Reviews : Java Books : 3D User Interfaces with Java 3D :

13.4 SUMMARY

For a 3D application, action and interaction are the lifeblood of its 3D UI. Without spatial transforms, picking, and change detection, the virtual world would be a pretty static place and the user would quickly become bored with the application. The TransformGroup class and its closely associated Transform3D class form the basis for all spatial manipulation. These classes, together with the getLocalToVworld method of the Node class, are vital to many of the 3D techniques, such as DRM, WRM, and world overlay. Picking in Java 3D is a rather decentralized process that generally occurs in two stages, the first one getting you close and the second one adding spatial precision. The behavior model, as embodied by the Behavior class, provides the basis for automatic actions (interpolators), collisions, and general change detection in Java 3D.

As Java extensions go, Java 3D is still quite young, which is evident from the problems discussed here. Future releases will no doubt fix the bugs and even address some of the API problems. Although one might question the specific approaches taken for such critical UI functions as picking, collision, and event handling, Java 3D has definitely cut a wider swath through these important areas than in previous 3D platforms, and offers the greatest potential for quality support of 3D user interfaces.

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