(1.4.0) Igloo Model Viewer Pro

The Igloo Model Viewer Pro is a Unity based application which has been designed to seamlessly import and display a wide range of 3D model formats, and supports both 2D and 3D projection.

Requirements

An annual subscription license is required and the software is enabled using a license key.

The application must be installed on a Windows 11 operating system with nVidia graphics on board.

Formats

Model Viewer Pro supports import of 3D models in OBJ, FBX and GLTF/GLB file formats.

User Interface

The user interface is displayed as a vertical button panel on the left side of the application window. The scene containing the 3D model is drawn to the right of the UI.

Model Viewer Pro application window.

Display in Igloo Core Engine

An equirectangular output of the scene is shared as a Spout texture which can be displayed in Igloo Core Engine. Create a Spout layer type, select the IglooUnity Spout sender and apply the TruePerspective effect to the layer.

Model Viewer Pro displayed in Igloo Core Engine.

Load Model

Selecting the Load Model button will display the Load Model panel. From here there are six preset models that you can load to get a feel for how to use the software.

Models Attribution:

"Hintze Hall" (https://skfb.ly/oF9N6) by artfletch is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

To load your own custom model, simply click the “Load model” button at the bottom of the panel. If you would like to use this model consistently, you can use the “Save model” button to save and overwrite one of the existing preset models.

Once you have loaded a model, the buttons that are greyed out will become active.

The Load Model panel.

Save Viewpoint

This will save the current orientation and scale of the model, meaning the next time you load it in, you will not have to apply the effects again.

Load Background

Here there are some preset backgrounds that you can select from. These backgrounds have been downloaded from https://polyhaven.com/ .

Alternatively, if you would like to upload your own equirectangular images (.png, .jpg, or .hdri) then you can click the “Load background” button to select a custom image to use. It is recommended to use high quality images e.g. 8000px x 4000px.

Selecting a background image.

Remove Background

This button will remove any custom background you have loaded in and will return to the grey background.

Transform Model

The transform model tab will allow you to transform the model’s scale and rotation.

The buttons at the top (0.1x, 10x and 100x) will change the slider values from 0.1-1, 1-10, and 10-100 allowing you full control over the scale of the object.

The rotation buttons will allow you to quickly rotate an object in any of the axis by 90 degrees.

The reset button will reset all rotation and scale values back to the default.

Transform model pop out menu

Camera Movement

Camera movement will allow you to control the position of the igloo viewer from within a pop out menu. Simple press in the direction you would like to go and the camera will move in that direction until you press a different button, or press the same button again.

Jump to centre of the model will jump you to the centre most point of the model.

Camera movement panel.

Viewing Mode

Viewing mode will allow you to change how you view the object.

Flythrough - standard ghost mode where you can fly in any direction wherever you cursor is facing.

Wrap - this will change the wrap within the space of the model, for example if you wanted to move the object onto a different wall.

Orbit - This will give you orbit controls so you can move relative to the centre of the object. Simple click and drag to orbit around an object.

Image showing the viewing mode popout window.

Render Streaming

Stream - Allows for the Model Viewer to be controlled from Igloo Control Panel with a mouse and keyboard and same controls. This will need to be setup as an app in Igloo Control Panel as a custom browser in custom_browers.json:

    "ModelViewerPro": {
      "name": "Model Viewer Pro",
      "url": "$remoteIP/receiver/index.html",
      "https": false,
      "icon": "$ai/image.png",
      "description": "Model Viewer Pro"
    }

And in the config.json:

    "apps": [
      "matterport",
      "streetview",
      "warping",
      "default",
      "modelViewer",
      "openStageControl",
      "blockade",
      "ModelViewerPro"
    ],

A web server will start automatically when you press start streaming which is located here:

C:\Program Files\Igloo Vision\Model Viewer Pro\Model Viewer Pro_Data\Managed\webserver.exe

Example Render Streaming Output

Watch Folder

A watch folder can be setup in “C:\Program Files\Igloo Vision\Model Viewer Pro” so that any model of an accepted format automatically gets loaded in once it has been copied into that folder. Simply create a new folder and call it “WatchFolder”.

Command Line Arguments

You can add command line arguments to the .exe for the model viewer to specify loading a model as soon as the application is opened. To do this simply add the “-loadModel” argument, followed by the path of the model you want to open. e.g:
-loadModel "C:\ModelViewer\ModelViewer-0.22\Igloo3DModels\Architecture\hintze_hall\scene.gltf"

Example Implementation in ICE

Additional command line arguments

-presetModel [0-5] - Will automatically load the preset model from the specific slot. Example: “-presetModel 2” will load the skeleton model.

Templates

Templates can be used to set specific rotation, scale or translation values to an object whenever it is imported. To select a template simply use the drop down box and select from a existing one (not tested). To create you own, navigate to the StreamingAssets folder, and open an existing template, alter the values as necessary, and save it under a new template name. The template must be save with “config_” first. e.g: “config_[Your_Template_name].json”. The drop down box in Model Viewer Pro will auto populate with any files saved this way.

{
  "scale": {"x": 1, "y": 1, "z": 1},
  "rotation": {"x": 0, "y": 90, "z": 0},
  "translation": {"x": 0, "y": 0, "z": 0}
}

Controls

Movement - As is with every other Igloo application.

Right click / B button - Change movement mode. Pressing it once will update the cursor to correlate to the mode. Pressing it will swap to the next mode and loop back to the start when no more modes are available.

Standard - Aim where you want to go.

Wrap - Change the wrap position by pointing left or right.

Orbit - Move round the object in an orbit mode.