ECMA-363 (Universal 3D File Format)

Revision as of 10:37, 4 March 2010

Title(s): ECMA-363: Universal 3D File Format

Version ID: 4th Edition

Date released: June 2007

Date: December 2004

Creator(s): Ecma International [[1]]

Contributor(s): Technical Committee 43 (TC43), Intel, Boeing, HP, Adobe Systems, Bentley Systems, Right Hemisphere

Relationships: promote the development of 3D graphics for use in various industries, specifically at this time manufacturing as well as construction and industrial plant design

• Previous Version(s):
  • 1st Edition [[2]]
  • 2st Edition [[3]]
  • 3st Edition [[4]]
  • 4st Edition [[5]]

• Syntax Format(s): The U3D run-time architecture may be extended by new objects not defined in this document. These new objects shall be in the class of modifier objects within a modifier chain. File format

requirements for the new objects are in 9.4.6 New Object Type and 9.4.7 New Object Block [[6]]

• Family Format(s): - Any family formats to which the engineering format may belong.

Description: - Main description of the format, which can give extra information not categorized.

History: - Historical description depicting major events surrounding development, creation, and maintenance of this format.

Example(s): Example Template - Information and example models of the engineering format.

Identifier: - A URL or other identifier that refers to the engineering format.

Documentation: Documentation Template - Information in general about the engineering format.

File Extensions: - Extensions of the engineering format, excluding the dot.

Applications: - Applications that the engineering format uses.

• Native application(s): Engineering Format Application Template - Applications which are primarily designed to specifically run this engineering format.

• Interoperable applications: Engineering Format Application Template - Applications which can read or write files of this format, but are not native applications for the format.

Magic numbers: - Unique identifying characters at the beginning of files for this engineering format.

Format(s): - The MIME file types.

Rights: - The name or type of the license for the engineering format. Examples: BSD-style license, Apache License, Proprietary license

Sustainability Factors: - Facts about the sustainability of this particular engineering format.

• Standardization: - Information regarding standardization attempts with this format.

• Adoption: - Information about how this format has been adopted by other organizations.

• • Licensing and patent claims: - Any licenses or patent claims that the engineering format makes.

• Self-documentation: - Any self-documentation capabilities of the format.

• External dependencies: - Anything that the format depends on outside of its control to function.

• Technical protection considerations: - Any considerations that are necessary when it comes to technical protection.

Typical use: - Keywords that describe the format's typical use. Examples: CAD and CAM

File classification: - Specific properties that pertain to this engineering format.

• Type {Binary, Text}: - The type of file, choices are binary and text.
• Raster data: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports raster data.
  • Raster data 2D: - Can the format support 2D raster data? Example: A format that can contain 2D pixelated data supports 2D raster data.
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Raster data 3D: - Can the format support 3D raster data? Example: A format that can contain 2D pixelated data of a 3D model supports 3D raster data.
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Geometric representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports geometric representations.
  • Implicit representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports implicit representations.
    • Implicit surfaces: - Can the format support implicit surfaces? Example: A format that can contain surfaces that are generated with mathematical equations that contain the independent variables x, y, and z, like x^2 + y^2 + z^2 * R^2 = 0, supports implicit surfaces.
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Implicit curves: - Can the format support implicit curves? Example: A format that can contain curves that are generated with mathematical equations that contain the independent variables x, y, and z, supports implicit curves.
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Point set: - Can the format support point sets? Example: A format that supports surfaces and lines that are generated by points that form triangles supports point sets.
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Mesh: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports mesh.
    • Manifold surface meshes: - Can the format support manifold surface meshes? Example: A format that supports surfaces that are mathematical spaces in which every point has a neighborhood which resembles Euclidean space
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Manifold volume meshes: - Can the format support manifold volume meshes? Example: A format that supports volumes that are mathematical spaces in which every point has a neighborhood which resembles Euclidean space
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Non-manifold meshes: - Can the format support non-manifold meshes? Example: A format that supports meshes that are not manifolds
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Parametric representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports parametric representations.
    • Parametric surfaces: - Can the format support parametric surfaces? Example: A format that can contain surfaces that are generated with parametric equations supports parametric surfaces.
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Parametric curves: - Can the format support parametric curves? Example: A format that can contain curves that are generated with parametric equations supports parametric curves.
      • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Contour sets: - Can the format support contour sets?
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • NURBS: - Can the format support Non Uniform Rational Basis Splines? Examples: The engineering formats IGES, STEP, ACIS, and PHIGS
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Multi-resolution models: - Can the format support models with multiple resolutions? Examples: A format that supports a highly detailed and lowly detailed model simultaneously supports multi-resolution models.
  • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
  • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Dynamics: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports dynamics.
  • Kinematics: - Can the format support kinematics? Example: Does the format allow model parts to rotate?
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Assembly: - Can the format support assembly? Example: Does the format allow the assembly instructions to be explicitly specified with a model?
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Force(s): - Can the format support forces? Example: Does the format support acceleration forces?
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Boundary representation - Can the format support models with boundary representations?
  • Manifold surface boundary representations: - Can the format support manifold surface boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Manifold volume boundary representations: - Can the format support manifold volume boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Non-manifold boundary representations: - Can the format support non-manifold boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Material transparency: - Can the format support transparency? Example: Does the format allow models to have a clear window in a car?
  • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
  • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.

References: - A list of references regarding any aspects of this engineering format; any reading material supplemental to this page.