C O N N E C T I O N S
the california polytechnic university-slo
the
university of oregon
the university of utah
2/9/99
Objectives:
- To understand advantages and disadvantages of graphic file formats for the Web
- To show proficiency in creating a room and posting its 3D information to the web.
I. Standards & File Formats
Netscape Communicator & Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Plug-ins & External applications
- Netscape Preferences
A. Raster or Pixel Formats for Images
- GIF : Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format
- 256 colors or fewer - good for computer generated graphics
- Photoshop > Image Mode > Indexed colors
- JPG : Joint Photographic Experts Group format
- Full color depth (24 bits = 8 for red, 8 for green 8 for blue)
- PNG : Portable Network Graphics
Reduce file size via # pixels, color depth or JPG compression
B. Vector Formats
- AutoCad based formats
- DWF (WHIP plugin) for 2D graphics
- DWG (View + DwgX plug-in)
- Data EXchange Format DXF (r.12, 13, 14)
- QTVR ( see Quicktime Authoring Tools)
- VRML
- Native Binary or Raw Data (wrap in BinHex HQX format, decompress with Stuffit Expander on Mac or Aladdin on Windows)
- SIGGRAPH Roundup of 3D Web formats
II. CU_SeeMe with Utah
III. In-class Exercise
A. In FormZ, Export the 3D information:
- Create a simple room or use your own model. Open it in FormZ, Save as FormZ and name it *.fmz.
- Create a panoramic view & make a QTVR movie, name it *.mov.
- Export a VRML file, name it *.wrl.
- Export a DXF file, name it *.dxf
B. Create the Web Page:
i. In the FInder:
Put the FMZ, MOV, WRL, DXF files in the same folder.
ii. In Claris Home Page:
Create an HTML which includes the Quicktime VR .mov file directly:
Under the Insert menu, select Quicktime Movie.When you link to the Binhexed files which don't use a plug-in, add an HQX suffix to the link location (so test.dxf and test.fmz become test.dxf.hqx and test.fmz.hqx)
C. Use Fetch to upload the files
Upload the HTML, MOV, WRL files: as Raw Data. Upload the FMZ and DXF files as BinHex to your websiteOR Upload to the CalPoly FTP Site: <CAEDSev1.calpoly.edu> Directory: ARCH/connections/
D. In Netscape
Check your links
IV. GIF Animation
- In formZ,
- Using the Edit Cone of Vision, find and save a series of views in a walk-through.
- Render the views in small format (200 x 300 pixels). (You can use the Imager)
- In Graphic Converter, Create a GIF Animation:
- Open the first image of the slideshow.
- Under the Picture Window, Show Movie Options. Open each of the next successive frame, Select All,. Copy.
- Go to the Original image and Insert Frame.
GIF Animation Tutorial by Webmonkey
V. Group Planning
VI. Reading Assignment
Standards for CollaborationIn Yehuda Kelay's article, why are the 3P's all important to architectural design projects? How do other software applications accomodate them?