Virtual Reality Modeling Language Specification

Document Change Log

Version 2.0, ISO/IEC WD 14772

August 4, 1996

8/4/96 (rc):

• Released VRML 2.0 Specification.

8/1/96 (rc):

• Many minor fixes (spelling, links, grammar, etc.)

7/30-31/96 (rc):

• Many minor fixes.

7/29/96 (rc):

• Changed CylinderSensor's offset type from SFRotation --> SFFloat.
• Changed default Viewpoint position to 0 0 10 - this was an agreed upon change from a while ago that I forgot to integrate. Helps novices with world building.
• Moved "Concepts - Grouping and Children Nodes" from 4.9.3 to 4.3.1.

7/27/96 (rc):

• Updated Java Reference from Sony.
• Changed Fog's default visibilityRange from 1000 to 0 (off by default!).
• Clarifed Extrusion node - either 1 or N scale and orientation values are required. If 1, then apply to all spine pts - if N then one for each spine pt. This changed the scale defaults BACK to the original 1 1 (rather than the [1 1, 1 1] change made after Draft 3).
• Added PLAIN style to FontStyle (was "").
• Many, many small clarifications.

7/24/96 (rc):

• Added new Script functions to "Concepts - Scripting": loadURL(...) and setDescription(...).
• Changed FontStyle justify field from SFString to MFString as per the Puk-Marrin-Jan referendum.
• New section in Concepts "4.9.7 Time Dependent Nodes" describing shared info on TimeSensor, MovieTexture, and AudioClip. Several important time-based behavior issues were clarified.
• TimeSensor, MovieTexture, and AudioClip have been re-written and clarified. Some important clarifications have been made.
• TimeSensor ignores stopTime if stopTime <= startTime (this used to be a strict inequality) This change provides consistency with AudioClip and MovieTexture and enables a "restart" of time dependent nodes via events at a single point in time.

7/23/96 (rc):

• Moved External API to http://reality.sgi.com/cmarrin/vrml/.
• Clarified that VRML files and Inline files must contain children nodes at the top level.

7/22/96 (rc):

• Assorted small fixes.
• Clarified Viewpoint binding and jump behavior.

7/21/96 (rc):

• Added Box/Cone/Cylinder figures.
• Many clarifications and small fixes.
• Clarified "Concepts - Sensors" section (added Anchor ref).
• concepts: MIME types model/vrml and x-world/x-vrml.

7/19-20/96 (rc):

• Many small corrections and clarifications.
• Clarified PROTOs; especially the IS rules.
• Clarified Background and AudioClip (thanks to Daniel Woods and Chris Fouts).

7/18/96 (rc):

• TimeSensor clarifications (thans to Dan Woods and Chris Fouts). Especially w.r.t. fraction_changed outputting 1.0 at end of cycle.
• Changed AudioClip's duration_changed eventOut type changed from SFFloat to SFTime. This was a mistake.
• Updated latest java.html from Sony.
• Clarified PROTO:
  • first node is the type of the proto (not first node with an IS)
  • DEF's within a PROTO are not exported
• Changed Inline to support generic VRML file syntax (not restricted to child nodes). This was done to be symmetric/consistent with VRML files and prototype rules.
• Many typos and grammar fixes.
• Changed Exrusion scale default -> scale [ 1 1, 1 1 ].

7/17/96 (rc):

• Clarified SpotLight text and added figure.
• Clarified the Binding Node behavior in concepts.html. Bind means top-of-stack, etc.
• Clarified that instanced binding nodes have undefined results.
• Changed Viewpoint bindTime_changed to bindTime

7/15/96 (rc):

• Publish official Draft #3.

7/12-14/96 (rc):

• Fixed lots of links.
• Lots of minor error correctsions and clarifications.

7/11/96 (rc):

• Released unofficial draft of Draft #3.
• Combined all examples into the spec/part1/examples.html section.
• Changed Switch's whichChild to whichChoice to be consistent with choice field naming.
• Added "+" and "-" to illegal first characters for names.
• Clarified PlaneSensor to default to the local XY plane (the text had refs to both XY and XZ).
• Fixed lots of typos and minor errors.
• Added links/ref from nodesRef.html to concepts.html on Grouping nodes (addChildren et al fields) and Bounding boxes (bbox* fields), and removed redundant explanations.
• Changed *Interpolator's value exposedField to keyValue. This avoid the confusion that the value_changed eventOut is tied directly to the value exposedField.

