What does the Plugin do?
This plugin replaces XSwallow. It (will!) handle the following:
- Integration with Netscape, including all of the quit and
destroy functionality.
- URL Retrieval via Netscape - this gives us caching and proxy access.
- Java EAI integration - better integration into netscape than current EAI implementation.
Building and using the FreeWRL Plugin
Making the software:
- Make sure you are in the source directory of the plugin (.../freewrl/Plugin)
- issue the "make" command
Installing the software:
- Compile and install FreeWRL
- Exit all running Netscape windows on your box
- Locate the plugin directory; either system wide in the
netscape/plugins directory (eg, /usr/lib/netscape/plugins), or in your account
(~/.netscape/plugins)
- If installing in your account, make sure that this directory exists;
it will not, if you have not installed plugins before
- copy the file "npfreewrl.so" over to the plugin directory
Testing the software:
- startup netscape
- in the "Locations" window, type "about:plugins". You will see what plugins
are installed; you should see the FreeWRL plugin listed.
- open a VRML file; eg, open the "tests/1.wrl" file, by following the
"File -> Open Page -> Choose" dialogue.
Further Notes:
- I built this on Linux, but have included all of the Netscape Makefiles. If you are
building on another software platform, you will have to copy the correct Makefile over
the Makefile in the distribution. You will find other makefiles in the "Unix" directory.
- As of this version, only step 1) of the "what does this do?" list is complete, but the
older method of invoking EAI still works.
The FreeWRL Plugin uses a template by Netscape, and some window rehosting code from XSwallow.
Copyright (c) John Stewart CRC Canada, 2001.