Virtual Reality Toolbox

Setting the Default Viewer of Virtual Scenes

If you install a VRML plug-in in your Web browser, it is possible to view virtual scenes with either the Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer or your Web browser. You determine the viewer used to display your scene using the vrsetpref and vrgetpref commands. The following procedure assumes that you are working on a PC platform:

1. At the MATLAB command prompt, type

• vrinstall -check
  

1. to determine whether blaxxun Contact is installed.

   MATLAB displays

   • VRML viewer:    installed
     VRML editor:    installed
     

   The viewer and editor are installed. If the viewer is not installed, see Installing a VRML Plug-In (Windows).

2. Determine your default viewer by typing

• vrgetpref
  

1. MATLAB displays

   • ans = 
     

   •     DefaultFigurePosition: [5 25 400 320]
              DefaultPanelMode: 'halfbar'
                 DefaultViewer: 'internal'
                        Editor: [1x60 char]
                      HttpPort: 8123
               TransportBuffer: 5
                        VrPort: 8124
     

   The DefaultViewer property is set to 'internal'. The Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer is the default viewer for viewing virtual scenes. Any virtual scenes that you open are displayed in the viewer.

3. For example, at the MATLAB command prompt, type

• vrbounce
  

1. The Bouncing Ball demo is loaded and the virtual scene is displayed in the Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer.
   
   

4. Change the default viewer to your Web browser by typing

• vrsetpref('DefaultViewer','web')
  

1. The default Windows system VRML plug-in is used. The blaxxun Contact VRML plug-in sets itself as the default VRML plug-in during its installation.

5. At the MATLAB command prompt, type

• vrbounce
  

1. The Bouncing Ball demo is loaded and the virtual scene is displayed in your Web browser.

6. Reset the Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer as your default viewer by typing

• vrsetpref('DefaultViewer','factory')
  

1. All virtual scenes are displayed by the Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer.

7. In the vrbounce model window, double-click the VR Sink block.

1. A Block Parameters dialog box opens.
   
   

   The target of the View button is determined by the DefaultViewer property. If the DefaultViewer property is set to 'internal', clicking the View button opens the virtual world in the Virtual Reality Toolbox viewer. If the DefaultViewer property is set to 'web', clicking the View button opens the virtual world in your Web browser.

Installing a VRML Plug-in (UNIX/Linux)

Installing the VRML Editor on the Host Computer