4. Working with Graphics3D Packages

Standard

Mathematica provides built-in commands to render function graphs, parametrized surfaces and curves in 3D.

Function Graph

Graph of a scalar function on a rectangular domain.	In[1]:= fg = Plot3D[y/6 Sin[x], {x, -Pi, Pi}, {y, 0., 6}] In[2]:= JavaView[fg]
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Parametrized Surfaces

Sphere in standard parametrization with meridians and parallels.	In[1]:= gp = ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[u] Cos[v], Sin[u] Cos[v], Sin[v]}, {u, 0, 2Pi}, {v, -Pi/2, Pi/2}, PlotPoints -> {40, 10}]; In[2]:= JavaView[gp]
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3D Curves

A closed curve in space.	In[1]:= cv = ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[5t], Sin[3t], Sin[t]}, {t, 0, 2 Pi}]; In[2]:= JavaView[cv]
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Graphics`ContourPlot3D`

Compute implicit surfaces as zero set of a function or of a scalar values given at vertices of a ZxZxZ grid.

Zero level of a function.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`ContourPlot3D` In[2]:= gc = ContourPlot3D[ Cos[Sqrt[x^2 + y^2 + z^2]], {x, -2, 2}, {y, 0, 2}, {z, -2, 2}]; In[3]:= JavaView[gc]
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Zero level of a regular scalar field in 3D.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`ContourPlot3D` In[2]:= data = Table[ x^2 + 2*y^2 + 3*z^2, {z, -1, 1, .25}, {y, -1, 1, .25}, {x, -1, 1, .25}]; In[3]:= gl = ListContourPlot3D[data, MeshRange -> {{-1, 1}, {-1, 1}, {-1, 1}}, Lighting -> False, Contours -> {1.5, 3.}, Axes -> True, ContourStyle -> {{RGBColor[0, 1, 0]}, {RGBColor[1, 0, 0]}}] In[4]:= JavaView[gl]
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Graphics`Graphics3D`

Package supplies different representations of 3D data like bar chart and shadow plots.

Bar Charts

Display scalar values on a uv-mesh as vertical columns whose height represent the value.

This gives a bar chart made from a two-by-three array of bars with integer height.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= gb = BarChart3D[{{1, 2, 3}, {4, 5, 6}}, BoxRatios -> Automatic]; In[3]:= JavaView[gb]
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ScatterPlot3D

ScatterPlot3D[] shows a set of 3D points and thereby extends ListPlot to 3D. Optionally, the points may be connected by a line.

Here is a list of points in three dimensions. The scatter plot of points lies on a conical helix.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= lpts = Table[{t Cos[t], t Sin[t], t}, {t, 0, 4Pi, Pi/20}]; In[3]:= sc = ScatterPlot3D[lpts] In[4]:= JavaView[sc]
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Join the points of the same list with a thicker line.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= lpts = Table[{t Cos[t], t Sin[t], t}, {t, 0, 4Pi, Pi/20}]; In[3]:= scl = ScatterPlot3D[lpts, PlotJoined -> True, PlotStyle -> Thickness[0.01]] In[4]:= JavaView[scl]
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ListSurfacePlot3D uses an array of points and generates the faces of a surface.

Take an array of points in three dimensions. The array of points is used to generate vertices of a polygonal mesh. It creates a piece of a sphere.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= apts = Table[{Cos[t] Cos[u], Sin[t] Cos[u], Sin[u]}, {t, 0, Pi, Pi/5}, {u, 0, Pi/2, Pi/10}]; In[3]:= lsp = ListSurfacePlot3D[apts] In[4]:= JavaView[lsp]
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Shadow Plot

Draw shadows of a surface at its bounding box. ShadowPlot3D and ListShadowPlot3D work exactly like the built­in Plot3D and ListPlot3D, except shadows are drawn.

