Distributed Interactive Simulation
DIS-Java-VRML Working Group


 click for Dis-Java-VRML home page

Software Download and Installation

Download Information

User Installation Instructions

  1. Download Distribution
  2. Software Decompression Tools
  3. Unzip
  4. Netscape
  5. CosmoPlayer
  6. Java
  7. PATH/CLASSPATH: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95/98, SGI Irix or other Unix


Windows


Unix

Download Distribution

Download dis-java-vrml.zip

and store it in C:\dis-java-vrml.zip

  

Download dis-java-vrml.tar.gz

and store it in ~username/dis-java-vrml.tar.gz

Unzip

Extract your locally stored version C:\dis-java-vrml.zip into the top-level C:\ directory.

Ensure that you retain subdirectories and overwrite previous files when extracting!

 
Software Decompression Tools

If the locally stored version C:\dis-java-vrml.zip doesn't open, ensure you have PKunzip decompression tool

  • normally NOT available on Unix
  • Windows PKunzip can be obtained at PKWare Inc.
If you've already installed Java, you can use the jar utility to open the zip file as shown below. 
	C:
	cd \
	del  vrtp\*.*         	
	del  dis-java-vrml\*.*	
	del  dis-java-vrml
	
   and then either

	pkunzip dis-java-vrml.zip	

   or

	jar -xvf dis-java-vrml.zip
Ensure you have tar and gunzip archive/decompression tools
  • normally available on Unix
  • alternative: see the Annotated References to find Unix utilities for PCs
Change to the dis-java-vrml.zip directory
(such as ~your-account>)

Uncompressing/untarring dis-java-vrml.tar.gz creates
(and extracts into) new subdirectory /vrtp/dis-java-vrml/ 

	rm -rf vrtp/*		        
	rm -rf dis-java-vrml/*		
	
	gunzip dis-java-vrml.tar.gz	

	tar -xvf dis-java-vrml.tar
Netscape

Download Netscape Install Netscape 4.75

Testing under Internet Explorer will resume when we work around cross-platform security inconsistencies.

CosmoPlayer

Ensure you have a Java-compliant VRML 97 browser installed in Netscape.

Once you have loaded CosmoPlayer, try this HelloWorld.wrl example to test proper operation of the VRML browser.

Then look at the CosmoPlayer Dashboard and press the Preferences button.

Then check the Never mute box on the Preferences panel "Audio" tab, & check
Show console on error or warning on the Preferences panel "Advanced" tab.

Java

Download Java JDK Install Java JDK 1.3 (also known as Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v 1.3) at http://www.javasoft.com/nav/download. You might also want to install the Javadoc documentation.

JDK 1.3 is also available directly at java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.3

PATH/CLASSPATH Configuration

Even though VRML browsers no longer depend on CLASSPATH for simple Java scripting, you will need dis-java-vrml in your CLASSPATH.

Our current incantations follow. Of course you will want to verify that these paths match your computers directory structure, if you are not using the default locations.

Tested operating systems: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows 95/98, SGI Irix or other Unix

  • Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 To change environment variables: go into the Control Panel, then System icon, then the Advanced tab. For user environment variables, enter the following to prepend the new values to administrator values. 
    	PATH		.;C:\jdk1.3\bin;[original %PATH% stays here];

	CLASSPATH	c:/vrtp/dis-java-vrml.jar;[original %CLASSPATH% stays here];

    Set the PATH and CLASSPATH environment variables by selecting My Computer -> Control Panel -> System -> Environment. After entering the PATH and CLASSPATH variables, be sure to press the Set and Apply buttons to ensure your changes are entered.

    Caution: For PATH, ensure your version of the JDK matches the version installed on your machine. On some systems, addition of PATH information is not needed.

    Caution: you probably need to logout/login or reboot the machine to ensure that the CLASSPATH environment variable is reset.

    Caution: you can usually set CLASSPATH as local user variable (despite the presence of a different System Administrator CLASSPATH variable), as long as you include the semicolons above. The local variable overrides the system variable. If problems persist, ask your system administrator to change the CLASSPATH.

    Note: to verify proper setup, you can type echo %CLASSPATH% (or SET | MORE ) at a command prompt as follows: 

    	C:\> echo %CLASSPATH% 
	c:/vrtp/dis-java-vrml.jar;

    Note: to verify Java setup, you can type java -version at a command prompt as follows: 

    	C:\> java -version
	java version "1.3.0"
	Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0-C)
	Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0-C, mixed mode)

  • Windows 95/98

    Set the PATH and CLASSPATH environment variables by editing the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. 

    
REM ------------------ dis-java-vrml Development PATH/CLASSPATH -------------------

	SET         PATH=.;C:\jdk1.3\bin;%PATH%;

	SET    CLASSPATH=c:/vrtp/dis-java-vrml.jar;%CLASSPATH%;

REM	More information on Java CLASSPATH is available at
REM	http://www.javasoft.com/products/jdk/1.2/docs/tooldocs/win32/classpath.html
REM	http://www.javasoft.com/products/jdk/1.1/docs/tooldocs/win32/classpath.html
    Caution: you usually must logout/login or reboot the machine to ensure that the CLASSPATH environment variable is set.

    Note: to verify proper setup, you can type echo %CLASSPATH% (or else type SET | MORE ) at a command prompt as follows: 

    	C:\> echo %CLASSPATH% 
	c:/vrtp/dis-java-vrml.jar;

    Note: to verify Java setup, you can type java -version at a command prompt as follows: 

    	C:\> java -version
	java version "1.3.0"
	Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0-C)
	Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0-C, mixed mode)

  • SGI Irix

    At long last, Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) has released CosmoPlayer 2.1 for their Irix operating system.

    We are currently working with SGI on proper installation and configuration. To set up an SGI workstation for development, you need to modify your .cshrc file. Here are some CLASSPATH examples used at NPS:

    NPS Systems technology lab 

      setenv CLASSPATH '.:/home/faculty/brutzman/.public_html/vrtp:/usr/local/netscape/java40.jar'

    NPS Graphics lab 

      setenv JAVA_HOME /usr/java
  set path = ($path /usr/java/bin)
  setenv CLASSPATH '.:/workc/brutzman/.public_html/vrtp'

  • Other Unix: sorry, we must be missing yours. Configuration examples for other platforms will be welcome additions.

 

Next Steps and Other Distributions

PC Software Setup

The following utilities are great to have on your PC. They are recommended for software development work.

Software Development

December 26 2000 (official NPS disclaimer)
URLs: www.web3D.org/WorkingGroups/vrtp/dis-java-vrml/download.html web.nps.navy.mil/~brutzman/vrtp/vrtp/dis-java-vrml/download.html
feedback: brutzman@nps.navy.mil & mcgredo@cs.nps.navy.mil