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3D Features Planned for Version 8

Introduction

This page presents contains the list of 3D features schedule for JavaFX 8.0

We have been thinking about the possible 3D features for JavaFX 8 for a while. We are now ready to present the plan to the community for review. This information was has also been presented at this year's JavaOne as part of the 3D Made Easy with JavaFX technical session.

Three umbrella JIRA issues were created to capture most of this the work: Movable Camera , 3D Geometry, and 3D Attributes

Here this a link to FX Experience blog on JavaFX 3D Early Access

A list simple examples

• A blue sphere and a red box with mouse control: SphereAndBox.java
• A rectangular mesh: SimpleMeshView.java

Proposed API

Proposed Features

Movable cameras and SubScene

• Camera is now a Node
• Camera can be added to a scene graph
• Camera's position and aim (or orientation) is set using standard Node transform properties and methods
• For backward compatibility, fixed camera need not be added to the scene
• Added new properties for near & far clipping plane
• SubScene is a special Node for scene separation
• It can be used to render part of the Scene with different camera
• Possible use cases are:
  • Picture in picture
  • Overlay for UI controls (needs a static camera)
  • Underlay for background (static or updated less frequently)
  • "HeadsOverlay or "heads-up" display for UI controls in a scene with a moving camera

Camera Class Hierarchy

Code segment

Specifying a Fixed fixed Camera (existing 2.2 API)

// Create a camera and add it to the Scene
Camera camera = new PerspectiveCamera();
scene.setCamera(camera);

Specifying a Movable movable Camera

// Create a camera and add it to the Scene
Camera camera = new PerspectiveCamera();
scene.setCamera(camera);

// Add camera to scene graph (so it can move)
Group cameraGroup = new Group();
cameraGroup.getChildren().add(camera);
root.getChildren().add(cameraGroup);

// Rotate the camera
camera.rotate(45);

// Move the cameraGroup (camera moves with it)
cameraGroup.setTranslateZ(-75);

...

Mesh Class Hierarchy

Code Segment

Defining a MeshView

// Create the arrays of positions, texCoords
float[] positions = createPositions();
float[] texCoords = createUVs();

// Create faces (indices into the positions, texCoord arrays)
int[] faces = createFaces();

// Create a mesh
TriangleMesh mesh = new TriangleMesh();
mesh.setPositions(positions);
mesh.setTexCoords(texCoords);
mesh.setFaces(faces);

// Create meshView
MeshView mv = new MeshView(mesh);

Using Predefined Shapes

// Create a sphere with the given radius
Sphere sphere = new Sphere(10.0);

// Create a sphere with the given radius, number of divisions
Sphere sphere = new Sphere(10.0, 40);

// Create a cylinder with the given radius, and height
Cylinder cylinder = new Cylinder(10.0, 30.0);

// Create a box with the given width, height, and depth
Box box = new Box(1.0, 1.0, 1.0);

// NOTE: Predefined 3D shapes are centered at (0,0,0)

...

Material Class Hierarchy

Code Segment

Defining Lights

// Create point light and add it to the Scene
PointLight light = new PointLight();
light.setColor(Color.RED);
scene.getLights().add(light);

// Add light to scene graph (so it can move)
Group lightGroup = new Group();
lightGroup.getChildren().add(light);
root.getChildren().add(lightGroup);

// Rotate the light
light.rotate(45);

// Move the lightGroup (light moves with it)
lightGroup.setTranslateZ(-75);

Defining Materials

// Create material
Material mat = new PhongMaterial();
Image diffuseMap = new Image("diffuseMap.png");
Image bumpMap = new Image("normalMap.png");

// Set material properties
mat.setDiffuseMap(diffuseMap);
mat.setBumpMap(normalMap);
mat.setSpecularColor(Color.WHITE);

// Use the material for a shape
shape3d.setMaterial(mat);

...

• 3D ray picking already used for 2D primitives with PerspectiveCamera
• Existing limitation when used with depth buffer will be fixed (JIRA: RT-13740)
• We will add support for picking 3D geometry (JIRA: RT-24646)

Proposed API to support 3D picking: Picking3dAPI

Methods added to Node

• A LOD helper method that returns the area of the Node projected onto the physical screen in pixel units.

public double computeAreaInScreen()

• A set of 3D transform  methods

public Point3D sceneToLocal(Point3D scenePoint)
public Point3D sceneToLocal(double sceneX, double sceneY, double sceneZ)
public Point3D localToScene(Point3D localPoint)
public Point3D localToScene(double x, double y, double z)
public Point3D parentToLocal(Point3D parentPoint)
public Point3D parentToLocal(double parentX, double parentY, double parentZ)
public Point3D localToParent(Point3D localPoint)
public Point3D localToParent(double x, double y, double z)

Loader support

• Many 3D file formats exist, such as:
  
  •  Obj, Maya, 3D Studio Max, Collada, KRML
• We will not provide a loader as part of the JavaFX runtime
• We will make sample code available for one or two popular formats