Proposed Java 3D API Changes

Proposed Java 3D^TM API Changes

This page highlights the proposed changes to the 1.4 version of the Java 3D^TM API, and beyond. For a list of new classes methods, etc., see the List of Proposed Java 3D 1.4 API Changes. Click here for the latest javadocs for the proposed 1.4 API (built from the dev-1_4 branch). A list of other possible improvements to Java 3D version 1.4 is also available.

1.4 Committed Features

This list of high priority features will almost certainly make it into the 1.4 version of the Java 3D API.

In Process:

Programmable Shaders
Additional blending functions: BLEND_SRC_COLOR, BLEND_ONE_MINUS_SRC_COLOR, BLEND_DST_COLOR, BLEND_ONE_MINUS_DST_COLOR.
Additional core picking methods (in Locale and BranchGroup)
Stencil buffer

Completed:

Scene graph structure change listeners
Name string for all scene graph objects: add public get/setName(String) to SceneGraphObject class
New ALLOW_PARENT_READ capability bit in Node class that will allow getParent() to be called on live/compiled scene graph
Ability to get the locale from a live node: add public getLocale() method and ALLOW_LOCALE_READ capability bit to Node class
Add a new attribute for depth test function to RenderingAttributes: public get/setDepthTestFunction(int function) methods that takes as values one of: ALWAYS, NEVER, EQUAL, NOT_EQUAL, LESS, LESS_OR_EQUAL, GREATER, GREATER_OR_EQUAL. The default value is LESS_OR_EQUAL for backward compatibility.
Method to retrieve the geometry data from the tessellation of a glyph in a 3D font: a public GeometryArray getGlyphGeometry(char glyphCode) method in the Font3D class

This is a list of features that we propose to deprecate¹ in the API.

CompressedGeometry class (no HW support, lack of industry acceptance)
Sensor prediction (has never been implemented)
PickPoint class (not fully implemented, cannot be used for geometry-based picking; use PickBounds with a BoundingSphere that has a small radius)
Morph node (expensive, picking doesn't work, can be done in a utility)

Other Features for 1.4, 1.5, ...

This list of medium priority features is under discussion for possible inclusion into the 1.4 or 1.5 API (or beyond).

Lightweight Canvas3D (e.g., JCanvas3D). Note: this feature will not happen without an someone from the community volunteering to drive it.

Non-power-of-two textures
Point sprites
Ability for nested ViewSpecificGroup nodes to replace the set of views
API support for retained alpha buffers
Ability to query properties from a GraphicsConfiguration
Better support for off-screen configuration parameters (e.g., an attribute in GraphicsConfigTemplate3D indicating whether the requested GraphicsConfiguration is used for on-screen rendering, off-screen rendering, or both)
Enhance getLocalToVWorld() to return a valid result for non-live graphs.
Additional texture formats:
- NIO buffer support
- Texture compression formats

1.5 Proposed Major Features

This list of high priority features is being seriously considered for the 1.5 version of the Java 3D API.

1.6 Possible Major Features

Not yet planned

2.0 Possible Major Features

Here is an unprioritized list of possible features under consideration for a future 2.0 version of the Java 3D API.

Extensibility:
- Access to the native context (JOGL integration)
- Geometry extensibility
- Additional node types (e.g., haptic rendering)
- Extensible geometry processing algorithms
Plug-in capability
- Rendering Device Interface (pluggable renderers)
- Visibility structure

1 – Note that deprecated features will not actually be removed. It instead reflects a decrease of emphasis on these features. While they should continue to function normally, no additional effort is likely to be put into them (for example, compressed geometry will not be supported with programmable shaders). This action paves the way to remove them from a future major release (e.g., a 2.0 release).