%%%
Title = "XR Macros"
area = "Internet"
workgroup = "Internet Engineering Task Force"
[seriesInfo]
name = "XR-Macros"
value = "draft-XRMACROS-leonvankammen-00"
stream = "IETF"
status = "informational"
date = 2023-04-12T00:00:00Z
[[author]]
initials="L.R."
surname="van Kammen"
fullname="L.R. van Kammen"
%%%
.# Abstract
This draft offers a specification for embedding macros in existing 3D scenes/assets, to offer simple interactions and configure the renderer further.
Together with URI Fragments, it allows for rich immersive experiences without the need of a complicated sandboxed scripting languages.
> Almost every idea in this document is demonstrated at [https://xrfragment.org](https://xrfragment.org), as this spec was created during the [XR Fragments](https://xrfragment.org) spec.
{mainmatter}
# Introduction
How can we add more features to existing text & 3D scenes, without introducing new dataformats?
Historically, there's many attempts to create the ultimate markuplanguage or 3D fileformat.
Their lowest common denominator is: (co)authoring using plain text.
Therefore, XR Macros allows us to enrich/connect existing dataformats, by offering a polyglot notation based on existing notations:
1. getting/setting common used 3D properties using querystring- or JSON-notation
1. querying 3D properties using the lightweight searchengine notation used in [XR Fragments](https://xrfragment.org)
> NOTE: The chapters in this document are ordered from highlevel to lowlevel (technical) as much as possible
# Core principle
1. XR Macros use querystrings, but are HTML-agnostic (though pseudo-XR Fragment browsers **can** be implemented on top of HTML/Javascript).
1. XR Macros represents setting/getting common used properties found in all popular 3D frameworks/(game)editors/internet browsers.
1. XR Macros acts as simple eventhandlers for URI Fragments
# Conventions and Definitions
See appendix below in case certain terms are not clear.
# List of XR Macros
(XR) Macros can be embedded in 3D assets/scenes.
Macros enrich existing spatial content with a lowcode, limited logic-layer, by recursive (economic) use of the querystring syntax (which search engines and [XR Fragments](https://xrfragment.org) already uses.
This is done by allowing string/integer variables, and the `|` symbol to roundrobin variable values.
Macros also act as events, so more serious scripting languages can react to them as well.
## Usecase: click object
| custom property | value | trigger when |
|-----------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
| !clickme | bg=1,1,1&foo=2 | object clicked |
## Usecase: conditional click object
| custom property | value | trigger when |
|-----------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------|
| # | foo=1 | scene |
| !clickme | q=foo>2&bg=1,1,1 | object clicked and foo > 2 |
> when a user clicks an object with the custom properties above, it should set the backgroundcolor to `1,1,1` when `foo` is greater than `2` (see previous example)
## Usecase: click object (roundrobin)
| custom property | value | trigger when |
|-----------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
| !clickme | day|noon|night | object clicked |
| day | bg=1,1,1 | roundrobin |
| noon | bg=0.5,0.5,0.5 | roundrobin |
| night | bg=0,0,0&foo=2 | roundrobin |
> when a user clicks an object with the custom properties above, it should trigger either `day` `noon` or `night` in roundrobin fashion.
## Usecase: click object, URI fragment and scene load
| custom property | value | trigger when |
|-----------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
| # | random | scene loaded |
| #random | random | URL contains #random |
| !random | day|noon|night | #random, # or click |
| day | bg=1,1,1 | roundrobin |
| noon | bg=0.5,0.5,0.5 | roundrobin |
| night | bg=0,0,0&foo=2 | roundrobin |
## Usecase: present context menu with options
| custom property | value | trigger when |
|-----------------|--------------------------|------------------------|
| !random | day|noon|night | clicked in contextmenu |
| !day | bg=1,1,1 | clicked in contextmenu |
| !noon | bg=0.5,0.5,0.5 | clicked in contextmenu |
| !night | bg=0,0,0&foo=2 | clicked in contextmenu |
> The XR Browser should offer a contextmenu with these options when more than one `!`-macro is present on an object.
# Security Considerations
# IANA Considerations
This document has no IANA actions.
# Acknowledgments
* [NLNET](https://nlnet.nl)
* [Future of Text](https://futureoftext.org)
* [visual-meta.info](https://visual-meta.info)
# Appendix: Definitions
|definition | explanation |
|----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|scene | a (local/remote) 3D scene or 3D file (index.gltf e.g.) |
|3D object | an object inside a scene characterized by vertex-, face- and customproperty data. |
|XR fragments | URI Fragment with spatial hints like `#pos=0,0,0&t=1,100` e.g. |
|query | an URI Fragment-operator which queries object(s) from a scene like `#q=cube` |
|FPS | frames per second in spatial experiences (games,VR,AR e.g.), should be as high as possible |
|`◻` | ascii representation of an 3D object/mesh |
|(un)obtrusive | obtrusive: wrapping human text/thought in XML/HTML/JSON obfuscates human text into a salad of machine-symbols and words |