Purpose and Intended Audience
If you are a user of «3dVista» this live «Mobile Preview» utility is for you.
If you are interested in speed up your workflow for testing the appearance of the mobile skin in a real device, this utility is for you. Or simply know how your desktop skin would be on a mobile device, you are at the right place.
If you want to see it in action, watch this demo video
Table of Contents
Requirements for Live Mobile Preview for 3dVista
The utility has been written in Python (v3.10) language. It must be installed in your computer. You can download it from python.org/downloads. Any version greater than 3.10 is valid. It tis available for Windows and MacOS. Any version of Python 3 lower than 3.10 will not work.
Download this «Mobile Preview 3dVista» utility from download section.
Installation
First, ensure «python» is installed. A few hints to check.
If you are a newbi/rookie with python, proceed with «Mobile Preview 3dVista» «Simple Installation«. This is the recomended option.
If you have concerns of previous existing python utilites and its package dependencies, proceed with «Advanced Installation«
Python Installation
If you have already python installed, make sure it is on the search executable PATH. Check it with a simple command line window, querying for its version.
If you have to install python, or the above test failed, a couple of steps to take into account during installation. Applicable to Windows platform.
Accept default options, except these steps.
- enable checkbox «add python to PATH»
- Run «Disable path length limit»
Administrative password is needed to «Disable path length limit».
Simple Installation
Unzip the file obtained in the download section. Any folder is valid, but please, be organized, and put it where you normally use for your portable applications.
Unzip it and you will see these files.
For a simple and direct installation, double click on «install_simple.bat». It will install «mobile-preview-3dvista» package in your python library. Note that also needed dependencies will also be installed in the global python library.
If you already had python and you are aware of keeping intact your global python library intact, you may install «mobile-preview-3dvista» in a virtual environment (advanced installation). More details about virtual environment later in this article. If you don’t know what this means, the direct simple installation is your method.
For Apple, use «install_simple.sh«.
For Windows, use «install_simple.bat«.
A command line window shall appear with a similar output like this:
You can safely ignore messages about «pip».
To start the application double click on the appropiate «mp3dv_start«.
For Apple, use «mp3dv_start_mac.py»
For Windows, use «mp3dv_start.py» or «mp3dv_start.pyw».
Keep on reading for the «activation» section bellow.
Advanced Installation (virtual environment)
After unziping, double click on «install_venv».
For Apple use «install_venv.sh«.
For Windows use «install_venv.bat«.
A window shall appear with installation details.
You can safely ignore messages about «pip».
A new folder has been created, (in Windows, also a shortcut).
To start the application, double click on «mp3dv_start_venv».
For Apple use «mp3dv_start_venv.sh«,
For Windows use «mp3dv_start_venv.bat«.
Activation
To use «Mobile Preview 3dVista» a license is needed. It it bounded to a given computer, and a email. Licenses must be requested for each computer.
Start the program by running the python script file, depending on the installation method. «start_mp3dv» or «start_mp3dv_venv«.
In this first execution, two important files have been generated automatically. DON’T DELETE THEM. They are used for license management. Without them, the program will not work.
After installation, the only available options are for license activation.
First, enter your email in the «License» section.
Then press «Request License» button. A license request file has been generated in the installation folder. As the license is associated to the email and generating computer, the input field and request button are disabled. The status is updated.
Also a license request file has been generated.
To obtain the license token file, send an email to «[email protected]» attaching two files.
- MobilePreview3dVista__<YourUserName>__<YourHostname>.userkeypublic.shz
- MobilePreview3dVista__v-<##>__<YourEmail>__<YourHostname>.licreq.shz
Upon reception of the email with the token file, download it and save to the same folder where the license request file is.
When the program starts, it will detect it, and unlock full functionallity, as seen in interface example.
The license request and token are only valid for the computer that generated the request. To use it on a different computer, a new license request/token must be used. In this new computer, another set of files with user keys (not licenses) will appear.
- MobilePreview3dVista__<YourUserName>__<YourHostname>.userkeypublic.shz
- MobilePreview3dVista__<YourUserName>__<YourHostname>.userkeypair.shz
Usage of Mobile Preview for 3dVista
The first time it is used after license is active, a minor configuration might be needed.
Location of 3dVista cache
The predefined folders for «tdv.show/Local Store» is searched to locate the internal cache where tours are stored when 3dVista «Preview» button is pressed. If no tours are listed, press «Browse» button to locate such cache folder. A tooltip gives a hint where to search for it. The new folder is saved for subsequent executions.
Then press «Search» button to fill in the list with tour names and project image.
Location of Web Server
By default «Python internal» web server is used, which need no configuration adjustment.
There are other web servers options.
«3DVista» internal web server, the same used for desktop preview. As the path may vary between «3DVista» installations, it can be changed here. The setting is kept for subsequent executions.
«KrPano Testing Server» integration has also been tested.
It is not neccesary to have a KrPano license to use its «testing server». Download official KrPano, unzip it, and you will find «templates\html» folder with the executables for Windows and Mac.
«XAMP/MAMP» or similar variants have not been tested yet.
URL (Own local IP address)
Verify the local IP address shown is the one assigned to your computer. Look for it at the bottom of the window.
The proposed PORT may be changed, and it will be used in subsequent executions. It must not be used by any other program.
Using Mobile Preview
Work as usual with «3dVista», which shows previews into desktop internet browser. When you want to watch the tour appearance on a real mobile device, use this «Mobile Preview»
During startup, a scan of 3dVista cache is made, so it make take a while until the list of tours is shown.
Having an active and valid (period) license, lets you select a tour from the list. The title, creation and modification dates are shown, and the list can be sorted by these columns, ascending or descending, by clicking on the column title.
Selecting a row will show at the right panel the same thumbnail that 3dVista shows.
When a tour is selected, the «Run» button at the botton left will be enabled. Press it and the interface will be freezed.
From this moment, the selected web server is started.
Take note of the URL and write it on your mobile device. You will see the current cache 3dVista has generated by the last «Preview» button click for such tour.
You can minimize «Mobile Preview 3dVista» and the web server keeps running.
Work in your tour with 3dVista project as usual, and every time you press on «Preview», when the desktop web browser tab is opened, you can refresh your mobile device and navigate the tour as it has been published.
If you want to «Mobile Preview» on a different tour, close the application, run it again selecting the new tour.
Disclaimer
Certificates are not currently supported, so only HTTP, (no HTTPS) protocol can be used. Some functions of your mobile will be limited, for example, the gyrospcope.
Download
Download zip file (installer and binary) for «Mobile Preview 3dVista»:
ZIP with scripts and installable wheel package
SHA256 checksum
2189cf2b7fe27fc43111c63be2fbb302f10392e19cd8b192b371e4232d2ceb52
For any query about installation, please, send an email to [email protected]
Demo of Mobile Preview for 3dVista
Usage example
Modify desktop and mobile skins, and test them at the same time.
Interface
