3D World Editor

(To be removed) Edit virtual worlds for 3D animation

3D World Editor will be removed in a future release. For more information, see Version History.

Description

The 3D World Editor app creates virtual worlds for visualizing and verifying dynamic system behavior using Simulink^® 3D Animation™ software. You can build virtual worlds with Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) or X3D (Extensible 3D).

Use the 3D World Editor to:

Create objects in the virtual world from scratch using X3D or VRML node types.
Create objects using templates available in the 3D World Editor object library.
Import objects exported from CAD tools.
Simplify geometries of imported objects.
Create or modify hierarchy of objects in the scene.
Give objects in the virtual world unique names in order to access them from MATLAB^® and Simulink.
Set scene background, lighting and navigation properties.
Define suitable viewpoints that are significant for working with the virtual world.

Supported Platforms

The 3D World Editor works on all supported platforms for the Simulink 3D Animation product.

The 3D World Editor is installed as part of the Simulink 3D Animation installation. It is the default virtual world editor.

Use with Other Editors

As you create a virtual world, you can use a different editor for individual phases of the process.

Choose an editor that best meets your needs. For a description of the benefits and limitations of different types of editors, see Choose a Virtual World Editor.

VRML and X3D Support

The file formats for the 3D World Editor are VRML and X3D.

The 3D World Editor supports all VRML97 types and language elements, except as noted.

For general VRML limitations relating to the Simulink 3D Animation software as a whole, see VRML Compatibility.

For general X3D limitations relating to the Simulink 3D Animation software as a whole, see X3D Support.

PixelTexture Nodes

You cannot create or edit PixelTexture node image contents. Existing PixelTexture node image contents are fully preserved.

Open the 3D World Editor App

Simulink Toolstrip: On the Apps tab, under Simulation Graphics and Reporting, click the app icon.
MATLAB Toolstrip: On the Apps tab, under Simulation Graphics and Reporting, click the app icon.
MATLAB command prompt: Enter vredit.

Examples

Programmatic Use

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`vredit`

vredit opens the 3D World Editor with an empty virtual world.

`vredit(filename)`

vredit(filename) opens a virtual world file in the 3D World Editor, based on the specified filename. It returns the vrworld handle of the virtual world.

More About

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Nodes, Library Objects, and Templates

Use the 3D World Editor to specify VRML or X3D to create 3-D virtual worlds that you can connect to a Simulink model.

Use the 3D World Editor to:

To create a virtual world, assemble nodes. You can add nodes that specify many aspects of a virtual world, such as:
- Appearance (for example, font style, color, and material)
- Navigation information (for example, navigation mode and headlights)
- Geometry (for example, boxes, text, and elevation grids)
- Groups (for example, transforms)
- Interpolators
- Light
- Sensors
Select objects from a set of supplied libraries or from custom libraries for:
- Components (for example, geometric objects, backgrounds, aircraft, vehicles, landscapes, and architecture)
- Materials
- Textures
Use a supplied template as a starting point for a virtual world.

Template Virtual World 3D Files

The 3D World Editor includes template virtual world 3D files that you can use as a starting point for creating virtual reality worlds. Some examples of templates are the Earth, road, sea, and terrain virtual world templates.

To access templates, use one of the following approaches:

Select File > New From Template.
Select the New File From Template button .

A template file name displayed in the 3D World Editor always starts with Template.

To adapt the template world for your application, edit the file. To save your changes, use the File > Save As option. You cannot overwrite an existing template file.

You can create your own template files. Store them in a different folder than the folder used for template files provided with Simulink 3D Animation.

In virtual worlds that you create, you can reference nodes, such as texture files, that appear in the template files provided with Simulink 3D Animation.

Version History

Introduced in R2010b

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R2024a: To be removed

The 3D World Editor will be removed in a future release. Instead, use sim3d classes and Simulation 3D blocks to interface MATLAB and Simulink with the Unreal Engine^® 3D simulation environment. To get started, see Create 3D Simulations in Unreal Engine Environment.