Summary of
X3D Nodes by Name

Derrived from the X3D specification from 24 Feburary 2002. Subject to change.



X3D nodes listed alphabetically with capabilities compared to the VRML specification. Type refers to a content developers prespective of the node use. Spec Category refers to the assigned category for the node by the X3D specification writers.


Node Type Spec Category VRML Limits Profile Name Node
Interchange Interactive Extensible VRML97 Base Full
Anchor Miscellaneous Grouping- Nodes URL only Cross   Double Cross Check Check Check Anchor
Appearance Texture Appearance Full No texture- Transform No texture- Transform Check Check Check Appearance
AudioClip Sound Sounds 30sec WAV     Check Check Check AudioClip
Background Miscellaneous Bindable- Nodes Single skyColor, single groundColor, panorama images Single color Single color Checking Check Check Background
Billboard Group Grouping- Nodes Cross     Checking Check Check Billboard
Box Geometry Geometry Full Check Check Check Check Check Box
Collision Group Grouping- Nodes Cross       Check Check Collision
Color Texture Geometric- Properties 15K Colors Check Check Check Check Check Color
ColorInterpolator Interpolator Interpolators 15,000 Colors Braid Check Check Check Check Check ColorInterpolator
Cone Geometry Geometry Full Check Check Check Check Check Cone
Contour2D ? ? New         Check Contour2D
Coordinate Geometry Geometric- Properties 15K Points 65K points 65K points Check Check Check Coordinate
CoordinateDeformer Interpolator Interpolators New - 1500 control points/ points         Check CoordinateDeformer
CoordinateInterpolator Interpolator Interpolators 15,000 coord/ keyValye Braid Check Check Check Check Check CoordinateInterpolator
Cylinder Geometry Geometry Full Check Check Check Check Check Cylinder
CylinderSensor Sensor Sensors Full   Check Check Check Check CylinderSensor
DirectionalLight Light Lights No Scoping Check Check Check Check Check DirectionalLight
ElevationGrid Geometry Geometry 16K heights   Check   Check Check ElevationGrid
Extrusion Geometry Geometry #Xsec * #Spine <= 2500       Check Check Extrusion
Fog Miscellaneous Bindable- Nodes "Exponential" treated as "Linear"     Check Check Check Fog
FontStyle Geometry Appearance ISO 8859-1 char. set       Check Check FontStyle
GeoCoordinate GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - 15K points         Check GeoCoordinate
GeoElevationGrid GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - 16K heights         Check GeoElevationGrid
GeoLocation GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New Cross         Check GeoLocation
GeoLOD GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New         Check GeoLOD
GeoMetaData GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - Ignored         Check GeoMetaData
GeoOrigin GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - Ignore rotateYUp         Check GeoOrigin
GeoPositionInterpolator GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - 1000 key-value pairs         Check GeoPositionInterpolator
GeoTouchSensor GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New         Check GeoTouchSensor
GeoViewpoint GeoSpatial GeoSpatial New - Ignore description         Check GeoViewpoint
Group Group Grouping- Nodes Cross Double Cross Double Cross Check Check Check Group
ImageTexture Texture Appearance JPEG/PNG max 256x256 Check Check Check Check Check ImageTexture
IndexedFaceSet Geometry Geometry 10 verticies per face, 5K faces, 15K indicies Planar simple polygons, 5K faces, No creaseAngle, normal Planar simple polygons, 5K faces, No creaseAngle, normal Check Check Check IndexedFaceSet
IndexedLineSet Geometry Geometry 15K vertices No set_colorIndex, set_coordIndex No set_colorIndex, set_coordIndex Check Check Check IndexedLineSet
Inline Miscellaneous Special- Groups Cross Check Check Check Check Check Inline
KeySensor Sensor Sensors New     Check   Check KeySensor
LOD Group Special- Groups At least 4 levels Cross     ? Check Check LOD
 
Node Type Spec Category VRML Limits Profile Name Node
Interchange Interactive Extensible VRML97 Base Full
 
