Doors and Covers

Animating BookNest's Shelf Doors and Book Covers

createShelfDoors(scene, bookcase) gives a bookcase two glass doors, each the child of a hinge TransformNode at the outer edge, and returns a group with one eased animation per hinge (side -1 or 1):

bookstore.js: glass doors and the animation group that opens themJavaScript
const swing = new BABYLON.Animation(`swing${side}`, 'rotation.y', 60,
  BABYLON.Animation.ANIMATIONTYPE_FLOAT);
swing.setKeys([{ frame: 0, value: 0 }, { frame: 45, value: -side * 1.9 }]);  // outward
swing.setEasingFunction(ease);
group.addTargetedAnimation(swing, hinge);

A second helper, presentBook(scene, book), returns a group that slides a book 0.3 m out over 20 frames, then lifts it and turns its front cover (the +x face) to the aisle; start(false, 1, 40, 0) plays it backward to shelve the book. Actions and Picking runs it when a visitor clicks a spine:

The right bookcase's doors opening and Salt and Saffron presented from the left oneHTML
<canvas id="view" style="width: 620px; height: 190px"></canvas>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/babylonjs@9.28.0/babylon.js"></script>
<script src="bookstore.js"></script>
<script>
(async () => {
  const engine = new BABYLON.Engine(view, true, {}, true);
  const scene = BookNestStore.createScene(engine);
  BookNestStore.createRoom(scene);
  const left = BookNestStore.createBookcase(scene, 'bookcaseLeft', -1.8);
  const right = BookNestStore.createBookcase(scene, 'bookcaseRight', 1.8);
  const books = BookNestStore.placeBooks(scene, left);
  BookNestStore.coverBooks(scene, books);
  BookNestStore.lightRoom(scene);
  const doors = BookNestStore.createShelfDoors(scene, right);    // after lightRoom: no shadow
  const present = BookNestStore.presentBook(scene, books[2]);
  new BABYLON.ArcRotateCamera('aisle', -1.9, 1.4, 3.1, new BABYLON.Vector3(-0.2, 1.3, 2.3));
  await scene.whenReadyAsync();                    // covers loaded, shaders compiled
  engine.runRenderLoop(() => scene.render());
  present.start(false, 1, 0, 40);                  // all the way out
  doors.start(false, 1, 0, 30).onAnimationGroupEndObservable.addOnce(() => {
    window.__done = true;                          // two thirds open: capture
  });
})();
</script>
Browser output of Listing 7.71
Browser output of 71

The doors stop at frame 30 of 45, two thirds open.

