The Java 3D API Specification

THIS document describes the Java 3D API, version 1.2, and presents some details on the implementation of the API. This specification is not intended as a programmer's guide.

This specification is written for 3D graphics application programmers. We assume that the reader has at least a rudimentary understanding of computer graphics. This includes familiarity with the essentials of computer graphics algorithms as well as familiarity with basic graphics hardware and associated terminology.

Related Documentation

This specification is intended to be used in conjunction with the browser-accessible, javadoc-generated API reference.

Style Conventions

The following style conventions are used in this specification:

• Lucida type is used to represent computer code and the names of files and directories.

• Bold Lucida type is used for Java 3D API declarations.

• Bold type is used to represent variables.

• Italic type is used for emphasis and for equations.

Changes to the Java 3D API, version 1.2, are indicated by an icon in the margin. The icon appears in the outside margin for all new methods and constructors.

Programming Conventions

Java 3D uses the following programming conventions:

• The default coordinate system is right-handed, with +y being up, +x horizontal to the right, and +z directed toward the viewer.

• All angles or rotational representations are in radians.

• All distances are expressed in units or fractions of meters.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Warren Dale for writing the Sound API portion of this specification and Daniel Petersen for writing the scene graph sharing portion of the specification. We especially acknowledge Bruce Bartlett for his invaluable assistance with the editing, formatting, and indexing of the specification. Without Bruce's considerable help, this book would not have been possible.

We also thank the many individuals and companies that provided comments and suggestions. They have improved the Java 3D API.

Henry Sowizral
Kevin Rushforth
Michael Deering
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
April 2000

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The Java 3D API Specification

Copyright © 2000, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.