Visualization via X3D

[sumpfralle]

Due the broken state of the current OpenGL visualization (see #134), it would be good to find another method for visualizing the current model and toolpaths.

Maybe X3D would be a good candidate.

It could work like this:

• pycam creates an X3D export whenever models or toolpaths change
• the X3D export is rendered in a web browser widget
  • emergency fallback: open in a separate browser

This will also be useful in case anyone wants to implement a web-based application around pycam's scripting feature.

[valeriob01]

I'm sorry to hear you want to use a web browser widget or a separate browser. I'm sure there can be a better solution. It does not seem an enhancement...

[skrewz]

I wouldn't mind a web browser (widget) based approach, FWIW. But isn't the point also that once expressed in X3D, the choices for a rendering platform are open?

[valeriob01]

To me the web-widget is an ugly approach and a crude hack.

[sumpfralle]

the choices for a rendering platform are open?

Yes. At least in Debian I see view3dscene, but it is probably not possible to control this rendering externally. Thus the javascript-based rendering via x3dom looks like my favorite option for now.

To me the web-widget is an ugly approach and a crude hack.

I would be happy, if someone would take over the maintenance of the current OpenGL legacy code in pycam and port it to the current OpenGL standards: 3.x (since 2008) or maybe even 4.x (2010). I am quite sure, that no new graphics hardware sold today is able to render the OpenGL commands in pycam (targeting 2.x, 2004) anymore. Thus a change is inevitable. Just the direction of progress is open for discussion. I welcome any input.

[sumpfralle]

Just for the curious:

Up to now the migration from OpenGL to X3D was surprisingly easy:

• writing X3D representation of all primitives used by pycam was very simple
• loading the resource html file containing the X3D in the webkit widget was also trivial

But there is a good amount of details left for bringing it back to the previous level of comfort:

• the html and x3d files should be provided directly by the pycam process (via http over a local port) instead of using a local directory
• a bit of javascript needs to be written for changing the viewport via gtk controls and for reloading the representation after changes (currently this resets the viewport)
• the required external javascript resource (x3dom - GPL2 or later) will need to be downloaded once and cached locally for offline usage

The current state is available in the branch replace-opengl-with-x3d - but it is surely only suitable for the daring souls ...