Glass shelf doors swinging open on eased hinges while a book slides out and turns its cover to the aisleHTMLLive
<!doctype html>
<style>
  body { margin: 0; background: #f7f3ec; font: 13px system-ui, sans-serif; color: #333; }
  canvas { width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: 320px; display: block; touch-action: none; outline: none; }
</style>
<canvas id="view"></canvas>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/babylonjs@9.28.0/babylon.js"></script>
<script>
// ---- BookNest's bookstore: the helpers the book keeps in bookstore.js ----
const ROOM = { width: 8, depth: 6, height: 3, wall: 0.15 };
const BOOKS = [
  { id: 1, title: 'The Quiet Harbor', author: 'Mara Ellison', color: '#1f5f8b', pages: 312, price: 14.99, rating: 4.6, inStock: true },
  { id: 2, title: 'Patterns of the Deep Web', author: 'Tomas Reyes', color: '#5b3f99', pages: 428, price: 32.5, rating: 4.4, inStock: true },
  { id: 3, title: 'Salt and Saffron', author: 'Priya Nair', color: '#e09a10', pages: 256, price: 24, rating: 4.8, inStock: false },
  { id: 4, title: 'Small Steps to Big Summits', author: 'Dana Whitfield', color: '#3f7d3a', pages: 198, price: 18.5, rating: 4.3, inStock: true },
  { id: 5, title: "The Clockmaker's Paradox", author: 'Julian Voss', color: '#b5452f', pages: 344, price: 16.75, rating: 4.7, inStock: true },
  { id: 6, title: 'Gardens in Glass', author: 'Lena Hart', color: '#2a9d8f', pages: 176, price: 21.3, rating: 4.5, inStock: true },
];
function createScene(engine) {
  const scene = new BABYLON.Scene(engine);
  scene.clearColor = BABYLON.Color4.FromHexString('#cfd8dcff');
  const sky = new BABYLON.HemisphericLight('sky', new BABYLON.Vector3(0.3, 1, -0.4), scene);
  sky.groundColor = new BABYLON.Color3(0.35, 0.32, 0.3);
  return scene;
}
function paint(scene, name, hex) {                  // a matte color
  const material = new BABYLON.StandardMaterial(name, scene);
  material.diffuseColor = BABYLON.Color3.FromHexString(hex);
  material.specularColor = BABYLON.Color3.Black();
  return material;
}
function createRoom(scene) {                        // floor and three walls, front open
  const room = new BABYLON.TransformNode('room', scene);
  const floor = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateGround('floor', { width: ROOM.width, height: ROOM.depth }, scene);
  floor.material = paint(scene, 'oak', '#b08d6a');
  floor.parent = room;
  const plaster = paint(scene, 'plaster', '#fff3e0');
  for (const [name, width, x, z] of [['backWall', 8, 0, 3], ['leftWall', 6, -4, 0], ['rightWall', 6, 4, 0]]) {
    const wall = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox(name, { width, height: ROOM.height, depth: ROOM.wall }, scene);
    wall.position.set(x, ROOM.height / 2, z);
    wall.rotation.y = x ? Math.PI / 2 : 0;
    wall.material = plaster;
    wall.parent = room;
  }
  return room;
}
function createBookcase(scene, name, x) {           // 8 boxes merged into 1 mesh
  const [w, h, d, t] = [3, 2.2, 0.35, 0.04];
  const parts = [[t, h, d, -w / 2, h / 2, 0], [t, h, d, w / 2, h / 2, 0], [w, h, t, 0, h / 2, d / 2 - t / 2]];
  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) parts.push([w, t, d, 0, 0.1 + i * 0.5, 0]);
  const bookcase = BABYLON.Mesh.MergeMeshes(parts.map(([width, height, depth, px, py, pz]) => {
    const part = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox('part', { width, height, depth }, scene);
    part.position.set(px, py, pz);
    return part;
  }), true);
  bookcase.name = name;
  bookcase.material = paint(scene, 'walnut', '#6d4c33');
  bookcase.position.set(x, 0, ROOM.depth / 2 - ROOM.wall / 2 - d / 2);   // against the back wall
  return bookcase;
}
function drawCover(scene, book) {                   // cover art painted on a canvas
  const tex = new BABYLON.DynamicTexture('cover' + book.id, { width: 256, height: 384 }, scene);
  const c = tex.getContext();
  c.fillStyle = book.color; c.fillRect(0, 0, 256, 384);
  c.fillStyle = 'rgba(0,0,0,0.4)'; c.fillRect(0, 0, 18, 384);         // the dark left edge
  c.strokeStyle = '#fff8e1'; c.lineWidth = 3; c.strokeRect(34, 24, 202, 336);
  c.fillStyle = '#fff8e1'; c.textAlign = 'center'; c.font = 'bold 30px Georgia';
  const lines = [''];
  for (const word of book.title.split(' ')) {
    const test = (lines[lines.length - 1] + ' ' + word).trim();
    if (c.measureText(test).width > 180) lines.push(word); else lines[lines.length - 1] = test;
  }
  lines.forEach((line, i) => c.fillText(line, 135, 110 + i * 38));
  c.font = '20px Georgia'; c.fillText(book.author, 135, 330);
  tex.update();
  return tex;
}
function placeBooks(scene, bookcase, shelf = 2) {   // six books, spines out, covers on +x
  const strip = new BABYLON.Vector4(0, 0, 0.07, 1);
  const faceUV = [strip, strip, new BABYLON.Vector4(0, 0, 1, 1), strip, strip, strip];
  let x = -0.35;                                    // left end of the row, local to the bookcase
  return BOOKS.map((record) => {
    const width = record.pages / 4000 + 0.02;       // spine thickness from page count
    const book = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox(`book${record.id}`, { width, height: 0.3, depth: 0.22, faceUV, wrap: true }, scene);
    book.parent = bookcase;
    book.position.set(x + width / 2, 0.12 + shelf * 0.5 + 0.15, -0.02);
    x += width + 0.012;
    book.material = new BABYLON.StandardMaterial(record.title, scene);
    book.material.diffuseTexture = drawCover(scene, record);
    book.material.specularColor = new BABYLON.Color3(0.15, 0.15, 0.15);
    book.metadata = record;                         // the record, for picking
    return book;
  });
}
// The book cuts the storefront with CSG2 (Manifold WebAssembly); this sandbox cannot download
// the .wasm, so the older pure-JavaScript BABYLON.CSG makes the same cuts here.
function createFrontWall(scene) {
  const box = (width, height, depth, x, y) => {
    const mesh = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox('cut', { width, height, depth }, scene);
    mesh.position.set(x, y, -ROOM.depth / 2);
    return mesh;
  };
  const solid = box(ROOM.width, ROOM.height, ROOM.wall, 0, ROOM.height / 2);
  const windowHole = box(3.2, 1.6, 1, -1.4, 1.6), doorHole = box(1.1, 2.2, 1, 2.3, 1.1);
  const wall = BABYLON.CSG.FromMesh(solid).subtract(BABYLON.CSG.FromMesh(windowHole))
    .subtract(BABYLON.CSG.FromMesh(doorHole)).toMesh('frontWall', scene.getMaterialByName('plaster'), scene);
  [solid, windowHole, doorHole].forEach((mesh) => mesh.dispose());
  return wall;
}
// ---- end of the bookstore helpers ----

