    <Material DEF='RedColor'
        diffuseColor='1.0 0.0 0.0'/>
  </Appearance>
  <!-- geometry ... -->
</Shape>

Classic VRML Encoding

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Shape {
  appearance Appearance {
    material DEF RedColor Material {
      diffuseColor 1.0 0.0 0.0
    }
  }
  geometry ...
}

Using DEF

  • DEF must be in upper-case
  • You can name any node
  • Names can be most any sequence of letters and numbers
    • Names must be unique within a file

Syntax: USE

The USE syntax uses a previously named node

XML Encoding

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<Shape>
  <Appearance>
    <Material USE='RedColor'/>
  </Appearance>
  <!-- geometry ... -->
</Shape>

Classic VRML Encoding

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Shape {
  appearance Appearance {
    material USE RedColor
  }
  geometry ...
}

Using USE

  • USE must be in upper-case
  • A re-use of a named node is called an instance
  • A named node can have any number of instances
    • Each instance shares the same node description
    • You can only instance names defined in the same file

Using named nodes

Naming and using nodes:

  • Saves typing
  • Reduces file size
  • Enables rapid changes to shapes with the same attributes
  • Speeds browser processing

Names are also necessary for animation …

A sample use of node names

XML Encoding

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<Inline
    url='"table.x3dv"'/>
<Transform
    translation='0.95 0 0'>
  <Inline DEF='Chair'
      url='"chair.x3dv"'/>
</Transform>
<Transform
    translation='-0.95 0 0'
    rotation='0 1 0 3.14'>
  <Inline USE='Chair'/>
</Transform>
<Transform
    translation='0 0 0.95'
    rotation='0 1 0 4.71318530717959'>
  <Inline USE='Chair'/>
</Transform>
<Transform
    translation='0 0 -0.95'
    rotation='0 1 0 1.57'>
  <Inline USE='Chair'/>
</Transform>

Classic VRML Encoding

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Inline {
  url "table.x3dv"
}

Transform {
  translation 0.95 0.0 0.0
  children DEF Chair Inline {
    url "chair.x3dv"
  }
}

Transform {
  translation -0.95 0.0 0.0
  rotation 0.0 1.0 0.0 3.14
  children USE Chair
}

Transform {
  translation 0.0 0.0 0.95
  rotation 0.0 1.0 0.0 -1.57
  children USE Chair
}

Transform {
  translation 0.0 0.0 -0.95
  rotation 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.57
  children USE Chair
}

Example

Dinette

Summary

  • DEF names a node
  • USE uses a named node
Tutorials
Naming Nodes
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.

Shapes, Geometry, and Appearance