Creating 3d Simulations

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Creating 3D Simulations

Copyright © 2007 ParallelGraphics


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CONTENTS

CREATING 3D SIMULATIONS ..............................................................................1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................2 Installing the Virtual Manuals Software ......................................................................... 2

THE LAYOUT OF THE PROCESS AND BASIC OPERATIONS...................................3

General Work Flow Diagram .........................................................................................3 Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project .................................................................4 Creating 3D simulation .................................................................................................. 6

1. Arrange Scene Hierarchy.......................................................................................6 2. Create Animations ................................................................................................. 7 3. Prepare for Publishing ...........................................................................................7 4. Creating a HTML Document with 3D Content........................................................8 “Building 3D Simulations” Tutorial..............................................................................8

USEFUL ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS .......................................................................... 9 Creating a VM Configuration .........................................................................................9

Selecting a Configuration ............................................................................................ 11

Supplementary Data Flow for Creating VM Project.....................................................12

Exchange VM projects between the illustrators...........................................................13 TOOLS AND COMPONENTS.......................................................................................14

Virtual Manual Generator (VMG) ......................................................................... 14 Virtual Manual Administrator (VMA).....................................................................14 Virtual Manual Editor (VME).................................................................................14 Internet Model Optimizer (IMO)............................................................................14 Virtual Manual Publisher (VMP) ........................................................................... 14 Cortona VRML Client ...........................................................................................14

HARDWARE AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS...........................................................15 Recommended hardware:........................................................................................15

Recommended software:.........................................................................................15 Additional software:.................................................................................................. 15

GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................16

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Introduction

Introduction

This document gives practical recommendations for creating interactive 3D visualizations of

complex technical procedures, called 3D Simulations, and incorporating them into digitaldocumentation. Virtual Manual technology is the ideal medium for creating and delivering to end-users digital documents based on existing 3D CAD and PDM data.

The following tools from the ParallelGraphics Virtual Manual (VM) product family provide the abilityto do this:

Virtual Manual Generator (VMG) is used for importing and batch optimization of 3D modelsexported from CAD-like systems.

Virtual Manual Editor (VME) is a powerful authoring tool for building interactive 3D animations thatillustrate the operation of the technical procedure.

Virtual Manual Publisher (VMP) allows you to generate a HTML page that incorporates a created3D simulation.

Virtual Manual Administrator (VMA) allows you to arrange working areas for applications of VMproduct family and manage VM projects.

Installing the Virtual Manuals Software

Please follow the instructions provided in the “Installation Instructions” document shipped with thispackage.

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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations


General Work Flow Diagram

Fig. 1 shows the components and steps needed in to create Web-enabled, lightweight interactive3D simulations. They are the following:

1. Export 3D data from CAD-like system in VRML97 format.

2. Create a VM project, import and optimize the CAD Export with Virtual Manual Generator(VMG).

3. Create animations in the 3D environment with Virtual Manual Editor (VME).

4. Create a HTML webpage with 3D content using Virtual Manual Publisher (VMP).

VRML Export

from CADVMG

VM Project

VME

3D Simulation

VMP

HTML Document

with 3D Content

Fig.1. General work flow diagram. Box – an application; parallelogram – data. Dimmedfigures – input and output data used in the development process.

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Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project

The general data flow diagram for creating VM project is shown in fig. 2.

CAD

VRML97

VMG

VM Project

Fig.2. Data flow diagram of the VM project production. Box – an application; parallelogram –data. Dimmed figures – input data used in the development process.

Virtual Manual Generator (VMG) is used to import and optimize the VRML exported from the CADsystem. VMG automatically creates different levels of detail for each part of the CAD. The set ofimported and optimized geometry is called a VM Project.

Projects are stored in a set of working folders called a VM configuration. A VM configuration cancontain several projects. Virtual Manual Administrator (VMA) is used to create and manageconfigurations.

