ColorInterpolator

The ColorInterpolator node is an interpolator which takes a list of RGB values in the field keyValue.

For a list of the events of this node see interpolator.

Syntax:

ColorInterpolator {

key [ ]

keyValue[ ]

}

Example:

Using this interpolator to set an initial red color, and gradually change it to blue.

ColorInterpolator {

key [0 1 ]

keyValue[1 0 0, 0 0 1 ]

}

Using this interpolator to set an initial red color, change it to blue and afterwards change it to green.

ColorInterpolator {

key [0 0.5 1 ]

keyValue[1 0 0, 0 0 1, 0 1 0 ]

}

A complete example is now presented. A Shape is drawn with a default black diffuse color. The ColorInterpolator will set an initial red diffuseColor, and gradually change it to blue. After that the Shape will remain with a blue diffuse color.

First one needs the to define a Group with a Shape, a TimeSensor, and a ColorInterpolator.

#VRML V2.0 utf8

Group {

children [

Shape {

appearance Appearance {

material DEF mat Material { diffuseColor 0 0 0 }

}

geometry Sphere {}

}

DEF ci ColorInterpolator {

key [ 0 1 ]

keyValue [ 1 0 0, 0 0 1]

}

DEF ts TimeSensor {

cycleInterval 2

loop FALSE

}

]

}

Now the only thing which is missing is routing the events.

We need to get the eventOut fraction_changed generated by the TimeSensor. This event outputs a value between 0 and 1. We can use this value to set a key for the ColorInterpolator by routing the fraction_changed eventOut from the TimeSensor to the set_fraction eventIn from the ColorInterpolator.

A new fraction being set in an interpolator causes the keyValue to be changed. As a consequence the interpolator will generate the fraction_changed eventOut. Because the interpolator used is a ColorInterpolator, this event outputs a RGB value.

Finally we use this eventOut to set a color in the Material node. Note that the color that we want to change is the diffuse color. Because the diffuseColor is an exposed field of the Material node we can use the eventIn set_diffuseColor to change the color. To do this we route the fraction_changed eventOut of the ColorInterpolator to the set_diffuseColor eventIn of the Material node.

The ROUTE statements to do this are:

ROUTE ts.fraction_changed TO ci.set_fraction

ROUTE ci.value_changed TO mat.set_diffuseColor

Note that the nodes being routed are given a name using the DEF statement. This is because a name is required in a ROUTE statement.