We have made some additional testing for Android Lollipop 5.1.1 WebGL problems.
Android Lollipop 5.1.1 (right now available for Google Nexus devices) has problems with WebGL (see our previous post about Android WebGL problems). Following extensions are not working properly:
First one gives GL errrors to random GL call. The other ones fail silently.
Hoping to get the fixes from Android soon.
We have updated path finding functionality and path calculation. Now it is possible to change the weights of navigation nodes in 3D Wayfinder floor plan editor.
Path-finding application calculates automatically the shortest route from the starting node to the required location. In mobile applications, the Kiosk node can be your position inside the building. With 3D Wayfinder, the shortest route is calculated in a 3 dimensional room. It means the shortest path through all the floors.
Now it is possible to change the weights of the connection nodes. With this wayfinding application calculates optimal route, which doesn’t have to be the shortest. For example when you would like to guide your visitors to use the path inside the building instead of going around the building. Then you can set the weight for outdoor nodes higher. The weight is basically virtual length that will be added to the route, when passing the navigation node with a weight.
To use the weights you have to select the navigation node in 3D Wayfinder floor plan editor and change the node weight from the text box. By default all the weights are 0.
For example lets, say that waiting for the elevator takes usually 3 minutes. Lets assume, that visitors are moving with a speed of 3 km per hour, which is 50 meters per minute. So with waiting the elevator, visitor can pass 150 meters (3*50). If we would like to take account this in path calculation. Then we can add weight of 150 to the navigation node, that is marked as elevator.
Pathfinding functionality comes bundled in an add-on you can order from 3D Wayfinder Administration panel. It is also included in the Pro plan.
Read more about 3D Wayfinder’s path-finding capabilities.
New Android Lollipop (5.1.1), seems to have problems with WebGL.
With Android 5.1.1 updates (right now available for Google Nexus devices) problems appear in WebGL. WebGL is returning GL_INVALID_OPERATION on all WebGL content. Simple WebGL examples seem to works, so we are investigating this problem. We are hoping to get the fixes from Android soon as 3D Wayfinder applicatons are being used more and more on mobile devices. Devices with older Android 5.0.2 seem to work perfectly with same Chrome version (44.0.2403).
We have updated 3D Wayfinder service terms.
Updated service terms can be found here. We are changing also 3D floor plan ordering service terms, these will be published in closer time.
We have added full screen mode to FRAK WebGL engine. Now it is possible to create 3D Wayfinder templates that can open 3D floor plans in full screen.
Full screen with browsers is being used for watching videos, using map application, playing games etc. Usually wayfinding applications are configured to run in full screen by default. So there will be no need for separate full screen mode from browser. When embedding 3D Wayfinder in web-pages or web based applications, going full screen can be really useful. This gives the possibility to experience 3D content through the whole screen when needed. Also in normal state 3D canvas can be mixed with other HTML content keeping the 3D area smaller and it needs less performance.
To use full screen mode with FRAK engine you have to make following API call:
Engine.requestFullscreen(useUpscaling)
Exiting full screen:
Engine.exitFullscreen()
Engine.requestFullscreen() has to be called by a user interaction (i.e. click on a button), as browser need user action for going full screen.
If “useUpscaling” is set to true the canvas is resized to screen dimensions, but rendering will continue at the original resolution. This allows for faster rendering, but the image quality will suffer.
Full screen is required for stereoscopic rendering, this we will also add to 3D Wayfinder soon to provide real-time 3D experience with 3D Wayfinder. Stay tuned!
3D Wayfinder provides offline snapshot add-on to create static wayfinding application that can be used without internet connection. Read more about offline indoor wayfinding.
When kiosks or digital signage screens don’t have internet connection, then there are 2 options:
1) to use offline snapshot or
2) to install the 3D Wayfinder Enterprise Server locally.
Offline indoor wayfinding snapshot Add-on enables to save 3D Wayfinder projects for offline use. The add-on creates static files of all the assets and modifies the template file for local use. Also to use the snapshot files You need a local web server. Because modern browsers do not allow requests to local files. Read more from the offline snapshot tutorial.
Kiosk or totem set-up is the same as with using 3D Wayfinder from the web.
The only thing with offline snapshots is that after each update the files in kiosk need to be updated.
We are also offering 3D Wayfinder Enterprise Server with Administration panel and everything else, that is needed to administrate wayfinding kiosks locally. For more information, please contact our sales team.
Advertisement add-on user manual is now publicly available. Advertisement add-on makes your wayfinding application part of your digital-signage channel. It is possible to use video and banner ads. Also set duration, layout and everything you need for managing advertisements in malls or airports.
User manual covers the most basic part of managing advertisements:
Advertisement user manual is part of 3D Wayfinder administration panel manual.
Read how to add and manage different ads in 3D Wayfinder. Ads can be images or videos. It is possible to create different layouts. You can also use a “screen saver” mode. Then you can show only advertisements. This helps to profit from wayfinding, when nobody is currently using the application. It is he good opportunity for shopping center and transportation facility.
Advertisement add-on price is 99 USD per month. See also other 3D Wayfinder add-ons.
Please contact our sales team for more information.
Here are couple of 3D Wayfinder template examples. Wayfinding template for touch screen kiosks and mobile for indoor positioning in shopping malls, hospitals, airport etc. Contact our sales team for demo.
We have joined the Open Design Alliance to develop CAD file support to 3D Wayfinder. With CAD support it will be easy to upload building drawing files and show them directly through web.
3D Technologies R&D (developer of 3D Wayfinder) is now a member of Open Design Alliance. The Open Design Alliance (ODA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of open industry-standard formats for CAD. ODA was established in 1998 and now has over 1300 members.
Most of the architectural modelling is done with Autodesk CAD software packages, where DWG files are native file formats. DWG is a proprietary and closed file format and it doesn’t have open specifications. ODA has deigned Teigha library which supports the use of C++, .NET, and ActiveX interfaces. Also it allows the exchange of data through .dwg, .dgn and .stl files.
We will search the possibilities to provide also DWG file reading in 3D Wayfinder. This will open up a whole new area for 3D Wayfinder. Architects can directly upload their building drawing to 3D Wayfinder and also real estate managers, building owners etc. For example DWG files that can be viewed through 3D Wayfinder. There will be no need for converting DWG-s to common 3D formats that 3D Wayfinder currently supports.
Currently we are developing features to insert external 3D models to floor plans. With this it would be possible to add these “little details” (like escalators, benches, trees or even cars). That make the floor-plans look realistic. The best thing is, that it doesn’t require any 3D modelling skills. So all our users can detail the floor plans by themselves.
3D object library can be opened in Editor window with object thumbnails:
Added objects appear on the 3D scene. The good part here is, that the same model can be used inside the scene many times. Therefore it doesn’t increase the downloadable model sizes as each model will be loaded only once.
3D models to floor plans can be resized and moved inside the 3D Wayfinder.
With external 3D models. We will definitely provide common library of models we are using to detail the floor plans. For example these will include trees, cars, different indoor plants, escalators, tables, stairs and so on. See our user manual.