VRML

File Format
Name	VRML
Ontology	Electronic File Formats 3D and CAD/CAM Models VRML
Extension(s)	.wrl, .wrz
MIME Type(s)	model/vrml
PRONOM	fmt/93, fmt/94
Wikidata ID	Q176061
Released	1995

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is a 3D vector format for defining interactive objects and environments. It was designed to be Web-friendly, but ultimately failed to be supported by most web browsers. It was, however, used to some extent in CAD/CAM, where it's known as "WRL files" due to its extension.

Despite the name, it is not related to virtual reality technology other than being a 3D format. For a time prior to its release, it was named Virtual Reality Markup Language.

There are two versions: VRML 1.0, and VRML97 (also known as VRML 2.0). VRML97 is standardized in ISO/IEC 14772-1:1997.

The successor to VRML is X3D.

Identifiers

The filename extension for uncompressed VRML files is .wrl (derived from the word "world").

WRL files are sometimes gzip-compressed. Such files may use an extension of .wrz, .wrl.gz, or may still use .wrl.

Identification

VRML 1.0 files begin with the ASCII string "#VRML V1.0 ascii".

VRML97 files begin with the ASCII string "#VRML V2.0 utf8".

(If the file is gzip-compressed, it must be decompressed first.)

Specifications

• VRML specifications

Sample files

• VRML Samples from the Open Virtual Reality Testbed
• http://www.ocnus.com/models/
• Free VRML aircrafts
• dexvert samples — poly/vrml

Links

• Wikipedia page
• VRML Archives from Web3D Consortium
• Internet Archive copy of 1996 CD-ROM about using VRML