# VRweb installation

## Downloading

If you are reading this file, you have successfully downloaded and unpacked the help archive: `help.tar.gz`

To use VRweb with WWW browsers (Netscape, Mosaic) or to view local files, you need one of the files `vrweb-1.1-...` For use with Harmony you need `harscened-...`

On displays with OpenGL support (e.g. SGI, DEC Alpha with Open3D installed) use the OpenGL version `vrweb-1.1-ogl-[Systemname]`, otherwise `vrweb-1.1-mesa-[Systemname]`.

The UNIX binaries are compressed with gzip. Run gunzip on the appropriate version of vrweb and you will have an executable. If you need to compile the source code yourself follow the instructions in the README-Unix and INSTALLATION file provided with the distribution.

So, if you want to use vrweb-XXX-YYY, call

`gunzip vrweb-XXX-YYY.gz`

You may wish to rename the binary to `vrweb-ogl` or `vrweb-mesa` respectively to have a more convenient name and to make your configurations independent of the release number.

You are now ready to start VRweb with a local file: If you have downloaded the VRMLsamples and unpacked them with

`gzip -cd VRMLsamples.tar.gz | tar xvf -`

try `vrweb-mesa cubes.wrl` or any other VRML scene. VRweb can read gzipped files as well without having to first uncompress them.

## Configuration

To make your web browser display VRML scenes coming from the net with VRweb, add the following line to `.mailcap` in your home directory:

For Netscape:
`x-world/x-vrml; vrweb-mesa -URL '%u' -remote %s`

For NCSA Mosaic:
`x-world/x-vrml; vrweb-mesa -mosaic -remote %s`

If you do not already have a `~/.mailcap` create a new one. Of course, use `vrweb-ogl` on SGI systems. If you use VRweb with Harmony (harscened), you do not need to make these setups.

The argument `-URL '%u'` is necessary to follow relative URLs in scenes, `%s` stands for a temporary file name containing the data. Argument `-mosaic` will invoke NCSA Mosaic for WWWAnchor support and on-line help, otherwise VRweb communicates with Netscape.

The `-remote` argument causes a single instance of VRweb getting successively opened scenes (although you have the chance to a window later on). If you prefer a new window for each scene omit -remote in the commandline. Do not put other options between `-remote` and `%s`.

If you want to make the change on the fly (without quitting your browser), you have to reload the config-file. In NCSA Mosaic: `Options/Reload Config Files`, in Netscape 1.x: `Options|Preferences|Helper Apps`, in Netscape 2.x: `Options|General|Helpers`.

Note to sys-admins: you can also make the changes to the global configuration file listed in the dialog, so that they are valid for all users.

You may also wish to configure your browser to pass .wrl files opened on your local file system to VRweb. This needs an entry in `~/.mime.types`. To configure your webserver to host VRML files - also gzipped ones -, please look into the VRweb FAQ and the documentation of your server for the necessary steps. It may look like:

`x-world/x-vrml wrl`
or
`type=x-world/x-vrml exts=wrl,vrml`

Further information on mailcap/mime types can be found in the NCSA XMosaic documentation.

You are now ready to download VRML scenes from any server: Try connecting to the IICM server for some sample scenes.

## on-line Help

To be able to access this help on-line from VRweb, it must be found in directory `~/.vrweb/help`. If you (or your sys-admin) installed it in another directory (e.g. `/usr/local/vrweb/help`) you should create a directory `.vrweb` in your homedir, cd into it, and create a link with `ln -s /usr/local/vrweb/help help`, to share the help.

Alternatively you can use command line argument `-helpDir` or set an Xattribute like `Harmony.Scene.helpDir: /usr/local/vrweb/help`.

If you unpacked the help files yourself, you should move the help directory to become a subdir of `~/.vrweb`. The subdirectory .vrweb will be used for other purposes, such as saving user configurations, in future releases.

As described in the Configuration section above, you have to decide whether to use Netscape or Mosaic. In both cases, the webbrowser must be running to accept requests. The calling mechanism is the same as for anchors.

You are now ready to view this help from VRweb: Just select "Overview" in the Help menu or press F1.

Back to overview.