To import 3D data to a new project:

1. Open VMG (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Generator > VirtualManual Generator ).

2. Select the desired VM configuration by clicking Tools > Select Configuration. Choose theconfiguration from the list and press OK.

3. Create a new project by selecting File > New Project. Enter the name of the project andclick OK.

4. Choose the plug-in corresponding to the CAD system that the geometry was exported from.

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5. If required, choose the settings for the plug-in by pressing Settings. It is recommended thatyou use the default settings. More information about the different settings can be found byclicking Help in the dialog box that opens.

Fig.3. Virtual Manual Generator.

6. If required, choose the settings for importing by clicking Tools > Options. It is recommendedthat the default settings are used. More information about the importing settings can befound in the VMG Help section (Help > Contents > Setting Options).

7. Click Start. In the Select Main VRML File window, select the main VRML file for theexported CAD data and click Open. This will start the optimization process.

Once the optimization process completes, the project can be opened with VME by first selecting theVM configuration that was used in VMG (Tools > Options > Select Configuration). Selecting File> Open Project will display a list of projects in the configuration. Select the required project andclick OK to open the project.

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Creating 3D simulation

VME

VM ProjectArrange Scene

Hierarchy

Create

Animations

Prepare for Publishing 3D Simulation

VMPDigital Document

with 3D Content

Fig.4. Data flow diagram of production Web-Enabled Interactive 3D Simulations. Box – anapplication; parallelogram – data. Dimmed figure – output data.

This section provides instructions needed to create an animated and interactive VRML content,which describes a particular process (3D simulation).

1. Arrange Scene Hierarchy

1. Start VME (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Editor > VirtualManual Editor ) and set the VM configuration that was used in VMG (Tools > Options >

Select Configuration).

2. Open the project. Selecting File > Open Project will display a list of projects in theconfiguration. Select the required project and click OK.

Please note that any added 3D geometry will be hidden when you open the project. Todisplay the geometry, select the models in the Scene Tree and click the Show Solid

Representations for Selection button on the toolbar .

3. If necessary, change the geometry hierarchy (structure of the scene) by using commands inthe Scene Tree or Scene List windows.

4. Remove irrelevant parts, i.e. parts that can be omitted without loosing visual clearness andtechnical accuracy (Edit > Delete). Please note that deleted parts and units can always berecovered (Edit > Restore).

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5. Choose the levels of detail for the parts used (Edit > Choose Representations by Weight / Edit > Choose Representations by Name). If IMO is installed, custom levels of detailcan be created for an item. For more details about creating new geometry representations,see Creating New Representation in the VME Help system.

6. Use the Save Project command from the File menu to save your work.

2. Create Animations

1. Create a SUBTASK grouping item in the Procedure window (Procedure > New Group). Allactions must be part of a SUBTASK group.

2. Create an animation by selecting a part or unit and click Procedure > New Action. Pleasenote that although it is possible to form new custom actions, we recommend you useactions without changing their internal structure of commands (atoms and functions). Formore details about creating animations, see Basics of Creating Actions in the VME Help

system.

3. To examine the animation, play it in 3D View. Before playing, click the Refresh button(the Simulation menu). Use the buttons on the Simulation toolbar to control the playback ofthe 3D simulation.

4. Edit animations if something plays incorrectly. For more details, see Editing Actions in theVME Help system.

5. Create new groups of actions (Subtasks) for each of the procedure’s steps that need to bevisualized. Repeat steps 2-5 as required.

3. Prepare for Publishing

1. Activate the edit comments mode (Procedure > Show Comments) and type the text of theprocedure description to the right of SUBTASK in the Procedure Editor window. This textwill be shown during playback of the SUBTASK when published in a HTML page usingVMP. You also can comment each grouping item (action union) in the procedure to createsub-steps in the final digital document.