function lightRoom(scene) {                         // call after the meshes exist
  scene.getLightByName('sky').intensity = 0.5;      // the sky light becomes fill light
  const sun = new BABYLON.DirectionalLight('sun', new BABYLON.Vector3(0.2, -0.33, 1), scene);
  sun.intensity = 0.8;
  sun.diffuse = BABYLON.Color3.FromHexString('#fff1d6');   // warm afternoon sun
  const ceiling = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox('ceiling', { width: ROOM.width, height: ROOM.wall, depth: ROOM.depth }, scene);
  ceiling.position.y = ROOM.height + ROOM.wall / 2;
  ceiling.layerMask = 0x10000000;                   // no camera draws it; it still casts
  const shadows = new BABYLON.CascadedShadowGenerator(2048, sun);
  Object.assign(shadows, { numCascades: 3, shadowMaxZ: 20, lambda: 1,
    autoCalcDepthBounds: true, bias: 0.002, normalBias: 0.01 });
  for (const mesh of scene.meshes) {
    if (mesh.name !== 'floor') shadows.addShadowCaster(mesh);
    mesh.receiveShadows = true;
  }
  const lamp = new BABYLON.PointLight('lamp', new BABYLON.Vector3(-1.2, 2.3, 1.4), scene);
  lamp.diffuse = BABYLON.Color3.FromHexString('#ffd9a0');
  Object.assign(lamp, { intensity: 0.7, range: 5 });   // a warm reading lamp
  return { sun, lamp, shadows };
}

function presentBook(scene, book) {                 // slide out, lift, turn the cover to the aisle
  const group = new BABYLON.AnimationGroup('present' + book.name, scene);
  const track = (property, type, keys) => {
    const animation = new BABYLON.Animation(property, property, 60, type);
    animation.setKeys(keys.map(([frame, value]) => ({ frame, value })));
    const ease = new BABYLON.CubicEase();
    ease.setEasingMode(BABYLON.EasingFunction.EASINGMODE_EASEINOUT);
    animation.setEasingFunction(ease);
    group.addTargetedAnimation(animation, book);
  };
  const { z, y } = book.position;
  const FLOAT = BABYLON.Animation.ANIMATIONTYPE_FLOAT;
  track('position.z', FLOAT, [[0, z], [20, z - 0.3], [40, z - 0.3]]);        // 0.3 m out in 20 frames
  track('position.y', FLOAT, [[0, y], [20, y], [40, y + 0.12]]);             // then lift it
  track('rotation.y', FLOAT, [[0, 0], [20, 0], [40, Math.PI / 2]]);          // and face the +x cover out
  return group;
}

function createShelfDoors(scene, bookcase) {        // two glass doors on hinge nodes
  const glass = new BABYLON.StandardMaterial('doorGlass', scene);
  glass.diffuseColor = BABYLON.Color3.FromHexString('#cfe8f0');
  glass.alpha = 0.35;
  const group = new BABYLON.AnimationGroup('doors', scene);
  const ease = new BABYLON.CubicEase();
  ease.setEasingMode(BABYLON.EasingFunction.EASINGMODE_EASEINOUT);
  for (const side of [-1, 1]) {
    const hinge = new BABYLON.TransformNode(`hinge${side}`, scene);
    hinge.parent = bookcase;
    hinge.position.set(side * 1.5, 1.1, -0.19);     // the outer front edge
    const door = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateBox(`door${side}`, { width: 1.5, height: 2.2, depth: 0.02 }, scene);
    door.parent = hinge;
    door.position.x = -side * 0.75;                 // the door hangs inward from its hinge
    door.material = glass;
    const swing = new BABYLON.Animation(`swing${side}`, 'rotation.y', 60, BABYLON.Animation.ANIMATIONTYPE_FLOAT);
    swing.setKeys([{ frame: 0, value: 0 }, { frame: 45, value: -side * 1.9 }]);  // outward
    swing.setEasingFunction(ease);
    group.addTargetedAnimation(swing, hinge);
  }
  return group;
}

const canvas = document.getElementById('view');
const engine = new BABYLON.Engine(canvas, true, {}, true);
const scene = createScene(engine);
createRoom(scene);
const left = createBookcase(scene, 'bookcaseLeft', -1.8);
const right = createBookcase(scene, 'bookcaseRight', 1.8);
const books = placeBooks(scene, left);
lightRoom(scene);
const doors = createShelfDoors(scene, right);        // after lightRoom: glass casts no shadow
const present = presentBook(scene, books[2]);
const camera = new BABYLON.ArcRotateCamera('aisle', -1.9, 1.4, 3.6, new BABYLON.Vector3(-0.2, 1.3, 2.3), scene);
camera.minZ = 0.05;
camera.attachControl(canvas, true);
engine.runRenderLoop(() => scene.render());

// Open and present, pause, then play both groups backward: start(loop, speed, from, to)
const ended = (group) => new Promise((resolve) => group.onAnimationGroupEndObservable.addOnce(resolve));
const wait = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
async function cycle() {
  present.start(false, 1, 0, 40);                   // all the way out
  doors.start(false, 1, 0, 45);
  await ended(doors);
  await wait(1500);
  present.start(false, 1, 40, 0);                   // backward: shelve the book again
  doors.start(false, 1, 45, 0);
  await ended(doors);
  await wait(1000);
  cycle();
}
cycle();
addEventListener('resize', () => engine.resize());
</script>