X3D-Edit 4.0 Authoring Tool for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics

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X3D-Edit is a free, open-source Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics authoring tool for simple high-quality authoring, editing, import/export, validation and viewing of X3D scenes.

Overview

The X3D-Edit 4.0 Authoring Tool for Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics supports the creation, checking, display and publication of X3D scenes. It is written in open-source Java and XML using the NetBeans platform, available as a plugin module for the NetBeans integrated development environment (IDE).

Motivation for X3D-Edit design has always been centered around authors making great X3D content for Web users, precise implementation of the X3D specifications, and quality assurance (QA) for producing reliable results.

X3D-Edit features include direct editing of X3D scenes using the XML (.x3d) encoding, embedded visualization of scenes using an enhanced version of the original Xj3D viewer, XML validation using X3D DTD grammars, X3D Schema grammars and X3D Schematron rules, drag-and-drop palette for X3D nodes, popup panels for node editing, and extensive help resources. Menu selections provide import/export support for the VRML97 (.wrl), ClassicVRML (.x3dv) and X3D compressed binary (.x3db) encodings. Further features include encryption and digital-signature authentication using XML Security standards, and additional X3D scene authoring support.

X3D-Edit 4.0 is stable and available for public use.

Acknowledgements

X3D-Edit 4.0 was created by Don Brutzman, Mike Bailey, and Terry Norbraten.

Additional help and feedback was provided by Don McGregor and Jeff Weekley, together with the MV3204 Introduction to X3D Graphics and the MV4205 Advanced X3D Graphics classes at NPS.

We gratefully acknowledge further assistance by Leonard Daly (Daly Realism), Alan Hudson (Yumetech), Rick Goldberg (Aniviza), plus members of the Web3D Consortium and the X3D Graphics Working Group.

X3D-Edit was built as an externally funded research project performed by the Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) Institute at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey California USA.

Research and development inquiries are welcome. We are happy to discuss the possibility of embedding other open-source Java libraries and providing further X3D functionality within X3D-Edit.

Books

• Among other things, X3D-Edit supports the book X3D: Extensible 3D Graphics for Web Authors by Don Brutzman and Leonard Daly, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, April 2007, 468 pages. Related support includes chapter slidesets, example scenes (available via X3D-Edit menu X3D -> Examples), mailing lists, and videos.
• X3D Resources: Books lists additional X3D and VRML books.
• Helpful reference for NetBeans users: 100 NetBeans Tips and Tricks by Ruth Kusterer, Prentice Hall 2008, 170 pages. (online review, list)
• Helpful reference for NetBeans developers: NetBeans Platform for Beginners: Modular Application Development for the Java Desktop by Jason Wexbridge and Walter Nyland, Leanpub 2014. Also available as co-bundle: Exercises in Porting to the NetBeans Platform by the same authors.
• Helpful reference for Collada authors: COLLADA: Sailing the Gulf of 3D Digital Content Creation by Remi Arnaud and Mark Barnes, A.K. Peters 2006, 250 pages. (website)
• A helpful reference for KML authors is The KML Handbook: Geographic Visualization for the Web by Josie Wernecke, Addison-Wesley 2008, 368 pages.
• A key reference for NetBeans application development is Rich Client Programming: Plugging into the NetBeans Platform by Tim Boudreau, Jaroslav Tulach, and Geertjan Wielenga, Prentice Hall April 2007, 640 pages.

Downloads

Preferred installation of X3D-Edit within NetBeans is via the panel NetBeans > Tools > Plugins > Available Plugins.

We are now using Java OpenJDK 24.0.1 and Apache NetBeans 26. Minimum installation prerequisites: Java JDK 18 or better, NetBeans 18 or better.

The trusted NetBeans Plugin Update Center (image) includes a direct download link for the latest X3D-Edit plugin module. Plugin portal download statistics show over 24,000 downloads since May 2023.

To confirm necessary steps for your trusted NetBeans plugin installation, here are example screenshots:

New installation issue. If you are using OpenJDK 24 or later, the large extensibility of the X3D XML DOCTYPE is now affected by restrictions on use of JAXP. The following setting must be applied to the netbeans.conf configuration file. Please see Savage Developers Guide: NetBeans for more details.

• -J-Djdk.xml.entityExpansionLimit=5000

Additional download assets are also available online.