Plot a 2D shadow below a 3D surface.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= sp = ShadowPlot3D[Sin[x y], {x, 0, 3}, {y, 0, 3}] In[3]:= JavaView[sp]
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ShadowPosition determines whether shadow is above or below.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= st = ShadowPlot3D[Exp[-(x^2 + y^2)], {x, -2, 2}, {y, -2, 2}, ShadowPosition -> 1] In[3]:= JavaView[st]
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Plot shadows at the bounding box of a 3D surface.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Graphics3D` In[2]:= dbell = ParametricPlot3D[{Sin[t], Sin[2t] Sin[u], Sin[2t] Cos[u]}, {t, -Pi/2, Pi/2}, {u, 0, 2Pi}, Ticks -> None]; In[3]:= sa := Shadow[dbell, ZShadow -> False]; In[4]:= JavaView[sa]
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Graphics`ParametricPlot3D`

The command ParametricPlot3D[] in this package expands the built-in command by allowing du and dv increments to be specified.

Determine number of lines through du and dv instead of PlotPoints.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`ParametricPlot3D` In[2]:= gps = ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[u] Cos[v], Sin[u] Cos[v], Sin[v]}, {u, 0, 2Pi, Pi/20}, {v, -Pi/2, Pi/2, Pi/10}]; In[3]:= JavaView[gps]
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Only a collection of points is shown when you use PointParametricPlot3D.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`ParametricPlot3D` In[2]:= gpp = PointParametricPlot3D[{Cos[u] Cos[v], Sin[u] Cos[v], Sin[v]}, {u, 0, 2Pi}, {v, -Pi/2, Pi/2}]; In[3]:= JavaView[gpp]
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Graphics`PlotField3D`

Creates and renders vector fields in 3D.

A 3D vortex vector field.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`PlotField3D` In[2]:= gv3 = PlotVectorField3D[{y, -x, 0}/z, {x, -1, 1}, {y, -1, 1}, {z, 1, 3}] In[3]:= JavaView[gv3]
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The same vector field with VectorHeads.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`PlotField3D` In[2]:= gv3h = PlotVectorField3D[{y, -x, 0}/z, {x, -1, 1}, {y, -1, 1}, {z, 1, 3}, VectorHeads -> True] In[3]:= JavaView[gv3h]
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Graphics`Polyhedra`

This package contains a collection of Platonic solids and commands for their modification like Stellate[] and Truncate[].

Load package Graphics`Polyhedra and display a dodecahedron in a JavaView display.	In[1]:= <<Graphics`Polyhedra` In[2]:= dode = Graphics3D[Dodecahedron[]]; In[3]:= JavaView[dode]
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Truncate the dodecahedron.	In[1]:= tg = Truncate[dode]; In[2]:= JavaView[tg]
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Stellate the remainder.	In[1]:= ts = Stellate[tg]; In[2]:= JavaView[ts]
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Graphics`Shapes`

A collection of primitive surfaces including sphere, torus, Mbius band etc. is provided by this package.

Combine two shapes and position them in a scene. JavaView accepts a list of geometries.	In[1]:= << Graphics`Shapes` In[2]:= g1 = TranslateShape[Graphics3D[Torus[]], {1., 0., 0.}]; In[3]:= g2 = RotateShape[Graphics3D[MoebiusStrip[1., 0.2, 30]], Pi/2., Pi/2., 0.]; In[4]:= JavaView[{g1,g2}]
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Graphics`SurfaceOfRevolution`

This package simplifies the task to generate a surface of revolution from a planar (or non-planar) curve by rotation around the default z-axis, or about a user specified rotation axis.

The curve Sin[x] is rotated around the z-axis with an offset.	In[1]:= << Graphics`SurfaceOfRevolution` In[2]:= g = SurfaceOfRevolution[{1.2 + Sin[x], x}, {x, 0, 2Pi}]; In[3]:= JavaView[g]
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The Pseudosphere is obtained by rotating a tractix around the z-axis.

Rotate the tractrix {f[x],g[x]} around the z-axis.	In[1]:= << Graphics`SurfaceOfRevolution` In[2]:= gPsd = SurfaceOfRevolution[{ Exp[-Abs[x]], -Sign[x](Sqrt[1 - Exp[-2 Abs[x]]] - Log[(1 + Sqrt[1 - Exp[-2 Abs[x]]])/Exp[-Abs[x]]])}, {x, -2., 2.}] In[3]:= JavaView[gPsd]
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