Hi, The Java3D tutorial bundle has an example called TexturedText3DApp.java under the subdir texture/, which depicts 2D texturing on a rotating Text3D.
On Text2D being a Shape3D rather than a geometry, my opinion ($0.02) is that it would have been more convenient if Text2D were indeed a Geometry. For one thing, the last time I examined the code, it creates an appearance for each instance of Text2D, and you may also need a TransformGroup to position the label if you don't want to expend much effort. But to be fair, the Text2D was probably conceived to be an all-in-one ready-made object for the general convenience of everyone. If you needed the geometry, an option (kinda inefficient) may be to try to grab it from the Shape3D. On multi-line labels, just thinking aloud, would html-ized strings work ( works for buttons and such I think ) ? Rgds Raj >On Sun, 17 Mar 2002 18:04:02 +1100, Justin Couch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I'm looking at the implementation of the VRML Text node in Xj3D. I have >a few of questions, which relate to performance, and hence how I'll >implement it. Any insights as to the best way of implementing this would >greatly appreciated. > >The VRML spec states that Text is a "two-sided flat text-string object". >This object has a status somewhere between true 3D geometry and >effectively just a string written as a texture. The interesting >statement though is that the text "geometry" object is still effected by >textures and material/lighting. The texturing bit is the worry. Without >that, it would be a simple choice to just use a texture. It becomes more >of a pain with texturing because then I have to do either multitexturing >or some sort of manual composition process. So, some questions: > >1. The Text3D class does not state how or whether it is effected by >textures. Does it? > >2. Performance of Text3D in changing the text string. A very typical use >of Text nodes in VRML is to implement HUD-type readouts of information. >That means high-speed text modification. As it appears that Text3D >internally tesselates geometry to create a 3D object. That has me >concerned about the performance impacts of high-speed text changing. Any >way of making this into something that will not be the major bottleneck? > >3.Creating flat text. The FontExtrusion basically implies geometry that >has thickness. There's nothing to say how the shape is defined to >describe such a situation. In fact, I'm not really sure what limitations >are on the Shape instance. The docs seem to imply a single >straight-line, but it doesn't say what happens when I pass in, say a >Rectangle or GeneralPath instance. > > >Points to note. > >- I've never seen, in real life, VRML content that uses textures on text >nodes. If we have to cop a performance penalty or architecture change to >accommodate this, then that's acceptable. > >- The "best" solution is defined in terms of frame-rate performance. It >is mostly expected that the string(s) will change every frame, not doing >things like colour cycling or texturing. VRML allows a single Text node >to describe many strings (ie like a paragraph), which would result in >needing to update multiple Text3D instances every frame if that was the >chosen solution. > >-- >Justin Couch http://www.vlc.com.au/~justin/ >Java Architect & Bit Twiddler http://www.yumetech.com/ >Author, Java 3D FAQ Maintainer http://www.j3d.org/ >------------------------------------------------------------------- >"Humanism is dead. Animals think, feel; so do machines now. >Neither man nor woman is the measure of all things. Every organism >processes data according to its domain, its environment; you, with >all your brains, would be useless in a mouse's universe..." > - Greg Bear, Slant >------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ========================================================================== >To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and include in the body >of the message "signoff JAVA3D-INTEREST". For general help, send email to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] and include in the body of the message "help". =========================================================================== To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and include in the body of the message "signoff JAVA3D-INTEREST". For general help, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and include in the body of the message "help".