7/10/96 (rc):

• Added Gavin Bell's execution model section to concepts.html. This reordered the section and impacted Scripting and Time sections.

7/9/96 (rc):

• Added/updated missing/old sections (java, conformance, etc.).
• Clarified that DEF, USE, PROTO, EXTERNPROTO, TRUE, FALSE, NULL, eventIn, eventOut, field, exposedField, IS, and TO are illegal names (concepts.html).
• Sony: Java.html: Remove base node class which implements Node.

7/8/96 (Sony) (to Java Reference):

• Add base node classes which implement Node.

7/7/96 (rc):

• Numerous style and structure changes as per ISO meeting.
• Changed SFImage (and thus PixelTexture) to use RGBA (A = alpha), rather than RGBT (T=transparency). This change was motivated by the fact that most image formats and rendering libraries specify in terms of alpha or opacity, not transparency.
• Created new sections as per ISO (empty for now).
• Added section numbers to Concepts section.
• Moved long examples out of Concepts into examples.html.

7/3/96 (rc): (note: many of these changes were part of cm's pre-nuptial spree, the rest were undo's of cm's changes...rc)

• Viewpoint description field was restored to non-exposed as per Draft 2b. Since this field is a hint to the browser, it may not have any effect and thus should not be encouraged to be changed.
• TouchSensor hit* eventOuts where changed to be hit*_changed as per naming convention.
• Shape appearance and geometry fields were exposed.
• PointLight and SpotLight default radius changed to 100 meters (from 1m).
• NavigationInfo's avatarSize field defaults were changed to a more typical avatar size (from a radius of 1 meter to an avatar with a radius of 0.25m, eye height of 1.6m, and maximum step height of 0.75m). Also, the bind_changed event out was changed to isBound as per the field naming exceptions.
• isActive eventOut was added to MovieTexture to be consistent with the AudioClip node.
• Added set_*index eventIns to IndexedFaceSet and IndexedLineSet. This enables the geometry to be changed from a script.
• FontStyle fields were restored to not exposed to keep the implementation easier and since multiple FontStyles can give most of the effect needed.
• Fog was changed as follows: the size field was removed, Fog is now a bindable node (thus only one is active at a time and no need for size), fogType was added for more fog effects, and set_bind and isBound events were added to allow binding. This change was made mostly to make the implementation easier (multiple Fog nodes with limits was extremely difficult to implement). Default visibilityRange changed from 1 to 1000. The two values of fogType are: LINEAR and EXPONENTIAL (originally the second type was named "FOG" and thus not very clear).   ; )
• CylinderSensor, PlaneSensor, and SphereSensor had offset and autoOffset exposed fields added - this fixes a major problem with these sensors. See concepts.html#DragSensors for for a summary and see nodesRef.html for specifics per node.
• Background's bind_changed changed to isBound as per style exception in Concepts.
• Clarified field naming exceptions in Concepts (see /concepts.html#FileSyntaxandStructure).
• All events with the name *Time_changed that represent actual timestamp had the _changed suffix removed, as per the style exception defined in Draft 2. This was done for readability and comprehension.
• All bbox_size fields defaults changed from (0,0,0) to (-1,-1,-1). Where (-1,-1,-1) means unspecified by the user (and thus up to the browser to compute), and (0,0,0) defines an infinitely small, (i.e. point), bbox. Added section to Key Concepts on bboxes (.../spec/concepts.html#BoundingBoxes).
• Removed "_" from add_children and remove_children fields of group nodes.
• duration eventOut on AudioClip was changed to duration_changed.
• Decided not to pluralize the MF fields - made all fields singular (w/ exception of children).

7/2/96 (rc):

• Updated to Working Draft #3 titles and date. Most of these are described in the 7/3 log.

7/5/96 (Sony) (to Java Reference):

• The return value of createVrmlFromURL() changes from Node to void.
• The return value of createVrmlFromString() changes from Node to Node[].
• Add 'createVrmlFromURL' and 'addRoute' example(thanks to Justin Couch (jtc@hq.adied.oz.au))

7/3/96 (Sony) (to Java Reference):

• Change from 'interface Node' to 'class Node'.
• Inline script part is deleted.(thanks to Mik Clark(raz89@dial.pipex.com))

7/1/96 (Sony) (to Java Reference):

• Add 'File extension' and 'MIME type' section.
• Add 'Exception' classes example(thanks to Gad Barnea(barnea@easynet.fr)).