• X3D-Edit 4.0 installers on SourceForge provides separate copies of the latest versions of standalone executable applications. These are separately maintained on with over 2300 additional downloads since July 2022.
  • For windows systems, there is currently a NetBeans bug preparing the standalone application. We plan to again offer that variation in the future, once feasible.
• Also periodically available on SourceForge: Pre-Release Testing versions.
• Release modules are also published in Maven Central Repository: X3D-Edit.
• Savage Developers Guide describes system configuration supporting various software projects by the NPS MOVES Savage Research Group.

Features

X3D-Edit has grown in parallel to development of the X3D Specification, testing X3D functionality throughout years of development. Built-in features include:

• Open source, royalty free, cross-platform, manual updates
• Text editing or tree navigation, with color-coded syntax checking of XML source and JavaScript editing
• Drag-and-drop palette for adding new nodes, such as Shape customizer for quickly choosing and adding geometry
• Customized editors for each node, along with download wizard for the X3D example archives
• X3D Validator checkmark button for quality assurance (QA) provides multiple validation, data checking and format-conversion capabilities (also available via X3D Validator online)
• Extensive help system includes multilingual X3D Tooltips and X3D Standards
• View changes using embedded Xj3D viewer, external Web browser plugin, or configurable set of selectable X3D viewers
• Launch an X3D scene into another configurable set of selectable X3D authoring tools
• Rich set of user-addable NetBeans plugins including version control using Subversion (svn), Concurrent Versioning System (cvs) or Mercurial

X3D-Edit Preferences panel exposes numerous settings for users.

• X3D-Edit is able to launch user-downloaded external tools for further editing of multimedia files. User invocation of these cross-platform tools is provided as part of the url editor or the meta tag editor.
• X3D User Preferences supports download, installation and launch of a variety of X3D players. Testing all players at once is an excellent way to confirm consistent playability.
  • See X3D Resources: Applications, Players and Plugins for a complete list of available X3D players.
• X3D-capable authoring tools can be used to complement X3D-Edit functionality when creating X3D scenes.
  • Launch and installation support is provided for Blender, BS Content Studio, MeshLab, Paraview, Okino NuGraph, Seamless3d, UltraEdit, White Dune and Wings3d (launch menu)
  • See X3D Resources: Authoring Software for a complete list of available X3D-capable authoring tools.
• User preferences provide support for launching a variety of authoring tools.
  • Audio tools: Audacity
  • HTML/XML/SVG/text tools: Amaya, Inkscape svg-edit and UltraEdit
  • Video tools: vlc video player
  • Image tools: GIMP, Fiji, ImageJ, ImageMagick (screenshot)
  • Volume authoring and image-slicing tools: Fiji, ImageJ, ITK-SNAP, Seg3D, and 3D Slicer
• X3D-Edit Visualization Preferences exposes user preferences when adding X3D-Edit visualization widgets to X3D scenes.
• CAD Filters provides parameters for CAD Distillation Filter (CDF) geometry reduction.
• XML Security preferences panel provides links to the local keystore and instructions.

New and additional features include the following.

• Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) authoring support: the following screenshot images show how to download X3D Examples archives, then autolaunch CORS http server on localhost, then render an X3D model using X_ITE. This is a common workflow for X_ITE presentation. Some steps require no change with repetition, so your ability to edit and review can go quickly.
  1. Download X3D Examples Archives. Select an archive to download, for example X3D for Web Authors is great for learning X3D.
  2. Download Complete X3D For Web Authors (X3D4WA) Archive. The Download X3D Examples Archives lets you choose any of seven complete archives. Directory location can be chosen, otherwise defaults to user desktop.
  3. X3D Examples Archives Enable Autolaunch. X3D-Edit asks if you want a CORS http server started on localhost automatically as a user preference. Select Yes or else control via CORS panel tab.
  4. Box Example Source X3D-Edit. Select and open a model of interest in X3D-Edit. Numerous editing features are available.
  5. Download CORS Localhost http Server Running. The CORS localhost http server panel allows you to control starting, stopping and inspecting the localhost http server. This is needed for X_ITE to work locally.
  6. X_ITE Player Panel. The corresponding tab for X_ITE Player shows the localhost addresses used for embedding a url reference in an HTML page.
  7. X_ITE Export File Chooser. X3D-Edit creates a web page (filename default ending in “X_ITE.html”) to save your exported result. You can choose a different name and directory, if desired.
  8. X3DFWA Chapter 02 Geometry Primitives BoxExample X_ITE. Your localhost model should now render correctly using X_ITE.
  Note that X3DOM export is also available using X3D-Edit, but those pages include all X3D source withing the page and so X3DOM rendering does not require a CORS http server on localhost.
• More information on CORS is available at X3D Scene Authoring Hints, Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) Restrictions.
• Panel utilities: improved X3D-Edit Author Workflow includes HTML5 DOM export using either X3DOM or X_ITE (formerly Cobweb), Rotation Calculator (example scene), Axis Lines RGB (screenshot) as a scalable XYZ axis-display option on the Shape interface, plus an improved geoSystem Panel.
• Updated X3D-Edit Toolbar Buttons support X3D author workflow. Includes quick-launch icons and hotkeys for Edit Element (Ctrl+Shift+E), Xj3D Validator (Ctrl+Shift+F2) and Xj3D Viewer (Ctrl+Shift+X).
• Support for X3D to JSON stylesheet converter includes stylesheet conversion options pane.
• External editor launch menu to enable further work on X3D scenes by other authoring tools. Settings are adjusted on the X3D-Edit Preferences panel via the X3D authoring tools tab.
• Now bundled: svg-edit, a complete open-source vector graphics editor in the browser (in JavaScript)
• X3D Tidy conversions panel can apply fixes for a variety of common authoring mistakes. Supported also provided to remove Shape geometry while leaving HAnimHumanoid joint/segment/site/viewpoint intact, and can also add visualization geometry to a skeleton.
• ExternProtoDeclare field verification checks that field signatures match the original ProtoDeclare definitions, providing author with the option to apply updates.
• Conversion support for X3DOM (pronounced "X-Freedom") plugin-free embedding of X3D source in HTML5 scenes using the X3dToX3domX_ITE.xslt stylesheet.
• Support for Microsoft Surface tablet (also a photograph) along with other multimedia tools and X3D viewers.
• X3D Tidy. is an XSLT stylesheet that checks for simple errors in X3D scenes and fixes them. Available under menu item X3D > Conversions > X3D Tidy
• X3D-Edit now includes support for X3D version 4.0 validation. The unit command is supported by a new unit editing panel that provides easy reference to conversion factors for angle, length, mass and force.
• Trace capabilities are available for ROUTE, sensors, interpolators and other nodes that produce or consume events. Trace output results are logged on the browser console to show the timing and values passed events. When the Trace checkbox is selected by the author, a Script node is inserted immediately after the node to accomplish this task. This is a useful debugging technique.
• SFImage support: X3D-Edit includes PixelTexture image-conversion import can embed an image directly inside an X3D scene by converting it into an SFImage block within a PixelTexture node.
• A unit-conversion scaling menu simplifies Transform scale settings to resize child content from a variety of length units into meters.
• Easier entry of radian angles using degree values: any values with magnitude greater than 2π radians prompt author to confirm whether degree-to-radian conversion is desired. Tooltips showing both degrees and radians are also given when the mouse is over an angle field. Normalization of SFRotation axis vectors is also provided to ensure that the x-y-z axis vector has magnitude equal to 1. Hint: angle values within the range [-6..+6] degrees can be entered as [354..366] degrees.
• X3D quality assurance (QA) (snapshot): XML well-formed checks, X3D DTD validation, X3D Schema validation, and X3D Schematron consistency rules
• Inline and Prototype templates as draggable palette icons, based on contributions found in various scene archives including X3D for Web Authors, X3D Basic Examples and Savage Examples.
• Import/export for ClassicVRML, VRML97, X3D Compressed Binary and Canonical X3D encodings into .x3d (XML) encoding
• X3D Components support includes CAD Geometry, Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), Geospatial (X3D Earth), Humanoid Animation, and MultiTexture nodes in the Texturing component
• Collada .dae model editing, validation, code completion, and conversion to .x3d (XML) encoding
• Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) utility panels for packet generation as well as recording and playing back network traffic, built using the Open-DIS software distribution (available at Sourceforge), with additional "DIS information" available on the Savage Developers Guide: DIS
• Active url list editor checks for resource availability (green=found, black=retrieving, red=unavailable, orange=filename case mismatch)
• Integrated display is provided by the enhanced Xj3D player, which also provides Xj3D CAD filter for geometry simplification and profile reduction
• X3D Security using XML Signature (digital authentication) and XML Encryption Recommendations, with additional support using Portecle for keystore management.
• Support for the X3D Rigid Body Physics Followers (Chasers and Dampers), and and Programmable Shaders components
• Source-editor support for Web development including Apache Ant build scripts, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML5, JavaScript, PHP programming, XML (documents, DTDs and schemas), and XML Stylesheet Language for Transformations (XSLT) stylesheets
• Latest developmental version of Xj3D player that includes recent tested source checkins
• Directions for Blender model export to X3D

