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FreeWRL/FreeX3D Windows Build

Introduction

Doug Sanden and Michel Briand have been porting FreeWRL to the Windows platform. These notes allow us to follow their methods, and hopefully allow us to expand the scope of the port.

There is still work to do; we are always looking for good volunteers. If you have the experience and the desire, please contact us.

last update: December 18 2009.

1. Binary versions of FreeWRL

There are two paths for you; try our binary installer, or get the full release version of FreeWRL.

Try the binary installer - look for the latest info on the Download page.

Or, if the above does not work, we have a binary beta version of FreeWRL; to install this:

  • Create a new folder, C:\Program Files\CRC
  • Down load the binary zip from here (October 25 2009 version) and extract it into the C:\Program Files\CRC folder;
  • you will find FreeWRL as: C:\Program Files\CRC\FreeWRL_Deployment\freeWRL_Release.

2. Building FreeWRL in Debug mode

2.1 Get Microsofts Visual C compiler

We are using the free version of the Visual C compiler from Microsoft, available here.

This is Visual C 2008; other versions will probably do just fine.

2.2 Get the FreeWRL Source

You can either get the latest formal release, or a snapshot of the code. At this early stage of the FreeWRL Windows port, the snapshot might be best.

Snapshot: For a snapshot as of October 22 2009, click here, and un tar it to a location on your disc.

Formal Release: Navigate your web browser to the download page from freewrl.sourceforge.net http://freewrl.sourceforge.net/download.html and download the Source Code Tar distribution and untar it.

2.3 Get the pre-packaged support libraries

Doug Sanden has generated a package of libraries that are required for FreeWRL to function.

Download the MSVC Compatible Libraries

Get the December 18 2009 bundle from here, unzip it and put the lib directory in the source code directory freewrl/freex3d.

(Note: there are now advertisements on SourceForge; the download will happen, but you might see a message "from our advertisers" on the main web page)

Download the Font Libraries

Get the fonts bundle from here, unzip it, and put the Fonts directory in the source code directory freewrl/freex3d.

2.4 Build the source

You should be able to build the Debug version of lib and standalone projects. Asuming you have the source code in: 
c:\source\freewrl\freex3d...
You will find the Visual C project file in: 
c:\source\freewrl\freex3d\projectfiles_vc9\freeWrl.sln
  • Build the "libFreeWRL" Project first.
  • Build the "freeWRL" or the "Solution" second.

The "libFreeWRLd.exe" file is required to be built first; you should follow the above order.

2.5 Move DLLs for execution

When you go to run it will complain about missing dlls.

Go into the lib/windows/ directories and copy the dlls from the dlls_copy_to_debug directory and put in the freewrl/freex3d/projectfiles_vc9/Debug directory.

2.6 Running FreeWRL

You should now be able to run FreeWRL in a number of ways.

From Visual Studio

If you click on the pull down menu "Debug", you should be able to bring up a blank FreeWRL window when you click on the "Start Debugging" icon.

From the command line

For example, assuming you have the source code in: 
c:\source\freewrl\freex3d...
and a test file in your local directory called 
simpleShader.x3d
You should be able to type, at the command prompt: 
c:\source\freewrl\freex3d\projectfiles_vc9\Debug\freeWRLd.exe simpleShader.x3d
and it will run.

From a VRML or X3D file

You will find in the freewrl/freex3d/projectfiles_vc9/Debug directory that there is a FreeWRL executable.

You will also find in the freewrl/freewrl/tests directory a bunch of tests.

If you right click on one of the files, you can browse and assign the freewrl executable to that file type.

3. Building FreeWRL in Release mode

Debug mode is great, because it does a pretty good job of catching programming errors on our part. However, if you want faster execution, you may wish to redo the Building FreeWRL in Debug mode steps, but:

  • Go into the lib/windows/ directories and copy the dlls from the dlls_copy_to_release directory and put in the freewrl/freex3d/projectfiles_vc9/Release directory;
  • start up Visual Studio, and in the pull down menu "Build -> Configuration Manager", change both libFreeWRL and FreeWRL to "release" state from "debug" state;
  • clean the libFreeWRL project, then build;
  • clean the FreeWRL project, then build.

Info

This project is managed by John A. Stewart.

Please send bug reports to freewrl-09 --at-- rogers.com including the word ``freewrl'' on the subject line will make sure that I'll notice it. Also, see the FreeWRL home page at http://www.crc.ca/FreeWRL.

There is absolutely no warranty, express or implied for this software. For details on the conditions of use, see the FreeWRL distribution.

FreeWRL is Copyright (C) 1998, 1999...2009 Tuomas J. Lukka, John Stewart and others.

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Library General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA

DISCLAIMER: All information and programs presented on these pages is presented strictly on an as-is basis without an explicit or implicit warranty or guarantee of any kind, not even for fitness for any particular purpose. The FreeWRL logo is based on the Linux Penguin logo by Larry Ewing. All trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

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