How can I group transforms in matlab's Simulink 3D Animation v-realm builder?

Hello, I'm new to v-realm builder and I'm having trouble using it. I drew a car model using another graphical program and then I imported it to v-realm builder. Accordingly, the created file is made of too many transforms and groups to form the complex design. My goal is to be able to group all these transforms into one transform so I can move it and resize it as one object because I will be using it with Simulink 3D Animation.

Any help is appreciated, Thanks, Yahia

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I just noticed that I had a wrong understanding of how v-realm builder works. Apparently, I did have the car as just one entity, but I can not select it manually from the world. To move it, resize it or rotate it, I have to manipulate the values under the main transform. Accordingly, I have to change these values to achieve the tasks I want. Thank you all for the help, Yahia :)

Answer 1

[Sumit Tandon]

A few options that come to my mind are:

a. Open up the VRML file in a text editor and add a parent transform to the car transform manually

b. Instead of using V-Realm Builder, use the 3D World Editor, which is part of newer versions of Simulink 3D Animation product. It allows you to right click and cut and move around transforms in the tree view

c. Create a new VRML file and add the car as an INLINE node. This allows you to add an object defined in another VRML file as a single node.

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Hello Sumit, I am trying the 3rd option (add an INLINE node). Unfortunatey, because of it's an INLINE node, I can't see it before going in TEST mode and I am not able to resize it or rotate it. Is there something I missed or is it part of the characteristics of the INLINE node? Thanks, Yahia

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Hello again, I tried your 1st option as well (add a parent Transform to the car transform) but I still can't select the car as a whole. Thanks, Yahia

[Sumit Tandon]

How are you trying to select the car for transformation? Are you working in Simulink or using the MATLAB interface?

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Hello, I am working directly in v-realm builder. And to select the car, I am trying to select the object in the world; but I can only select one part of it. I was checking it and I noticed that the only groups that I can select as a whole are transforms made up of only shapes children (not a group of transforms...). I hope this was your question.

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For option 3, I noticed that you can actually copy, cut and past transforms and groups and shapes in v-realm builder. You have to select the appropriate transform to be moved, click on the button copy/cut from the toolbar (and not from the right click menu and then select the parent where you want to paste the transform. Once selected, you have to click on paste on the toolbar. Having said that, I don't think I will need the other 3D World Editor (at least for this specific reason).

Answer 2

[Jan Danek]

Hi Yahia,

V-Realm Builder doesn't display contents of Inlined nodes. On the other side, 3D World Editor (option 2 above) does.

I recommend you to include your car Inline in a Transform node. By Changing this Transform's scale field, you will be able to scale the car in your scene.

Example:

    DEF Wrist Transform {
      scale 1 1 1
      children [
        Inline {
          url ["robot_gripper_wrist.wrl"]
        }
      ]
    }

VRML97 is an open, text-based format. You can edit it using various editors, includint text editors. What I often do is to write the basic structure in a text editor, and then adjust object positions, sizes etc. in 3D World Editor.

All the best,

Jan

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Hello Jan, I can't use another 3D editor because of some restrictions in the project I am working on... But I don't only want to scale the car, I want it to be actually considered as one entity when selected because it will affect my simulink simulations... Hope this clears out my problem.