Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................1
Tools and Components .................................................................................................1
Virtual Manual Generator .......................................................................................1
Virtual Manual Administrator ..................................................................................2
Virtual Training Editor.............................................................................................2
Internet Model Optimizer........................................................................................2
Virtual Training Viewer ...........................................................................................2
Virtual Training Analyzer ........................................................................................2
Virtual Manual Publisher ........................................................................................2
Cortona VRML client ..............................................................................................2
Hardware and System Requirements............................................................................3
Installing the Software ...................................................................................................3
Getting Started with the Software ..................................................................................3
THE LAYOUT OF THE PROCESS AND BASIC OPERATIONS ...................................5
General Work Flow Diagram .........................................................................................5
Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project .................................................................7
Basic Data Flow for Creating VM Project ...............................................................7
Supplementary Data Flow for Creating VM Project................................................8
Creating a new VM project and adding geometry to it with VMG...........................9
VTE: Basic steps for projects created with VMG....................................................9
Creating a new VM project and adding geometry with VTE...................................9
Basics of Creating and Using Trainings ......................................................................10
Creating animations with VTE..............................................................................12
Creating a training scenario which is based on the Operation Data File..............12
Creating training scenario from the scratch .........................................................13
Publishing Training...............................................................................................13
Using VTV to play training....................................................................................13
Using VTA to analyze the actions of the trainee ..................................................13
Generating stand-alone training and maintenance documents ...................................14
Generating SCORM compliant training documents by using VTV .......................14
Generating HTML page that incorporates 3D simulation by using VMP ..............14
USEFUL ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS ........................................................................16
Configure VTE .............................................................................................................16
Exchange VM projects between the illustrators...........................................................16
Introduction
This document gives practical recommendations for creating both digital documents that incorporate
interactive 3D visualization of complex technical procedures, also known as Web-Enabled Interactive 3D
simulations, and 3D visual trainings (trainings). The suggested technology is the ideal medium for creating
and delivering to end-users the specific digital documents on the basis of existing 3D CAD and PDM data.
Recommended hardware:
PC with 2.5 GHz or higher processor clock speed (single or dual processor system); Intel Pentium/Celeron
family, or AMD family, or compatible processor.
Random Access Memory (RAM): 512 MB.
Graphics card: Direct3D (128 MB) for all applications excepting VMG.
Recommended software:
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP, Internet Explorer 6.0.
Additional software:
ParallelGraphics Cortona VRML Client (used with VTE, IMO, VTV, and VMP);
Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) 4.0 (used with VTE);
J2SE Runtime Environment 1.5 (used with VMG).
The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: General Work Flow Diagram
The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: General Work Flow Diagram
VRML97
Projects Location
VM project
VM project
VM project
VTE
Publish Location
3D Simulation &
Training
scenario
3D Simulation
3D Simulation
VTV
VMP
Logs Location
Digital Document
with 3D content
SCORM compliant
or Web-based
Training document
VTA
Fig.1. General work flow diagram. Box an application; parallelogram data. Dimmed figures input and
output data used in the development process.
The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project
Fig.2. Data flow diagram of the VM project production. Box an application; parallelogram data. Dimmed
figures input data used in the development process. Dashed figures optional part of the data flow.
The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project
In the VTE framework, the illustrator has the ability to select for every part or group of parts the level of
details that fits the required visualization in the best way. If both IMO and VTE are installed on the same
computer, the illustrator can create additional level of detail for any part without interrupting the work and with
the possibility to visually estimate the level of simplification (the Create New Representation command).
Supplementary Data Flow for Creating VM Project
1. Exporting 3D data from arbitrary systems in VRML97 format.
2. Data processing (optionally) with IMO.
3. Creating a new VM project and adding 3D data to it with VTE.
4. Adding a new level of detail to these newly added models with the VMG program (optionally).
The supplementary data flow is shown as an upper left graph branch in fig. 2. Using this operation sequence
is effective in the cases when initial data have been received from computer graphics programs with both
built in mechanisms for geometry simplification and comprehensive VRML97 export capabilities. For
instance, 3D Studio Max is a popular example of these tools.
The process of creating begins with exporting geometry data from CAD system in VRML97 format. If it is
necessary, the geometry can by simplified with the help of IMO.
The next step is creating a new VM project and adding 3D data by using commands of VTE: New Project
and Add Items from VRML.
If it is necessary to add levels of detail, the VM project can be processed in VMG.
Please note that you can add supplementary geometry to a VM project at any time and with both VMG and
VTE. To do this, open the VM project in the corresponding program and make the import procedure.
The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Importing 3D Data and Creating VM Project
Start VMG (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Generator > Virtual Manual
Generator).