6/27/96 (Sony) (to Java Reference):

• The return value's type of Node's getValue() method changed from 'ConstField' to 'Field'.
• Add 'shutdown()' method to 'Script' class.
• Add 'getWorldTitle()' and 'setWorldTitle()' methods to 'Browser' class.
• Add the description on how to resolve user-defined classes(thanks to Mik Clarke (RAZ89@DIAL.PIPEX.COM)).

6/14-24/96 (cfm):

• Lots of undocumented changes. NOTE: I have attempted to document then in later log messages above. (7/2/96...rc).

6/14/96 (cfm):

• Updated External API to reflect discussions.
• Offer HTML, compressed HTML and compressed Postscript versions of spec.

6/5/96 (cfm):

• Added first draft of External API and externalBindings (for review).
• Added Script voting page

6/4/96 (rc):

• Released Draft #2b.
• Reinstated the Java Reference section (added link to front page).
• Moved the VRMLScript Reference section to an equal level to the Java Reference.
• Removed any statements REQUIRING a scripting language (until further notice).
• Added link to the External API section (TBD).

5/30/96 (rc):

• Released Draft #2.

5/29-30/96 (rc):

• Renamed ElevationGrid fields: verticesPerColumn/Row to x/yDimension, renamed gridSize to x/ySpacing - due to many requests and inquiries.
• Various document fixes and final cleanup, spell-check, and details.
• scriptType was removed from the Script node - use the data: or vrmlscript: syntax.

5/28/96 (rc):

• Added bboxCenter, bboxSize, add_children and remove_children eventIns to Anchor, Billboard, and Collision.
• Background's sky/groundRange field renamed to sky/groundAngle for clarity.
• Daniel Woods re-wrote the Interpolators sections in concepts.html and nodesRef.html (all Interpolators) - mostly clarifications and improvements.

5/21-27/96 (rc):

• Background URL fields changed from pos/neg/xyz to backUrl, bottonUrl, frontUrl, leftUrl, rightUrl, and topUrl to remain consistent with keeping url in all URL field names.
• Browser camera is child of the current Viewpoint (at all times). Current NavigationInfo is automatically parented to current Viewpoint too.
• Added jump exposedField to Viewpoint node - if TRUE, then when binding to Viewpoint, browser must move current view to this Viewpoint.
• Binding rules for Background, NavigationInfo, and Viewpoint (see concepts) were clarified - multiple set_bind of TRUE simply move the node to top of stack (not added twice), while set_bind FALSE of an unbound node have no effect.
• For nested hierarchies of ProxitySensors or VisibilitySensors, all sensors output. If instanced, the user the union of the boxes to test against.
• Various clarifications and consistency improvements to TouchSensor, CylinderSensor, PlaneSensor, and SphereSensor.
• Merged DiskSensor into CylinderSensor - one sensor can do both.
• For nested hierarchies of TouchSensor/CylinderSensor/PlaneSensor/SphereSensor, the lowest node outputs. If siblings, then each one outputs. If instanced, then check each instance every test.
• For nested hierarchies of Collisions, the nearest collision and lowest node outputs. If instanced, then check each instance every test.
• Changed all eventIns and eventOuts to use the recommended naming syntax: set_foo and foo_changed (exceptions for Bool and Time eventOuts - use isFoo for Bool and fooTime for Time).
• Spec does not comment on whether Examine view mode (or any mode for that matter) performs collision detection - this left up to the browsers.
• ProximitySensors do send pos/orient outputs when viewer exits.
• LineSet and PointSet nodes do not perform collisions (since they have no area).
• Clarified sensors edge conditions - browser needs to handle this.
• Significant changes to TimeSensor - defaults have changed and evaluation has been clarified and changed.
• Changed bind and isBound to set_bind and bind_changed in Background, NavigationInfo, and Viewpoint nodes to be consistent with naming recommendations.
• Clarified TouchSensor to output hit* events when pointer moves regardless if isActive is TRUE -- this enables drag-n-drop actions.
• Moved file syntax defs to top of node sections in Node Reference.
• NavigationInfo - recommend that near plane = 1/4 avatar size.
• Re-wrote VisibilitySensor section - clarifications only.
• Changed VisibilitySensor's bboxCenter and bboxSize exposedFields to center and size in order to clarify that these boxes are not necessarily bounding boxes and to make more consistent with ProximitySensor's box specs.
• Added the missing isActive field to PlaneSensor.
• Replaced TimeSensor's discrete field with cycleTime eventOut - much simpler.
• Re-wrote TimeSensor and AudioClip for clarity.
• Removed VisibilitySensor's isActive field and added the field enabled.
• Spell check on NodeRef.html.
• Moved sections at the top of Node Reference (e.g. Lights and Lighting) to Key Concepts.
• A variety of minor style changes and clarifications to Node Reference and Key Concepts.