2. Save and publish the finished version of your project (File > Publish). The Publish command saves the finished 3D simulation that can be embedded into digital documentlater on. Please note that the folder to save 3D simulation is specified by the currentlyactivated VM configuration. Use VMP to generate HTML page that incorporates chosen 3Dsimulation.

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4. Creating a HTML Document with 3D Content

To create a HTML Document:

•

Start VMP (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Publisher > VirtualManual Publisher ).

• Click Select Configuration and load the configuration containing the published simulation.

• Click Load and select the desired published simulation in the Load 3D Simulation dialogwindow.

• Click Options to edit the published HTML page layout and colors.

• To publish the HTML document, click Publish. Specify the name of the page and thedestination of the published files and press Save.

“Building 3D Simulations” Tutorial

A tutorial is supplied providing more detailed instructions for creating 3D simulations. To open thetutorial, select Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Tutorials > Building 3D Simulations.

To load the tutorial content in VME, select Tools > Options > Select Configuration and choose“Building 3D Simulations” Tutorial.

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Useful Additional Operations


Creating a VM Configuration

A VM configuration is a set of working folders for VM projects. VM configurations can be createdusing Virtual Manual Administrator (VMA).

1. Open VMA by selecting Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual ManualAdministrator > Virtual Manual Administrator.

2. Select All Configurations in the window on the left. Click Create. A new configuration willappear.

3. Type the desired name of the configuration in the Name field.

4. The location of the working folders can be set using the Base path field. Click on the browse

button and select or create a new folder using the Choose Folder dialog. Alternatively,

the base path can be typed into the field.

5. Select Apply. Click OK on the prompt shown below. This will automatically create theworking folders required for VM configuration.

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There are four working folders required for a VM configuration. They can be viewed as sub-foldersby clicking on the to the left of the VM configuration in the tree. The folders are:

1. Projects: This contains data and information about the projects in the configuration. Clicking

on the beside Project will display all projects available in the configuration.

2. Documents: This is the location of any documents that can be attached to training scenarios(applicable for Virtual Training Editor only).

3. Publish: This is the default location for any published output from the VM applications.

4. Logs: This is the location where training logs are stored (applicable for Virtual TrainingEditor only).

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Selecting a Configuration

When a VM application is opened, the first action should be to select a configuration.

• In VME, select Tools > Options > Select Configuration. Choose the desired configurationand click OK.

• In VMG, select Tools > Select Configuration and choose the required configuration.

• When using Virtual Manual Publisher (VMP), click the Select Configuration button andchoose the required configuration.

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Supplementary Data Flow for Creating VM Project

Fig.3. Supplementary Data flow diagram of the VM project production. Box – an application,parallelogram – data, Dimmed figures – input data used in the development process,Dashed figures – optional part of the data flow.

The supplementary data flow shown in fig. 3 is used when the initial data has been received from acomputer graphics program with both built in mechanisms for geometry simplification andcomprehensive VRML97 export capabilities. For instance, 3D Studio Max is a popular example ofthese tools.

1. Export 3D data from arbitrary systems in VRML97 format.

2. Optional: Data processing with IMO (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > InternetModel Optimizer > Internet Model Optimizer ). Information about using IMO can be foundin the IMO Help system.

3. Open VME (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Editor > VirtualManual Editor ).

4. Create a new VM project (File > New Project)

5. Add 3D data to new project (File > Add Items from VRML).

6. Save the project (File > Save Project)

7. If you need to add level of detail for every model in the project, open the project in VMG and select Action >Start Optimization. Note that in the cases of default settings, VMGsaves the new version of the project at the end of optimization procedure. To continueworking with the project, open it in VME.

Please note that you can add supplementary geometry to a VM project at any time and with bothVMG and VME.

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Exchange VM projects between the illustrators

This section describes the mechanism that the VME application provides for exchanging data.

Exporting project:

• Start VME and select the VM configuration that contains the project(s) that you wish to export.

• On the Tools menu, click Manage Projects.

