3D embedded inside of a web page on WinNT using OCX

[KillMeQuickly]

I'm working on a project that must work with DirectX on Winnt, which if I'm not mistaken means I have to target DirectX 3.0a.
Is that right?!

To complicate things, the requirements state that the 3D must run in a web page. Therefore, OCX (ActiveX) was decided upon to hook into the web browser.

Naturally, I'm having trouble finding info regarding using these technologies together. I'm not sure if anyone's ever even done it! (tried and failed? tried and DIED! ;-)

My biggest question at this point is: Is this even possible? Winnt and DirectX 3.0a are pretty old and I'm not getting anywhere.

If anyone out there has any tips or experience or any info, that'd be swell. Also, if anyone knows of any OLD books that might discuss this topic, that'd be good too. Code examples, etc.?

 

[Remi]

Hold your horses... Do you control what's installed on the machine?
Because I remember there have been ways to install a more recent DX (was it DX5?) on NT4, it worked well from what I read back then, it just wasn't supported by Ms. If your context allows it, it might help.

There's lots of stuff in IE which is almost never used, like font embeeding, and among them (if my memory is correct) there's the possibility to use D3D from a client-side script (either VB-Script or Javascript). I remember a ms demo which was Asteroid in a client page (all in script, VB or JS I don't remember), however I'm not sure that one was related to DX...

Edit: But I'm pretty positive the possibility to use D3D was at the same timeframe than that Asteroid page. And most probably both are described in the same SDK.

 

[KillMeQuickly]

Cannot install software on client machines

I guess I should have mentioned that one of the requirements is that no software upgrades can be performed on the machines.

 

[Diplo]

To complicate things, the requirements state that the 3D must run in a web page. Therefore, OCX (ActiveX) was decided upon to hook into the web browser.

By "web browser" you actually mean IE, since that is the only browser that uses ActiveX. I'm curious why you are not looking at standards-compliant technlogies like X3D ? Or is the client demanding it has to be done in DX?

 

[Remi]

I've checked, and Asteroids has nothing to do with DX. Also, the way to do DX in a script I was remembering of was indeed using a Com object... ...so if you can't install it on the machine then it have to be an ocx in the page... Or a totally different solution, but they probably would require a plugin install - however, depending on the installation process (could be a transparent ocx installer for instance) that might be acceptable maybe? Otherwise, I see no other solution than to use an ocx...

 

[KillMeQuickly]

OCX might be the only way to go

Right, I am told OCX is the direction to go in. I'm told that we must use whatever version of DirectX ships with NT (or SP4 let's say). I'm not sure if we'll change the requirement to 2000/NT (which would let me jump to DirectX 7), but I do know that client install/upgrade CANNOT HAPPEN. So I'm still right where I was, assuming that I must use DirectX 3.0a, OCX, Internet Explorer 4.0, etc.

FYI: There is almost no info on this topic ANYWHERE on the planet, as NT and DirectX 3.0a are both extinct. Kill me now!

 

[Remi]

Well, what can I say... Amazon.com maybe for DX3 books?

I'm interested to know how that turns... I have an old D3D particle firework since ages and from time to time I think "Hum, one day I should make an ocx with that to put it in a web page"... I just never had the time (or the will) to do it.

After all, the hardest thing should be to get the DX3 SDK. Depending on where it runs from (internet/intranet) and the admin rules, you may need to sign the ocx to give it full execution rights but that's not difficult.

My best wishes! Let us know how it goes! 8)

 

[BRiT]

Why not use a Java Applet running Java3D ?

 

[Remi]

Java3D? That was in IE4's java virtual machine? Or am I completely missing something?

 

[Florin]

D3D may not have gone far on NT4 but it should have a workable OpenGL environment, not? It's enough to run Quake 3 at least.

 

[gsgrunt]

Have you thought about Macromedia Shockwave? I was in a similar position as you. I needed to build navigable, 3D hierarchal structure, with multiple inheritance nodes in a web page.
Shockwave has built in software, OpenGL and DirectX renderers. The Shockwave "runtime" is an OCX.

 

[Scali]

Java3D is an API supplied by Sun to render hardware-accelerated 3d from Java in a platform-independent way.
Your problems with this are twofold:
1) Windows NT does not necessarily come with Java installed.
2) Java does not include Java3D as standard. You might need the Sun JVM for it to work at all, I am not sure if the MS JVM will work. And at any rate, even if the Sun JVM is installed, you still need to download and install Java3D separately.

I think OpenGL is the only way you can get 3d from a vanilla NT box (apart from software-rendering with GDI). The software emulation should be installed by default, and most display drivers supply hardware accelerated replacements.

DirectX5 is included in sp6 though, if I'm not mistaken, so perhaps you can assume that DX is installed, if you assume that the boxes are up-to-date (then again, can you make such an assumption?).

PS: I should have a copy of the DirectX 3.0a SDK somewhere, if you need it.

 

[Remi]

Shockwave has built in software, OpenGL and DirectX renderers. The Shockwave "runtime" is an OCX.

Wow! Hum... Shockwave's definitely rising in my views... Thanks!
I can't say for KillMeQuickly if that will help him in this instance, but at least I'm glad to have learned that!