README.md 1.0 KB

WRL/X3DV to X3D file format converter

VRML and X3D 3D model formats background

"VRML" 3D model files use either VRML97 (.wrl) or "Classic VRML" (.x3dv) file formats.

The X3D model specification was introduced after these formats, as a superset of both WRL and X3DV. While X3D can understand the content of WRL/X3DV files, it can't directly parse them because X3D uses .xml files, rather than VRML97 or "Classic VRML" format.

But, if a converter is available to migrate just the file format (preserving the content), so that the .wrl/.x3dv files can be converted to an X3D-compatible .xml file, then the X3D importer will be able to load the resulting model file.

How this code is used

The sole purpose of Parser/Scanner (adopted from the meshlab project) is to take a VRML97 (.wrl) or "Classic VRML" (.x3dv) file as input, and convert to an X3D .xml file. That's it.

By passing the converted in-memory .xml file content to the X3DImporter, the .wrl or x3dv model can be loaded via assimp.