5/9/96 (rc):

• Improved TimeSensor section
• Miscellaneous clarifications

4/19/96 (rc):

• Clarified ideal spatial Sound implementation
• ProximitySensor bbox size of (0 0 0) no longer uses the parent's bbox - it disables the sensor.
• Changed all url fields to be exposedFields (Anchor, AudioClip, Inline, *Texture, Script)
• Removed numPoints from PointSet.

4/18/96 (rc):

• Published Draft #1:

http://vag.vrml.org/VRML2.0/DRAFT1/spec.main.html

4/17/96 (rc):

• Changed comma to be a whitespace character
• Added parameters field to Anchor
• Changed Anchor fields to be exposed

4/12/96 (cm):

• Fixed lots of links and caught some instances of old node names
• Fixed error in Anchor example caught by mott
• Got rid of duplicate FontStyle description caught by jkent
• Got rid of image field in ImageTexture node
• Fixed error in NavigationInfo of misnamed and duplicated avatarSize field

4/2/96 (rc):

• Changed ClickSensor to TouchSensor (as per Denton, almost)
• Major update/rewrite Text and FontStyle nodes and description (thanx to Jan H.).
• Redesigned texture nodes: renamed Texture2 to ImageTexture, created MovieTexture, and created PixelTexture (no URL, just pixels)
• Changed Fog's maximumVisibility to visibilityRange
• Changed BoxProximitySensor to ProximitySensor (since there's only one now)
• Removed hit* fields and enabled field from PlaneSensor
• Changed all URL fields (e.g. filename) to `url' - let's face it these are URLs, not files (e.g. data:...").
• Removed WWW prefix from all nodes . Too many nodes now have URLs in them - prefer to keep the names simple and clear.
• Made the following changes to simplify: Coordinate3 -> Coordinate, Texture2Transform -> TextureTransform, TextureCoordinate2 -> TextureCoordinate.
• Changed Cube to Box ( to be more geometrically correct), and merged fields into a single size Vec3f. (Note that Sphere is a sphere since it is defined by a radius, not 3 radii.)
• Minor Fog re-write and field name change
• Added bind and isBound fields to NavInfo, Viewpoint, Background, and wrote the section Bindable Leaf Nodes.
• Added clickTime to TimeSensor and re-defined time as absolute (not relative)

3/24/96 (rc):

• Re-organized and alphabetized nodes in Node Ref
• Added Billboard
• Replaced PointSound and DirectedSound with Sound and AudioClip
• Changed/updated GeneralCylinder to Extrusion

3/23/96 (rc):

• Texture2Transform fields exposed
• Disallowed exposed fields in Script nodes
• ColorInterpolate's "eventOut outValue" changed from MF to SFColor to match the Material node
• Re-wrote the Interpolator's section - added more detail
• Lots of minor re-org to improve readability
• Added WWWMovieTexture and ImageTexture
• Changed Texture2 to WWWTexture2 - removed image field

3/5/96(cm): Removed voting booth. Added BNF syntax section to spec. Misc. edits to spec.

1/24/96(cm): Added questions to the voting booth.

1/24/96(cm): More spec refinements, more logos and a Sample Software section.

1/23/96(cm): Added API and major spec update.

1/16/96(cm): First public version.

1/8/96 (gb): Created.

Contact rikk@best.com, cmarrin@sgi.com, or gavin@acm,org with questions or comments.

Original URL: http://vrml.sgi.com/moving-worlds/spec/changeLog.html

Local site : http://www.topedge.com
This material is featured under the TopPanel called TeaPot courtesy of Gavin Bell and Chris Marrin.