Java 3D is a scene graph-based 3D application programming interface (API) for the Java platform. It runs on top of either OpenGL or Direct3D until version 1.6.0, which runs on top of Java OpenGL (JOGL). Since version 1.2, Java 3D has been developed under the Java Community Process. A Java 3D scene graph is a directed acyclic graph (DAG).
Compared to other solutions, Java 3D is not only a wrapper around these graphics APIs, but an interface that encapsulates the graphics programming using a true object-oriented approach. Here a scene is constructed using a scene graph that is a representation of the objects that have to be shown. This scene graph is structured as a tree containing several elements that are necessary to display the objects. Additionally, Java 3D offers extensive spatialized sound
Spatial music is composed music that intentionally exploits sound localization. Though present in Western music from biblical times in the form of the antiphon, as a component specific to new musical techniques the concept of spatial music (''Rau ...
support.
Java 3D and its documentation are available for download separately. They are not part of the Java Development Kit (JDK).
History
Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the devel ...
, Silicon Graphics, Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...
, and Sun all had retained mode scene graph APIs under development in 1996. Since they all wanted to make a Java version, they decided to collaborate in making it. That project became Java 3D. Development was underway already in 1997. A public beta version was released in March 1998. The first version was released in December 1998. From mid-2003 through summer 2004, the development of Java 3D was discontinued. In the summer of 2004, Java 3D was released as a community source project, and Sun and volunteers have since been continuing its development.
On January 29, 2008, it was announced that improvements to Java 3D would be put on hold to produce a 3D scene graph for JavaFX JavaFX with 3D support was eventually released with Java 8. The JavaFX 3D graphics functionality has more or less come to supersede Java 3D.
Since February 28, 2008, the entire Java 3D source code is released under the GPL version 2
The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the four freedoms to run, study, share, and modify the software. The license was the first copyleft for general ...
license with GPL linking exception.
Since February 10, 2012, Java 3D uses JOGL 2.0 for its hardware accelerated OpenGL rendering. The port was initiated by Julien Gouesse.
Features
*Multithreaded scene graph structure
*Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform software (also called multi-platform software, platform-agnostic software, or platform-independent software) is computer software that is designed to work in several computing platforms. Some cross-platform software ...
*Generic real-time API, usable for both visualization and gaming
*Support for retained, compiled-retained, and immediate mode rendering
*Includes hardware-accelerated JOGL, OpenGL, and Direct3D renderers (depending on platform)
*Sophisticated virtual-reality-based view model with support for stereoscopic rendering and complex multi-display configurations
*Native support for head-mounted display
A head-mounted display (HMD) is a display device, worn on the head or as part of a helmet (see Helmet-mounted display for aviation applications), that has a small display optic in front of one ( monocular HMD) or each eye (binocular HMD). An ...
*CAVE
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
(multiple screen projectors)
* 3D spatial sound
*Programmable shaders, supporting both GLSL and CG
* Stencil buffer
*Importers for most mainstream formats, like 3DS, OBJ, VRML, X3D, NWN, and FLT
Competing technologies
Java 3D is not the only high-level API option to render 3D in Java. In part due to the pause in development during 2003 and 2004, several competing Java scene graph technologies emerged: General purpose: * Ardor3D * JavaFX Gaming: * jMonkeyEngine *Espresso3D Visualization:Jreality
In addition to those, many other C or C++ scene graph APIs offer Java support through JNI. At a lower level, the JOGL (JSR 231) OpenGL bindings for Java are a popular alternative to scene graph APIs such as Java 3D. LWJGL is another such binding.
See also
* Project Looking Glass (Experimental 3D Desktop using Java 3D) * Open Wonderland (Virtual workspace environment using Java 3D and Project Darkstar)References
External links
Harvey presents the current state of Java3D "I’m not Dead!" at SIGGRAPH 2013
an
(Java 3D 1.5)
JSR 912
(Java 3D 1.3)
an
Wiki
for Java 3D - Places for collaboration; includes lists of books and users, FAQ, and knowledge base
java3d.org
Tutorial, examples and information
- from Siggraph for beginners *Game Programmin
in Java 3D (chapters as pdf-files and sourcecode)
Plugin for Eclipse hosted by SourceForge
- A 3D anatomical structure explorer with embedded 2D section made by Guangjie Feng {{DEFAULTSORT:Java 3d 3D graphics software 3D scenegraph APIs Cross-platform software Java APIs 3D 1998 software