To configure the program to work with the existing working folders, click Tools, point to Options and
click Select Configuration. In the Select Predefined Configuration dialog box, choose the name of VM
configuration by clicking it. Click OK. Please note that for evaluation purposes there exists Default VM
configuration. You can use it to configure all programs from VM product family to work with
corresponding working folders without VMA.
To create a new VM project, on the File menu click New Project. Type the name for your project. Click
OK. This adds a new empty (that is, without any geometry) project to the working folder.
Choose the plug-in that meets the requirements of exported CAD data by clicking its name in the list of
available plug-ins.
If it is required, specify the settings for importing. To do this, on the Tools menu click Options. Please
note that it is recommended to use the default settings. For more information about settings, see VMG
Help system.
If it is required, specify the settings for the selected plug-in. To do this, click Settings. Please note that it
is recommended to use the default settings. For more information about plug-in settings, click the Help
button in the currently open dialog box.
To start importing the geometry files, click the Start button, in the Select source VRML file dialog box
that appears click the starting VRML file and then click Open.
If the default settings for importing have been specified, VMG saves the project in the end of the
importing procedure. Otherwise, use the Save command from the File menu.
Start VTE (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Training Editor > Virtual Training Editor.
Choose the same VM configuration that you have already specified in VMG. To do this, click Tools,
point to Options and click Select Configuration. In the Select Predefined Configuration dialog box,
choose the name of VM configuration by clicking it. Click OK.
Open the project that was created with the VMG application (on the File menu click Open Project).
Because all parts are hidden in the 3D window by default, make parts and units visible by using the
Show Solid command (click the View menu, point to Hide/Show Selection, and then click Show
Solid).
When you finish working with the project, click Save Project from the File menu to save your work.
Start VTE (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Training Editor > Virtual Training Editor).
To configure the program to work with the existing working folders, click Tools, point to Options and
click Select Configuration. In the Select Predefined Configuration dialog box, choose the name of VM
configuration by clicking it. Click OK.
Create a new empty VM project (on the File menu click New Project). Type the name of your project.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Basics of Creating and Using Trainings
To add geometry to the project, use the Add Items from VRML command from the File menu. In the
Add Items dialog box that appears choose VRML97 file (the .wrl file extension) and then click Open.
Because all parts are hidden in the 3D window by default, make parts and units visible by using the
Show Solid command (click the View menu, point to Hide/Show Selection, and then click Show
Solid).
When you finish working with the project, click Save Project from the File menu to save your work.
If you need to add level of detail for every model in the project, open project in VMG and use Start
Optimization from the Action menu. Note that in the cases of default settings, VMG saves new version
of the project in the end of optimization procedure. To continue working with the project, open it in VTE.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Basics of Creating and Using Trainings
Documents Location
Projects Location
Training Documents
3D(ODF)
Simulation
3D Simulation
VM project
VM project
VM project
VTE
Publish Location
3D Simulation &
Training
scenario
3D Simulation
3D Simulation
VTV
Logs Location
SCORM compliant
or Web-based
Training document
VTA
Fig.3. Data flow diagram of the 3D training production. Box an application; parallelogram data. Dimmed
figures input data used in the development process.
Before to start working on a training, you need to specify projects and document locations. This can be done
by choosing already existing VM configuration. Projects location specifies a default location for the folder
from which you get a list of available projects by using the Open Project command and where you store the
project version. Documents location applies to scenario training. It specifies a default location for the
documents that can be used in creating scenario prototype with the Attach Document command. These
documents should follow the Operation Data File (ODF) based procedures. The Projects, Document, Logs
and Publish locations are also known as working folders.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Basics of Creating and Using Trainings
Creating animations with VTE
This section provides instructions needed to create an animated and interactive VRML content, which
describes a particular process (3D simulation). It is considered that the VM project has been already opened
in VTE.
If it is necessary, change the geometry hierarchy (structure of the scene) by using commands of the
Scene Tree or Scene List windows.
Remove irrelevant parts, i.e. parts that can be omitted without loosing the visual clearness and technical
accuracy (the Delete command from the Edit menu). Please note that the deleted parts and units can
always be recovered (the Restore command from the Edit).
For the parts used in your visualized procedure, choose geometry representations with the levels of
detail that meet your needs from the visual point of view (for example, the Choose Representations by
Weight and Choose Representations by Name commands from the Edit menu). For more details
about creating new geometry representations, see the following sections of the VTE Help system:
Choose Representation, Scene Tree Context-sensitive commands, and Creating New Representation.
Use the Save Project command from the File menu to save your work.
