Java 3D FAQ

This Wiki page contains a list of frequently asked questions about Java 3D. All Java 3D Community Members are welcome to contribute to this FAQ! Please read Java3DWikiInfo before making any changes.

List of Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: How do I join the Java 3D projects on java.net?

To join the parent java3d project you will need follow these steps:

1. Create a java.net account if you don't already have one
2. Login to java.net using your username/password
3. Go to the role request page in the parent java3d project, and request an "Observer" role

Joining the parent java3d project lets you file issues (bugs and feature requests).

Note: unless you want to work with the Java 3D internals, or see automated source code checkin messages, you only need to join the parent java3d project.

Q: How do I subscribe to the Java 3D discussion forum / mailing list

The new Java 3D interest list is available either as a discussion forum (which is what most of the community uses) or as a mailing list. Messages posted to one are cross-posted to the other automatically.

Discussion Forum

To participate in the discussion forum, you should first do the following:

1. Create a java.net account if you don't already have one
2. Login to java.net using your username/password

The URL for the Java 3D forum on java.net is: http://forums.java.net/jive/forum.jspa?forumID=70

Mailing List

If you prefer to send/receive messages via a mailing list, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Create a java.net account if you don't already have one
2. Login to java.net using your username/password
3. Go to the "Mailing Lists" page of the parent java3d project and subscribe to the "interest@java3d.dev.java.net" mailing list

You will then receive e-mail when messages are posted to the forum or sent to the "interest@java3d.dev.java.net" mailing list.

More Information

For a description of the various mailing lists and the forum, go here:

http://java3d.dev.java.net/#Feedback_and_Discussion

Q: How do I file an issue?

You need to join the parent java3d project as an Observer, if you aren't already signed up for a role in the project.

All Java 3D-related bugs for j3d-core, j3d-core-utils, vecmath, and j3d-examples, are filed using the Issue Tracker in the parent java3d project.

To file an issue:

1. Login to java.net using your username/password
2. Go to the Issue Tracker and click on the appropriate link for the type of issue you want to enter: Defect, Patch, Task, Feature, or Enhancement. Defect is the most common one and is used for reporting bugs.

After you submit a Defect, please attach a test program that reproduces the problem. You can do this by going to the issue and clicking on the "Create a new attachment" link, which is located below the summary.

For more information about filing issues, please see: https://java3d.dev.java.net/#Reporting_Issues

Q: How do I download the Java 3D source code?

Before downloading the source code, you will need to create a java.net account if you don't already have one.

You must use CVS to download the source code for projects on java.net (see: Q: What is CVS and How Do I Use It? if you are unfamiliar with CVS). Java 3D is composed of three main CVS modules (projects), which can be checked out using a CVS client:

• j3d-core
• j3d-core-utils
• vecmath

In order to build the code, the three top-level directories must be named exactly as shown above and they must be sibling directories. To ensure this, run the cvs checkout command for each of the modules from the same parent directory. For example:

cd <cvs-root-dir>
cvs checkout vecmath
cvs checkout j3d-core
cvs checkout j3d-core-utils 

Q: How do I build Java 3D from the source code?

You need to do the following steps:

1. Download the source code for the following three projects: j3d-core, j3d-core-utils, and vecmath (see Q: How do I download the Java 3D source code?)
2. Build vecmath (see vecmath/README-build.html in the source tree)
3. Build j3d-core (see j3d-core/README-build.html in the source tree)

Q: What is CVS and how do I use it?

Concurrent Version System (CVS) is a source code control system used by java.net projects. If you are new to CVS, Login to java.net and go to the following page:

https://j3d-core.dev.java.net/servlets/ProjectSource

[TODO: ADD MORE INFO HERE]

For more information see the following CVS links:

• https://www.dev.java.net/nonav/scdocs/ddCVS.html
• https://www.dev.java.net/scdocs/ddUsingCVS_command-line

Q: How can I contribute to Java 3D?

For information on how you can contribute to the Java 3D projects on java.net, go here:

http://java3d.dev.java.net/contribute.html

Q: What graphics cards are supported?

Java3D 1.3.1:

Works fine on NVidia cards. ATI cards with new drivers do not work with j3d 1.3.1 on Windows (on Linux work fine). Matrox cards do not work with turned off Z-buffer (it is turned off by default in this videocards, so, if you want to run java3d on Matrox, you should turn on Z-buffer). Also, in some cases Matrox does not work even with turned Z-buffer or does not render textures (these problems can be solved by using DirectX j3d version, setting 16-bit color depth, setting 800x600 video mode at last). Intel cards have troubles with refreshing on OpenGL version.

Java3D 1.3.2:

Works fine on NVidia, ATI ( Win32 : CATALYST 5.3 or later ) and Matrox (with turned on Z-buffer). Also works fine on Windows 2000 using S3 Savage4 ( driver Sigma Savage4 v8.40.03) . Savage4 is a OpenGL^? 1.1 hardware, so it lacks some advanced features, as DOT3 bump mapping, Cube mapping, etc.

Java3D 1.4:

Works fine as in Java3D 1.3.2. If programmable shader is used NVidia family ( Tested : FX 500, FX 3000, FX6600, FX Go6600 and FX6800) works well. ATI has limited success.

Java 3D 1.5:

Generally works fine. Results may depend on the renderer used. More stable ATI results than Java 3D 1.4 when using the native Windows renderer. On Mac OS X, both ATI and NVidia chipsets work fine under JSR-231/JOGL.

Q: What platforms are supported?

The following platforms are fully supported and have nightly builds. See the binary downloads page: https://java3d.dev.java.net/binary-builds.html

• Windows (x86)
• Linux (x86)
• Linux (AMD64)
• Mac OS X (Universal, requires JSR-231/JOGL)
• Solaris (SPARC)
• Solaris (x86)

The following platforms can be built from the Ant build.xml file, but are not supplied as pre-built downloads.

• Linux (Power PC)
• Linux (IA64 Itanium)

Java 3D 1.3.1 is bundled with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) and is an optional install available from Apple for 10.3.1 or later. Java 3D 1.4 is not available for Mac OS X.

See Apple's download site: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/java3dandjavaadvancedimagingupdate.html

Q: Is software rendering supported?

No. Java 3D requires a supported 3D graphics card and communicates with it using native method calls. However, software rendering has been requested by some members of the user community.

Q: How do I download and install a Java 3D binary release?

The answer varies with the operating system.

For Versions of Mac OS X after Panther, no installation is required for Java 3D 1.3.1.

On Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Java 3D 1.5 for Mac OS X, installers are available here: https://java3d.dev.java.net/binary-builds.html

Q: How do I run a Java 3D application?

Like other java applications, Java3D applications are invoked by calls to:

static void main (String[] args) { .. }

In other words, as long as the Java3D classes are installed properly and available, Java 3D applications are invoked in the exact same manner as other applications.

Similarly, Java3D applets run exactly like other applets.

Unanswered General Questions

The following questions still need someone to write an answer for them. When this is done, they can be moved back up to the previous section in the appropriate place.

Q: How can I deploy my Java 3D application?

[THIS NEEDS MORE WORK]

Advice from users:

We found the question of installation so troublesome with mismatch of versions and users patially installing the software we bundle the complete java jvm and libraries (including J3D^?) and in a subdirectory of our installation directory. No troubles since we did that.

Q: Where can I get some good 3D Layout Managers, similar to BoxLayout^?, BorderLayout^?, or HTML tables

[ANSWER TO THE QUESTION GOES HERE]