Licenses

X3D-Edit 4.0 is open source, written in Java and XML, based on the Apache NetBeans platform. It may be used for any legitimate purpose.

The X3D-Edit application and module source code is distributed under a non-viral BSD-style open-source license (text) by the Web3D Consortium.

Other ancillary supporting packages are provided under the terms of their own respective open-source licenses.

Mailing Lists

Feedback and discussion are welcome. X3D community discussions are supported by the non-profit Web3D Consortium at

• x3d-public@web3d.org open mailing list at https://www.web3d.org/mailman/listinfo/x3d-public_web3d.org (archives)

Support

NetBeans X3D-Edit runs on desktop/laptop systems and is portable across major operating systems (Windows, MacOSX, Linux).

• Web3D Consortium and What is X3D?
• X3D Resources, X3D Scene Authoring Hints, and X3D Tooltips.
• X3D Specifications are published online and linked in the X3D-Edit help system.
• X3D-Edit 4.0 master source code library is maintained at https://github.com/Web3DConsortium/X3D-Edit.
• Original X3D-Edit 3.1 application (now superseded) is at https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/README.X3D-Edit.html
• Xj3D Viewer at https://savage.nps.edu/Savage/developers.html#Xj3D
• NetBeans User Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at https://wiki.netbeans.org/NetBeansUserFAQ

Visualization Features

Author-assist visualization graphics are provided for certain X3D nodes in order to help show their effects.

• Visualize checkbox selection on a node-editing pane embeds additional X3D content immediately after the node
• Placing a pointing device (mouse, cursor, wand, etc.) over the visualization geometry uses a TouchSensor to display a description of the node visualization
• CoordinateAxes optionally shows node location in the local coordinate system
• A single parent Switch node allows authors to easily display (whichChoice=0) or hide (whichChoice=-1) the customized visualization graphics

Visualization graphics are available for the following X3D nodes:

• Shape, grouping and bounded nodes outline a semitransparent bounding Box that shows bboxCenter and bboxSize location (if defined)
• Transform nodes also use the CoordinateAxes prototype to show center, axis of rotation and scaling (if any)
• Extrusion editor provides a 2D plot of the defined crossSection array by using JFreeChart, also indicating open/closed status for crossSection and spine as an optional contained comment. Additional panes are provided for attributes, spine and scale, and orientations editing.
• Extrusion visualization hides the original <-- <Extrusion/> --> node and appends a corresponding ExtrusionCrossSection prototype instance that shows the spine line along with semitransparent outer hull and crossSection slices.
• ProximitySensor outlines a semitransparent Box showing sensor boundaries
• PointLight adds a Sphere with matching radius and color
• SpotLight adds a wireframe Cone for inner beamWidth and transparent Cone for outer cutOffAngle
• Sound adds CoordinateAxes at the sound center and draws semitransparent ellipses for inner (min) and outer (max) ranges
• Viewpoint, OrthoViewpoint and GeoViewpoint visualization adds a ViewFrustum prototype to outline fieldOfView and visibilityLimit for near and far clipping planes
• Viewpoint Rotation Calculator (composed with ViewFrustum) helps authors compute the correct Viewpoint orientation when looking from one position towards another. Authors can optionally save lookat-point coordinates as a contained comment.

Contact

Questions, suggestions and comments about these resources are welcome. Please send them to Don Brutzman (brutzman at nps.edu)

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for this page is https://savage.nps.edu/X3D-Edit/X3D-Edit.html

Page revised 24 May 2025

(official disclaimer)