Guide to Getting Started in Papervision 3D
Starting Out
What tools should I use to developer with Papervision?
You have a couple choices when it comes to working with Papervision. Both Flash and Flex are options for publishing and you can use just about any text editor you wish. For the purpose of this tutorial, I am going to use FlashDevelop (www.flashdevelop.org) and the Flash IDE (www.adobe.com). When I am on my Mac, I prefer using TextMate (www.macromates.com)
What else do I need to start today?
Along with the tools, you also need the Papervision engine itself. To get this you need an SVN client. If you are using a PC I would recommend using Tortoise SVN (tortoisesvn.tigris.org) and on a Mac I have found that SvnX (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/development_tools/svnx.html) to be useful.
Once you have installed one of those applications, you will need to connect to the Papervision repository (where they keep their code), it can be found here: http://papervision3d.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ . If you already understand how subversion works and know how to work with it, please skip this section. I have included it because I was inexperience with SVN when I started working with Papervision and had to figure it out on my own when trying to get set up with Papervision.
With Tortoise, you can open windows explorer, go to the file menu. Tortoise will have added itself to that menu, so highlight Tortoise SVN and click Repo-browser to pop-open a dialog where you paste the above link to the SVN. This will open a SVN browser window with a couple of folders in it. For the purpose of this tutorial we are going to navigate to: http://papervision3d.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/as3/trunk/src . Right click the src folder and click checkout. Browse for the folder that you would like to store it in (or create a new one) and submit. The Papervision source code is now downloading.
With SvnX open the repository window and add a repository with the above path. Check out to a local folder of your choosing and let that download.
Hence forth, any time you would like to see if the source has been updated you can go to these folders and use Tortoise to update. With SvnX you will have to open the application and update from there.
Once you are synced up with the repository I would recommend loading Flash and going to Edit > Preferences. Go to the ActionScript category and select ActionScript 3.0 Settings. You are now faced with a list of classpaths (if you are like me), or a blank classpath window. Either way, click the little plus sign and then the target icon. Navigate to the folder that you just checked Papervision out to and click OK. Now you had made it so that if you ever want to use Papervision, Flash knows where to find the package.
A little tip: FlashDevelop also has classpaths that it uses for highlighting and auto-completion. I recommend adding the Papervision path to that list as well. This can be done by going to Tools > Global ClassPaths. That will open a dialog where you can set classpaths in any one of a number of languages, for this tutorial select AS3 from the combo box and click Add Classpath. Navigate to the Papervision path and you are good to go.
Now you are ready to being coding with Papervision.
Matthew
If your looking for some tutorials on Papervision you can check out http://hubpages.com/hub/Papervision-3D-programming-tutorial-Depth-of-Field and http://hubpages.com/hub/Papvervision-3D-programming-tutorial-Casting-Shadows
chris
nice article. it has been a huge help in getting me going. thanks for taking the time to write it.
KS
The latest SVN branch is http://papervision3d.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/as3/trunk/src/
kkx
Thank you very much!
XIII
after setting up the primitives, i dont see any objects when i test the movie, just background without anything objects.
i script and import onto the main FLA, what did i missed? O_o
raj
Hi,
I am a beginner who just started learning papervision3D. I am using Flex builder for it.
So far I found your article very nice until I encountered the statement, “One thing to note is the use of the MovieAssetMaterial, for this I had to create a MovieClip in the Flash library and export it for actionscript (Linkage). Once defined, the materials can be used on any object, over and over again”.
Could you please tell me or point me to a tutorial which describes how to create a MovieClip in the Flash Library and export it for actionscript (linkage).
Marc Pellland
In flex i believe that you can just use the [Embed] metatag and point it to a swf. Give it an id and then use that as a movieassetmaterial, take a look here: http://www.bit-101.com/blog/?p=853.
tim
Super helpful tutorial. Thanks Matthew.
When I try to compile HelloMaterials.as in Flex Builder 3 using [Embed(source="spheremat1.swf", symbol='spheremat')] to give sphereMaterial a texture i keep getting this in the Problems panel:
“An Embed variable must not have an existing value.”
Lauri
Just a little thing I noticed:
I checked out revision 876 today and tryed these tutorials with flash cs4 and I had to add opacity to this line to make it work:
var planeMaterial:ColorMaterial = new ColorMaterial(0×55FF11, 100);
pickvance
Yes! in this line:
var planeMaterial:ColorMaterial = new ColorMaterial(0×55FF11);
I have the same error… why??
1084: Error de sintaxis: se esperaba rightparen antes de 55.
Marc Pelland
very odd errors with the materials because the constructor doesn’t even require a color. it is provided with a default:
public function ColorMaterial( color:Number=0xFF00FF, alpha:Number = 1, interactive:Boolean = false )
unfortunately I don’t have a copy of CS4 but i might be able to play around tonight to see if i can reproduce the issue
tim
Marc,
Is there a way to make it work with CS3 using an external swf for assets, like so:
[Embed(source="assets.swf", symbol="sphereMaterial")]
var sphereMaterial:MovieAssetMaterial = new MovieAssetMaterial(“sphereMaterial”);
Marc Pellland
using an external file is done with the BitmapFileMaterial for images or the asset material with a swf. but you have to properly load it in. the embed tag that you are showing there is a flex meta tag that isn’t valid in CS3. you could just use a loader in cs3 and reference that movie once it has finished loading.
yukimi
Hi Marc, I’m using papervision3d and flash cs3. How do I add a swf as an object/movieclip (just like any other primitives – sphere, cube, etc)? And I want this swf object appear at a highest index (so that it appears at the front)? Please advise. Thanks.