• Select the project you want to export from the Project list on the left and then click Export.Please note that you can select all projects by clicking Projects.

• Specify the location where you want to save the selected project(s) in the Save in field.

• In File name, type a name for the VM project archive (VMP file), and then click Save.

• Click OK to close the Manage Projects dialog box.

Importing project:

• Start VME (if you import the project on another computer) and select the VM configuration tocontain the imported project(s).

• On the Tools menu, click Manage Projects.

• Click Projects in the List of projects and then click Import.

• In the Import Project dialog box, locate and open the folder containing VM project archive(VMP file).

• Select the VM project archive by and then click Open.

• If the VM project archive contains several projects, the Import Multiple Projects dialogappears. In the Projects list, select project(s) you want to import. Click OK. Please note that,by default, all projects in the Projects list appear selected.

• Click OK to close the Manage Projects dialog box.

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Tools and Components

Tools and Components

Virtual Manual Generator (VMG)

VMG is the main program used to import 3D models of devices and equipment. VMG builds newVirtual Manual (VM) projects reusing VRML97 data that was exported from CAD-like systems. VMGoptimizes the CAD export and creates different levels of detail for each of the models.

VMG also enables adding new geometry data and optimization (creating new geometryrepresentations) for existing VM projects. To import VRML geometry, VMG uses a set ofcustomizable components, called plug-ins, designed for different CAD systems.

Virtual Manual Administrator (VMA)

VMA allows you to create working folders (VM configurations) for applications of VM product family,manage VM projects, create VM configurations and import-export or remove existing VMconfigurations.

Virtual Manual Editor (VME)

VME is a powerful authoring tool for building interactive 3D animations that illustrate the operationof the technical procedure and adding a text description. VME enables animation of 3D data thatwas prepared with VMG or imported using VME built-in methods.

VME produces a VRML file that represents the 3D model of technological process for further

embedding into digital documents. This is referred as 3D simulation in the Online Help system.

Internet Model Optimizer (IMO)

IMO allows manual optimization of VRML97 models displaying the results in the 3D window. IMO isintegrated with VME, allowing the creation of additional geometry representations withoutinterrupting your work in the VME framework.

Virtual Manual Publisher (VMP)

VMP is a service, which allows you to browse a 3D simulation, view the playback of a chosen 3D

simulation and generate HTML page that incorporates chosen 3D simulation.

Cortona VRML Client

ParallelGraphics’ Cortona VRML client is a windowed control, which enables an application (Webpage for example) with the functions of a VRML browser: interpretation of files in the VRML97 fileformat and particularly reviewing 3D simulations. The built-in Cortona VRML Automation interfaceenables the tightly paired interaction between digital document and 3D simulation.

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Hardware and System Requirements

Hardware and System Requirements

Listed below are the recommended system requirements. An additional requirement is the NTFS

file system. The FAT 32 file system cannot be used as a VM project can contain more then 65534files.

Recommended hardware:

• PC with 2.5 GHz or higher processor clock speed (single or dual processor system): IntelPentium/Celeron family, AMD family or compatible processor.

• Random Access Memory (RAM): 512 MB.

• Graphics card: Direct3D (128 MB) for all applications excepting VMG.

Recommended software:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows XP

• Internet Explorer 6.0.

Additional software:

• ParallelGraphics Cortona VRML Client (used with VME, IMO and VMP);

• Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) 4.0 (used with VME);

• J2SE Runtime Environment 1.5 (used with VMG).

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Glossary

Glossary

VM Project: A set of 3D geometry that has been imported and optimized to be used with VM

products.

VM configuration: A set of working folders for VM projects containing data about the projectversion, the published output from VM products for the projects and the logs from any trainings.

VRML97: The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a file format for describing interactive3D objects and worlds. VRML is designed to be used on the Internet, intranets, and local clientsystems. VRML is also intended to be a universal interchange format for integrated 3D graphicsand multimedia.

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