M3X - XML tools for M3G

License:

This project is licensed under the BSD license, an OSI approved Open Source license.
Please read the LICENSE file for more information.

Abstract:

The M3X Project aims to make content creation for JSR184 and JSR297 as easy
as possible. As a collaborative Open Source project, M3X enables developers
to create content with a public API that has ongoing industry support.

It provides this with the following components:

* An XML Schema that defines a deterministic mapping between M3G data in XML format
  and binary format.

* Cross-platform tools to make the conversion an automatic step of a project
  build cycle.

* An open API for creating, converting to & from, both the XML and Binary
  representations of M3G data.

* Future development into format conversion from other formats, such as COLLADA.



1. The M3X XML Schema

The current M3X XML Schema only supports the M3G 1.0 binary format. A second
schema, supporting M3G 2.0, is currently in development, but is not ready for
widespread use.

Using the schema, content developers can create compatible XML data without
explicitly using the M3X API. The schema also allows us to validate data in
its XML format with relative ease.

XML as an intermediate format works well with Version Control Systems like CVS
or Subversion. With the tools provided, the conversion to binary is deterministic
and automated.



2. Cross-platform Tools

The API is written in Java 1.5. This makes the toolset cross-platform from the
outset. These tools are not intended to be used on mobile devices, they are meant
for offline use only.

2.1 XML -> Binary

There are 2 main interfaces to the XML to Binary conversion process, an ANT task
and a static conversion class with CLI support.

- m3x.translation.m3g.XMLToBinaryTask - is the ANT task for conversion.
Used just like an ant copy task, with an added classpath element for JAXB.

Defined with:
    <taskdef name="m3x_m3g" classname="m3x.translation.m3g.XmlToBinaryTask">
        <classpath>
            <pathelement location="${lib.dir}/jaxb/jaxb-api.jar"/>
            <pathelement location="m3x.jar"/>
        </classpath>
    </taskdef>

Used as:
    <m3x_m3g dir="${res.dir}">
        <classpath>
            <pathelement location="${lib.dir}/jaxb/jaxb-impl.jar"/>
            <pathelement location="m3x.jar"/>
        </classpath>
        <fileset dir="${res.dir}">
            <include name="**/*.m3x"/>
        </fileset>
        <mapper type="glob" from="*.m3x" to="*.m3g"/>
    </m3x_m3g>

- m3x.translation.m3g.XMLToBinaryTranslator - is the static class with CLI support
It can also be used from ANT by using the <java> or <apply> task.

Such as:
    <java classname="m3x.translation.m3g.XMLToBinaryTranslator"
          fork="true">
        <classpath>
            <pathelement location="${lib.dir}/jaxb/jaxb-api.jar"/>
            <pathelement location="${lib.dir}/jaxb/jaxb-impl.jar"/>
            <pathelement location="m3x.jar"/>
        </classpath>
        <arg line="-o ${binary_outfile} ${xml_infile}"/>
    </java>


3. Open API

Please join the M3X project to influence the way M3X develops. It is open for the
benefit of all developers. Content conversion is a time consuming programming
task that is best done once, well.


4. Future additions

COLLADA support and M3G 2.0 support is highest on the list. They will be added
as soon as possible. Support for other formats is open to discussion on the
project website. Visit us at http://m3x.dev.java.net


Thanks.