From c14a823dc148b2ca6cbafcfee1065b977536998a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andy Ross <andy@plausible.org>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:16:54 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Update visual defaults

Somewhat more conventional visual presentation:

+ Use a neutral gray background a-la most other CAD/modelling software
  for better contrast with the geometry (which defaults to a bright
  yellow).  This is done with the "skybox-environment" image in
  model-viewer, so add a new setting value in settings.ts for this (it
  can be overriden in the URL just like other settings)

+ But using a skybox will cause that image to be used for lighting
  too, which is clearly not desired.  So fetch a nice professional
  HDRI image from Polyhaven for lighting.  This is much better (more
  directional, higher contrast) than the default light environment
  anyway.

+ The checkerboard texture isn't really a good default.  Use a 1x1
  white pixel instead, essentially presenting the model materials
  unchanged.

Also collect the default color in gltf.py out of the code and put it
next to the texture for clarity.  This should probably be wired
through to a setting at some point.

Signed-off-by: Andy Ross <andy@plausible.org>
---
 frontend/misc/settings.ts              |  6 +++++-
 frontend/viewer/ModelViewerWrapper.vue |  4 ++--
 yacv_server/gltf.py                    | 11 ++++++-----
 3 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/frontend/misc/settings.ts b/frontend/misc/settings.ts
index 0a37825..e657ab2 100644
--- a/frontend/misc/settings.ts
+++ b/frontend/misc/settings.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ export async function settings() {
         panSensitivity: 1,
         exposure: 1,
         shadowIntensity: 0,
-        background: '',
+	// Nice low-res outdoor/high-contrast HDRI image (CC0 licensed) for lighting
+        background: "https://dl.polyhaven.org/file/ph-assets/HDRIs/hdr/1k/qwantani_afternoon_1k.hdr",
+        // Uniform (1x1 pixel) medium gray background for visibility
+        skybox: "data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mNsaFjwHwAFyQKh26fFAAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==",
+
     };
 
     // Auto-override any settings from the URL
diff --git a/frontend/viewer/ModelViewerWrapper.vue b/frontend/viewer/ModelViewerWrapper.vue
index e35bd4f..b94ac42 100644
--- a/frontend/viewer/ModelViewerWrapper.vue
+++ b/frontend/viewer/ModelViewerWrapper.vue
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ watch(disableTap, (newDisableTap) => {
   <model-viewer ref="elem" v-if="sett != null" :ar="sett.arModes.length > 0" :ar-modes="sett.arModes"
                 :environment-image="sett.background" :exposure="sett.exposure" :autoplay="sett.autoplay"
                 :orbit-sensitivity="sett.orbitSensitivity" :pan-sensitivity="sett.panSensitivity"
-                :poster="poster" :shadow-intensity="sett.shadowIntensity" :skybox-image="sett.background"
+                :poster="poster" :shadow-intensity="sett.shadowIntensity" :skybox-image="sett.skybox"
                 :src="props.src" :zoom-sensitivity="sett.zoomSensitivity" alt="The 3D model(s)" camera-controls
                 camera-orbit="30deg 75deg auto" interaction-prompt="none" max-camera-orbit="Infinity 180deg auto"
                 min-camera-orbit="-Infinity 0deg 5%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%">
@@ -302,4 +302,4 @@ watch(disableTap, (newDisableTap) => {
   float: left;
   transition: width 0.3s;
 }
-</style>
\ No newline at end of file
+</style>
diff --git a/yacv_server/gltf.py b/yacv_server/gltf.py
index 6c4a2df..df61a2d 100644
--- a/yacv_server/gltf.py
+++ b/yacv_server/gltf.py
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ import numpy as np
 from build123d import Location, Plane, Vector
 from pygltflib import *
 
-_checkerboard_image_bytes = base64.decodebytes(
-    b'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAIAAAD91JpzAAAAF0lEQVQI12N49OjR////Gf'
-    b'/////48WMATwULS8tcyj8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=')
+# PNG file containing 1x1 while pixel
+_default_tex = (b'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mP8/x8AAwMCAO+ip1sAAAAASUVORK5CYII=')
+
+_default_color = (1.0, 0.75, 0.0, 1.0)
 
 def get_version() -> str:
     try:
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ class GLTFMgr:
     vertex_positions: List[float]  # x, y, z
     vertex_colors: List[float]  # r, g, b, a
 
-    def __init__(self, image: Optional[Tuple[bytes, str]] = (_checkerboard_image_bytes, 'image/png')):
+    def __init__(self, image: Optional[Tuple[bytes, str]] = (_default_tex, 'image/png')):
         self.gltf = GLTF2(
             asset=Asset(generator=f"yacv_server@{get_version()}"),
             scene=0,
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ class GLTFMgr:
     def add_face(self, vertices_raw: List[Vector], indices_raw: List[Tuple[int, int, int]],
                  tex_coord_raw: List[Tuple[float, float]], color: Optional[Tuple[float, float, float, float]] = None):
         """Add a face to the GLTF mesh"""
-        if color is None: color = (1.0, 0.75, 0.0, 1.0)
+        if color is None: color = _default_color
         # assert len(vertices_raw) == len(tex_coord_raw), f"Vertices and texture coordinates have different lengths"
         # assert min([i for t in indices_raw for i in t]) == 0, f"Face indices start at {min(indices_raw)}"
         # assert max([e for t in indices_raw for e in t]) < len(vertices_raw), f"Indices have non-existing vertices"