Manipulation using Magnet Metahpor for 2D and 3D Integrated Toolkit systems
Yoshihiro Okada, Yoshiaki Akazawa, Koichi Niijima · 2003
This paper proposes a component-based 3D object manipulation framework using a magnet metaphor for 2D and 3D integrated toolkit system. The authors have been studying component based 3D software development systems. For the development of 3D graphics applications, the layout of 3D objects is important factor. However, it is very laborious work and it takes a long time because 3D objects have six degrees of freedom (DOF) and it is not easy to lay out them using a standard 2D input device, i.e., a mouse device. In the real world, every object exists contacting with other objects and then it has three DOF, i.e., x-y translation and z-axis rotation because the gravity exists. Then, the authors introduced new component that behaves like the magnet to simulate the simplified gravity effect for positioning 3D objects. Furthermore, 3D graphics applications need 2D graphical components for the interface of interactive operations, e.g., pop-up menus, toggle buttons, pull-down menus and so on. This paper also proposes the construction of such 2D interfaces using 3D primitives. The new 3D component using a magnet metaphor also makes it easier to construct such 2D-like 3D graphical user interfaces.