RealVR Traveler Scripting

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Each of the script types described here is shown in the form that it would appear in a VRML file. You can just copy a script, paste it into your file, and modify the values that describe its behavior. In addition, be sure to "ROUTE" events to the eventIn's of the scripts you use, in order to activate their behavior.

2. Link Script

The Link script type is fully described in the Image Worlds file specification.

3. Slide Script

To activate this script, one of three events may be used, depending on the desired effect. The toggle event will move the object back and forth along the motion path each time it is received. The on event will move the object to the end of the motion path (the "TRUE" state). Finally, the off event will move the object to the beginning of the path (the "FALSE" state).

The Slide script appears as below in a VRML file:

Script {
    exposedField MFString url        "rst:slide"

    # events specific to the "slide" type Script:
    eventIn       SFBool   toggle
    eventIn       SFBool   on
    eventIn       SFBool   off

    # fields specific to the "slide" type Script:
    field         SFBool  state        "FALSE"
    field         SFNode  transform    USE SomeTransform
    exposedField  SFVec3f translation  0.25 0.5 7
    exposedField  SFTime  duration     3
}

4. Set Value Script

The Set Value script appears as below in a VRML file:

Script {
    exposedField MFString url        "rst:setVal"

    # events specific to the "setVal" type Script:
    eventIn       SFBool   on

    # fields specific to the "setVal" type Script:
    exposedField  SFInt32  val  1234
}

5. Set Cursor Script

The Set Cursor script appears as below in a VRML file:

Script {
    exposedField MFString url        "rst:setCursor"

    # events specific to the "setCursor" type Script:
    eventIn       SFBool   on

    # fields specific to the "setCursor" type Script:
    exposedField  SFString cursor  "ARROW"
}

6. Set Camera Script

The Set Camera script appears as below in a VRML file:

Script {
    exposedField MFString url        "rst:setCamera"

    # events specific to the "setCamera" type Script:
    eventIn       SFVec3f  orientation
    eventIn       SFVec3f  position
    eventIn       SFFloat  zoom

    # fields specific to the "setCamera" type Script:
    exposedField  SFBool   relative  "TRUE"
}

7. Get Time Script

The Get Time script appears as below in a VRML file:

Script {
    exposedField MFString url        "rst:getTime"

    # events specific to the "getTime" type Script:
    eventIn       SFBool   requestTime
    eventOut      SFTime   currentTime
}

8. An Example File (Setting the view direction)

The RealVR Traveler defaults to pointing the user at the center of the first Vista node. Many authors, however, want to control the initial viewing direction to be something different. This can be accomplished with a couple of built-in scripts.

First, the file is shown below:

#VRML V2.0 utf8

DEF StartupTrigger TimeSensor {
    startTime 0
    stopTime 100
    loop TRUE
    ROUTE StartupTrigger.isActive TO StartView.on
}

Vista {
    type "CYLINDER"
    filename "greatwal.jpg"
    vFov -0.7418 0.7418
    pitchRange -0.7418 0.7418
}

DEF StartView Script {
    url "rst:setVal"

    eventIn SFBool on
    exposedField SFVec3f val 0 1.57 0
    ROUTE StartView.val_changed TO View.orientation
}

DEF View Script {
    url "rst:setCamera"

    eventIn SFVec3f orientation
    field SFBool relative FALSE
}

The isActive event from the StartupTrigger is generated as soon as the timer starts running. We want this event to set the camera to point in some pre-defined direction. However, the isActive event is a SFBool type. So, it is routed to a Script named StartView. This script is a Set Value script, which lets us convert an SFBool into some other value. In this case, it is converted into an SFVec3f value that, in turn, is routed to the script named View. That script is a Set Camera script, which interprets the x, y, and z values of the SFVec3f as pitch, yaw, and roll, and sets the camera appropriately.

All of this happens before the Vista is ever drawn, and the end result is that the default view is no longer the midpoint of the panorama, but the viewing direction defined in the val field of the StartView Script node.

To try out this file, click here.