Material Texture Appearance No ambientIntensity, emmisiveColor, specularColor, 1-bit transparency No shininess. emmisiveColor available. No shininess. emmisiveColor available. Check Check Check Material
MovieTexture Texture Appearance 1 active texture, ignore speed     ? Check Check MovieTexture
NavigationInfo Miscellaneous Bindable- Nodes Ignore avatarSize, visibilityLimit speed and type not supported. speed and type not supported. Check Check Check NavigationInfo
Normal Geometry Geometric- Property 15K normals     Check Check Check Normal
NormalInterpolator Interpolator Interpolator 15K normals/ key-value. Braid       Check Check NormalInterpolator
NurbsCurve NURBS NURBS New         Order 30 NurbsCurve
NurbsCurve2D NURBS NURBS New         Order 30 NurbsCurve2D
NurbsGroup NURBS NURBS New Cross         Check NurbsGroup
NurbsPositionInterpolator NURBS NURBS New Braid         Check NurbsPositionInterpolator
NurbsSurface NURBS NURBS New         Order 30 NurbsSurface
NurbsTextureSurface NURBS NURBS New         Order 30 NurbsTextureSurface
OrientationInterpolator Interpolator Interpolators Braid Check Check Check Check Check OrientationInterpolator
PixelTexture Texture Appearance max 256 x 256     Check Check Check PixelTexture
PlaneSensor Sensor Sensors Full   Check Check Check Check PlaneSensor
PointLight Light Lights Ignore radius. Linear attenuation   Check Check Check Check PointLight
PointSet Geometry Geometry 5K points Check Check Check Check Check PointSet
PositionInterpolator Interpolator Interpolators Braid Check Check Check Check Check PositionInterpolator
PROTO/ EXTERNPROTO Miscellaneous Miscellaneous 30 each eventIn, eventOut, field. 5 nesting levels     Not Listed Not Listed Not Listed PROTO/ EXTERNPROTO
ProximitySensor Sensor Sensors Full   Entrance and exit only events. Check Check Check ProximitySensor
ScalarInterpolator Interpolator Interpolators Braid Check Check Check Check Check ScalarInterpolator
Script Miscellaneous Miscellaneous 25 each eventIn, eventOut, field. Scripting not required     Check Check Check Script
Shape Miscellaneous Geometry Full Check Check Check Check Check Shape
Sound Sound Sounds 2 active sounds, no spatialization     Check Check Check Sound
Sphere Geometry Geometry Full Check Check Check Check Check Sphere
SphereSensor Sensor Sensors Full   Check Check Check Check SphereSensor
SpotLight Light Light Ignore beamWidth and radius. Linear attenuation.   Check Check Check Check SpotLight
StringSensor Sensor Sensor New: 100ch x 100str         Check StringSensor
Switch Group Special- Group Cross   Check Check Check Check Switch
Text Geometry Geometry 100ch x 100str       Check Check Text
TextureCoordinate Texture Geometric- Properties 15K coordinates 65K coordinates 65K coordinates Check Check Check TextureCoordinate
TextureTransform Texture Geometric- Properties Full     Check Check Check TextureTransform
TimeSensor Sensor Sensors Ignored if cycleInterval < .01sec Check Check Check Check Check TimeSensor
TouchSensor Sensor Sensors Full   Check Check Check Check TouchSensor
Transform Group Grouping- Nodes Cross Double Cross Double Cross Check Check Check Transform
TrimmedSurface Interpolator Interpolators New - 10 contours         Check TrimmedSurface
Viewpoint Miscellaneous Bindable- Nodes Ignore fieldOfView and description Check Check Check Check Check Viewpoint
VisibilitySensor Sensor Sensors No effect (Always visible)     Check Check Check VisibilitySensor
WorldInfo Miscellaneous Miscellaneous Ignored Check Check Check Check Check WorldInfo
Node Type Spec Category VRML Limits Interchange Interactive Extensible VRML97 Base Full Node
Profile Name

SymbolMeaning
Check Matches VRML97 specification.
Braid All Interpolators are lmited to 1000 key-value pairs.
Cross Groups are limited to 500 children. bboxCenter and bboxSize (if available) are ignored.
Double Cross addChildren and removeChildren are not supported.

Last Updated on 3/3/02
By Leonard Daly