WPF and 3d models (Blender)
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
One could get creative and find some uses outside of game development. Perhaps charting, or maybe some kind of data display in 3d. The UniveRSS RSS reader uses 3d models to represent feeds, where larger 3d models are feeds with more unread items in them. That said, everything is flat right now in business apps, so it's hard to imagine uses for non-flat objects.
Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit. I'm currently blogging about: One can only dream (no income taxes) The apostle Paul, modernly speaking: Epistles of Paul Judah Himango
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
John Cardinal wrote:
I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's.
I write software that lets sales people / engineers spec out various machines. Currently, i render simple models to help them visualize what they're actually ordering... i could see something like this being used in the future. Of course, it'll be a while yet 'fore we can drop Win2k support, so it won't be XAML anytime soon. ;)
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
One use has already been used (no pun intended), I posted it a few days ago here. It's a WPF app which interprets GPS data recorded by Snowboarders coming down a particular moutain, they used a 3D model for the mountain in the application. I presume they're thinking of expanding the program at a later date to include animations as the snowboarders come down the moutain.
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John Cardinal wrote:
I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's.
I write software that lets sales people / engineers spec out various machines. Currently, i render simple models to help them visualize what they're actually ordering... i could see something like this being used in the future. Of course, it'll be a while yet 'fore we can drop Win2k support, so it won't be XAML anytime soon. ;)
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One use has already been used (no pun intended), I posted it a few days ago here. It's a WPF app which interprets GPS data recorded by Snowboarders coming down a particular moutain, they used a 3D model for the mountain in the application. I presume they're thinking of expanding the program at a later date to include animations as the snowboarders come down the moutain.
I saw that. I guess any software that deals with concrete physical objects in some way could benefit. It would be hard to avoid the temptation to just code up a 3d interface for the hell of it though. I forsee an era of apps that look like bad websites from the 90's.
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I saw that. I guess any software that deals with concrete physical objects in some way could benefit. It would be hard to avoid the temptation to just code up a 3d interface for the hell of it though. I forsee an era of apps that look like bad websites from the 90's.
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
John Cardinal wrote:
Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI?
If it does, I haven't seen it yet. But I'm glad that the capability exists, because someone's going to take it and make something interesting with it where 3D will make sense. It's kinda like Compiz or Beryl. There's really no reason other than show that I'd want to drag a VLC window across two sides of a cube and have it wrap on the cube. But I'm glad that the capability exists...because eventually there's going to be some use for something like that.
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I came across this Blender XAML exporter that allows you to create 3d models then export them to XAML format for use in WPF applications: http://blogs.msdn.com/danlehen/archive/2006/01/14/513012.aspx[^] I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI? All the things I can come up with revolve around a different UI model which would probably be impractical since the current one is so well known. Or is this really just a game oriented ability in WPF? [Update] Woops! There are a whole lot of these exporters apparently:[/update] Various exporters to XAML format[^]
John Cardinal wrote:
I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI?
I have seen catalogs with 3D for ordering 3D models with preview capability. I have also seen this in QA, part identification, and a few other uses. I know I rehash the statement all the time, but it really depends on your target market. Could someone have a practical application of 3D in a UI somewhere, given near infinite users over near infinite time? sure. I have done medical UI's that have 3D volumetric displays, I've done sound analysis in 3D, spatial reflection, occular refraction, these are all very specific uses. But the question is, given a generic UI capability, do you want to provide the possibility? do you want to ignore the possibility? How much trouble would it be? I am not a big Windows or Linux fanboy, though I defend both (much to the consternation of both Windows and Linux fans), but I am a major 3D fan. You tell me an industry and intended purpose, I will describe operations in 3D most of the time. Like I mentioned before, I haven't found a practical use for chili pickers in the field to use 3D graphics, but I am working on it. ;)
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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John Cardinal wrote:
I'm just trying to imagine a practical non game application for 3d models in general business software UI's. Any wild speculation? Does Vista use any 3d models for any purpose in it's UI?
I have seen catalogs with 3D for ordering 3D models with preview capability. I have also seen this in QA, part identification, and a few other uses. I know I rehash the statement all the time, but it really depends on your target market. Could someone have a practical application of 3D in a UI somewhere, given near infinite users over near infinite time? sure. I have done medical UI's that have 3D volumetric displays, I've done sound analysis in 3D, spatial reflection, occular refraction, these are all very specific uses. But the question is, given a generic UI capability, do you want to provide the possibility? do you want to ignore the possibility? How much trouble would it be? I am not a big Windows or Linux fanboy, though I defend both (much to the consternation of both Windows and Linux fans), but I am a major 3D fan. You tell me an industry and intended purpose, I will describe operations in 3D most of the time. Like I mentioned before, I haven't found a practical use for chili pickers in the field to use 3D graphics, but I am working on it. ;)
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
One place this possibility could be useful is for Consumer Products Market Research (e.g: Cleaning Products, Toothpaste, ...) where you could create a model in 3D and then use them in the virtual shelf simulation. I was involved in the market research side of this, and this type of technology could help decrease the times to get a virtual shelf. The company I worked for used to have a proprietary application that had many quirks... While interesting this technology may not be as widespread as say 3d charts. Just my $0.02 :)