Paul
Thank you for your website and the tutorials Marc
, now all I have to do is learn Flash, Actionscript3 and Papervision3D 
Porly G
Danny
Marc,
I am going to keep working on this my self, but in case you have any insight, I get the following error when publishing HelloMaterials:
INFO: Papervision3D 2.0.0 (March 12th, 2009)
INFO: Viewport autoScaleToStage : Papervision has changed the Stage scale mode.
ReferenceError: Error #1065: Variable sphereMaterial is not defined.
at global/flash.utils::getDefinitionByName()
at org.papervision3d.materials::MovieAssetMaterial/createMovie()
at org.papervision3d.materials::MovieAssetMaterial/set texture()
at org.papervision3d.materials::MovieAssetMaterial()
at HelloAnimation()
I’ve never seen a MovieClip referred to as a Class before. Is there a Script that goes with the MovieAssetMaterial MovieClip?
Danny
Figured this part out:
The Linkage to the empty MovieClip should be sphereMaterial… NOT MovieAssetMaterial
Marc Pellland
Hey Danny,
you have lost me. sphereMaterial is the linkage name of the movieclip in the library. I am applying it as a MovieAssetMaterial
Joe
Hello Marc !
Thank you a lot for this tutorial.
After lots of research on the web, I can’t fix my problem :
I Create a FLA files with HelloPapervision.as as Document CLASS, and I have my HelloPapervision.as with the first simple code.
When I extends BasiView, the flash compiler say :
TriangleMaterial.as, line 24 :
1020: Method marked override must override another method.
Is it the good way to lunch the application ?
Thank you for you help …
I still continue to search my nut
Joe
Ok it’s work … it was the mess in my org folder… sorry !!
Let’s go
Roberto
Hi! A very nice job!!
But if you cancel the rotationY of sphere and container in the overrided function in the “Controlling Objects with the Mouse” section, it will be better…
Bye!
Jay
Very nice tutorials. Please, keep’em coming!! =)
Armel
You’re so GOOD.
It works properly! Thanx
hackdan
Cool anybody knows how import or parse collada with animation and run it in PV3d ?
Krodil
Hey.. nice work..
I get the cam feed and such, but when I run I get error
1017: the definition of base class ObjectContainer3D was not found..
Any help…
AlexG
I tried this code with Papervision 2 and it gives me a huge error in Papervision 2 code.
The Papervision version is Papervision3D_2.1.920
there about 20 compiler errors for package org.papervision3d.objects.parsers.Max3DS
like this one:
” 1178: Attempted access of inaccessible property _textureExtensionReplacements through a reference with static type org.papervision3d.objects.parsers:Max3DS. ”
also compiler errors for few more classes.
I took a look at the code, and I saw that some variables are declared later than they are used, for example in the class
org.papervision3d.objects.parsers.Max3DS ,
the variable
private var _textureExtensionReplacements:Object;
is declared in line 636, but the compiler error is in the line 41 – “1178: Attempted access of inaccessible property _textureExtensionReplacements through a reference with static type org.papervision3d.objects.parsers:Max3DS.”
I had this mistake in my work but PV3D2 developers knows better. Maybe I should contact them? Does anyone use PV3D 2 ? WHat results do you get?
ClubPenguin
MovieAssetMaterial, for this I had to create a MovieClip in the Flash library and export it for actionscript (Linkage). Once defined, the materials can be used on any object, over and over again”.
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i dont see any objects when i test the movie, just background without anything objects.
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I took a look at the code, and I saw that some variables are declared later than they are used, for example in the class
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you have lost me. sphereMaterial is the linkage name of the movieclip in the library. I am applying it as a MovieAssetMaterial
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MUHAMMAD Junaid
Hi, I want to develop web based 3d Virtual book Shop/store(website)
as my BS-Software Engineering final year project
Basic scenario that the shop must be capable of is as follow
The Shop is as it is physically , the online customer will go to the shop website when the user entered the URL of website the website opens and ask for MALE OR FEMALE—when the customer select one it will enter in the shop(A BOOK STORE IN MY MIND) with the selected MALE OR FEMALE character/AVATAR—now he is allowed freely to move in the shop and interact freely with different products (preview the books ,Cdz and other media available) and add to cart and at the end SHOP I/ Pay for it
I want another functionality i.e online users that currently on that webpage are also visible to the other user on that website
THE ADMIN PANEL WILL ALLOW ME TO Customize the web content if it is going to deploy for another shop some how like this
What SHOULD I NEED/USE
Flash, Google O3d , WebGL , Java3d ,X3D ,VRML , Unity3D , Infinity or etc…etc
HTML 5 …??? Support or Help me ??? paper Vision ???
I need Help about Technologies/platforms/languages should and shouldn’t
I NEED A GUIDANCE for it
I need help regarding it . .ALSO IF YOU KNOW any 1 having experience or knowledge about it that will help me please sent his/her EMAIL ID so that I contact him or Forward my Email or Refer me
I’ll Be very thankful to you
BEST REGARDS
MUHAMMAD Junaid
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Hi Junaid,
That sounds like a plausible site, with the exception of being able to see everyone else that is in the store as well.. I would limit that to a couple people, just to keep the complexity down.
If you were to consider it in Flash (3d), I would recommend building with the latest (Molehill) version of a 3d engine. The engine that you use is up to you, I have been playing around mostly with Alternativa and Away 3D but have seen good things with Flash and Yogurt. I don’t really know enough about the rest of the 3d technologies to give much advice with them, but if you are focusing on a website and don’t want to restrict people who are coming to your site, then i would suggest Flash.