With the New Group command from the Procedure menu, create the SUBTASK grouping item in the
Procedure window. This group element combines several actions of the technological process of your
visual procedure.
Create animation for the selected part or unit by using New Action from the Procedure menu. Please
note that although it is possible to form new custom actions, we recommend you to use actions without
changing their internal structure of commands (atoms and functions). For more details about creating
animations, see Basics of Creating Actions in the VTE Help system.
Edit animations if something plays incorrectly. For more details, see Editing Actions in the VTE Help
system.
Create new groups of actions (SUBTASKs) for the procedures steps that need to be visualized on the
basis of the document providing the description of the procedure.
If you have the readymade ODF procedure, make sure you have Documents location of the currently
active VM configuration assigned to the folder where you store ODF procedures. Please note that if the
Docs folder does not contain the proper documents, execution of ODF procedures is impossible both in
VTE and VTV.
To add the training scenario prototype, on the Scenario menu click Attach Document.
Use VTE Help system to find information on modification of Operation, Request, and Alert scenario
elements of the training scenario prototype. For more details about the control words in the training
scenario, see Structure of the Scenario, VTE Help system. To open the Help system, choose Help
Contents from the Help menu.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Basics of Creating and Using Trainings
Creating training scenario from the scratch
It is considered that the VM project has been already opened in VTE.
Open the Scenario Editor tabbed page, and then click Add scenario to the project.
Click <add step> to add the first step to the training scenario. For more details about the control words
in the training scenario, see Structure of the Scenario, VTE Help system. To open the Help system,
choose Help Contents from the Help menu.
Publishing Training
Save and publish the finished version of your project. The Publish command from the File menu
generates the training files that can be opened in the VTV later on. Please note that the folder to save
3D simulation is specified by the currently activated VM configuration.
Before to start working with training, you need to choose VM configuration that specifies Scenario files
location, Log files location and in the cases of trainings based on the ODF procedure Document files
location. This can be done by clicking Select Configuration on the Options tab of the VTV and by
choosing the name of VM configuration.
To start the training procedure, open training in the VTV. To open a training scenario, click Browse, find
and select the scenario XML file, for example, name_of_training.training.xml style naming, and then
click Open. By default, the viewer opens the training scenario with the Demo option button selected. In
the Demo and Study modes the trainee reads the description and explanatory materials for the studied
procedure, and observes playback of the 3D simulation, which illustrates the procedure. For more
details about the VTV, see the VTV Help system.
With the VTA you analyze the actions recorded during the trainee's exam. Before to start working with
the log file of training procedure, you need to choose VM configuration. To do this, click Select
Configuration on the Options tab of the VTV and choose the name of VM configuration.
To open a log file, click Browse, find and select the log XML file, and then click Open. Note: The
common folder for log files is specified by the currently activated VM configuration. If applicable, the
location you specify appears first when you click Browse. For more details about VTA, see the VTA
Help system.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Generating stand-alone training and maintenance documents
Start Virtual Manual Publisher (Start > Programs > ParallelGraphics > Virtual Manual Publisher >
Virtual Manual Publisher).
Click Select Configuration and choose the desired configuration to use the particular working folder that
contains 3D simulations created with VTE.
Click Load and select the desired 3D simulation (the file with the .wrl extension) in the Load 3D
Simulation dialog box.
Click Options to edit the view of the HTML page. Click Help for detailed information.
To publish the HTML document, click Publish. Specify the name of the page and the destination of the
published files. Click Save.
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The Layout of the Process and Basic Operations: Generating stand-alone training and maintenance documents
Projects Location
VM project
VM project
VM project
VTE
Publish Location
3D Simulation &
Training
Scenario
3D Simulation
3D Simulation
VMP
Digital Document
with 3D content
Fig.4. Data flow diagram of production Web-Enabled Interactive 3D Simulations. Box an application;
parallelogram data. Dimmed figure output data.
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Click Tools, point to Options and click Select Configuration. In the Select Configuration dialog box,
choose the name of VM configuration by clicking it. Click OK.
Start VTE and select the VM configuration that contains the project(s) that you wish to export.
Select the project you want to export from the Project list on the left and then click Export. Please note
that you can select all projects by clicking Projects.
Specify the location where you want to save the selected project(s) in the Save in field.
In File name, type a name for the VM project archive (VMP file), and then click Save.
Importing project:
Start VTE (if you import the project on another computer) and select the VM configuration to contain the
imported project(s).
In the Import Project dialog box, locate and open the folder containing VM project archive (VMP file).
If the VM project archive contains several projects, the Import Multiple Projects dialog appears. In the
Projects list, select project(s) you want to import. Click OK. Please note that, by default, all projects in
the Projects list appear selected.
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