Tips for Verge3D devs

This page contains random tips and code snippets that Verge3D devs or Verge3D DevKit users may find useful for their work.

Supported modelling suites

Suite	Release year	Python	App M.	Build Info / Notes
Blender 2.91	2020	3.7.7	Thread
Blender 2.92	2021	3.7.7	Thread
Blender 2.93 LTS	2021	3.9.2	Thread	Dropped Windows 7 support (Windows 8.1 is OK). Used in Debian 11 (bullseye).
Blender 3.0	2021	3.9.7	Thread	Used in Ubuntu 22.04
Blender 3.1	2022	3.10.2	Thread
Blender 3.2	2022	3.10.2	Thread
Blender 3.3 LTS	2022	3.10.2	Thread
Blender 3.4	2022	3.10.8	Thread	Used in Debian 12 (bookworm).
Blender 3.5	2023	3.10.9	Thread	USDZ support
Blender 3.6 LTS	2023	3.10.9	Thread
Blender 4.0	2023	3.10.13	Thread	New Principled BSDF node, AgX color correction.
Blender 4.1	2024	3.10.13	Thread	EEVEE-Next
3ds Max 2021 (23.0)	2020	3.7.6	Process	VS 2017, Platform Toolset v141, Windows SDK 10.0.17134.0. Dropped Windows 7-8.1 support. Arnold by default.
3ds Max 2022 (24.0)	2021	3.7.9	Process	VS 2017, Platform Toolset v141, Windows SDK 10.0.17134.0. USDZ optional.
3ds Max 2023 (25.0)	2022	3.9.7	Process	VS 2019, Platform Toolset v142, Windows SDK 10.0.19041.0. USDZ optional. glTF by default.
3ds Max 2024 (26.0)	2023	3.10.8	Process	VS 2019, Platform Toolset v142, Windows SDK 10.0.19041.0. USDZ optional. glTF by default.
Maya 2022	2021	3.7.7	Thread	Arnold optional. Dropped Windows 7, Windows 8.1 never officially supported. USDZ by default. ACEScg by default.
Maya 2023	2022	3.9.7	Thread	Arnold optional. USDZ by default.
Maya 2024	2023	3.10.8	Thread	Arnold optional. USDZ by default.

• Python 3.8 is the last version supported on Windows 7
• Python 3.12 is supported on Windows 8

Getting v3d namespace from iframe

document.getElementsByTagName("iframe")[0].contentWindow.v3d

e.g. to print performance profile from the iframe:

document.getElementsByTagName("iframe")[0].contentWindow.v3d.apps[0].printPerformanceInfo()

or to enable FPS counter:

document.getElementsByTagName("iframe")[0].contentWindow.v3d.apps[0].showFPS()

Debugging Verge3D render target

Use the following code to create a plane with the output of the given render target:

// DONT FORGET TO REMOVE IT!
var texture = renderTarget.texture
var geometry = new v3d.PlaneBufferGeometry(3, 3);
var material = new v3d.MeshBasicMaterial();
material.map = texture;
var planeMesh = new v3d.Mesh(geometry, material);
planeMesh.position.x = 6;
v3d.apps[0].scene.add(planeMesh);

Code Indentation Style

The K&R style, 4 spaces:

function someFun() {
    const someConst = 10;
    const alwaysTrue = true;

    for (let i = 0; i < someConst; i++) {
        if (alwaysTrue) {
            console.log(`Hello ${i}!`);
        }
    }
}

Key Triplets

There are several key triplets supported by Verge3D which are useful for debugging. To execute a triplet, wait until a Verge3D app finishes its loading, then press the same key thrice very quickly.

• PPP — print performance profile. See here for more info.
• FFF — show/hide FPS counter in the upper left corner of the rendered canvas.
• HHH — halt/continue application rendering.

Short Links

These short links can be very helpful for debugging mobile devices.

• v3d.net/ar — launch Augmented Reality demo.
• v3d.net/c — launch basic Cube demo.
• v3d.net/g — launch Global Illumination demo.
• v3d.net/j — launch Jewelry Configurator.
• v3d.net/l — redirect to local App Manager (http://localhost:8668/).
• v3d.net/m — open Verge3D User Manual.
• v3d.net/r — launch Industrial Robot Demo.
• v3d.net/s — Scooter Demo.
• v3d.net/t — Teapot Heater.
• v3d.net/v — W3C Markup Validation Service.
• v3d.net/vr — launch Virtual Reality demo.
• v3d.net/w — WebGL System Report.

App Manager undocumented features

• localhost:8668/get_preview_dir — get path to preview directory.

• localhost:8668/update_all_apps — update all applications automatically (use with caution!).

• localhost:8668/restart — restart server.

• localhost:8668/stop — stop server.

• localhost:8668/reset — reset server settings.

Restoring console functions

const i = document.createElement('iframe');
i.style.display = 'none';
document.body.appendChild(i);
window.console = i.contentWindow.console;

Downloading Electron builds

gh release download v19.0.4 -D v19.0.4 -p 'electron-*64.zip' -p 'electron-*32.zip' -p 'SHASUMS256.txt' -R electron/electron

Install Python packages to local directory

pip install --target=dir_name package_name