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Using 3DSurface Viewer
The 'Draw Surfaces' page is reproduced at right,
with the surface defined be the expression Z = xcosxsiny displayed. As the image shows, the
central portion of the page is occupied by the 3DSurface Viewer, while controls that determine the content of the Viewer are
above and to it's left. Use of the Viewer and it's associated controls is described below.
Enter an Expression
The expression describing
the surface is entered in the text box above the Viewer, and when
you press 'Enter', any portion of the surface that exists within
the viewing volume will appear. The expression can contain the
variables 'X', 'Y', 'R' and/or 'Theta', and any of the standard
Math Operators. Spaces
are allowed, and only the single character 'e' is case sensitive.
(It can be either the natural log operator 'e' or the Exponential
operator 'E'.)
Rotate the Image
Move the
mouse cursor on top of the image, click and drag. The image can be
rotated to any angle, allowing you to see previously hidden/shaded
areas. The light illuminating the scene remains fixed in position at
an imaginary point above and behind your left shoulder.
Change Zoom and Center of View
The default region shown in the Viewer is bounded by the values -5.0
< n > 5.0, where 'n' is each of the X, Y and Z axes. The
'ZoomIn' and 'ZoomOut' buttons change this by a factor of two in the
appropriate direction; for instance, zooming out from the default
would change the boundaries to -10.0 < n > 10.0 . The center
of the region under inspection can also be changed, by clicking on
one of the four buttons labeled 'Shift View'. Each of these will
move the center of the region in the direction indicated, by a
distance of 1/4 of the current span of that axis. Clicking the
'Reset' button restores the default boundaries.
NOTE:
If surfaces are parallel to the Z axis, it is possible they may not be rendered correctly.
If vertical (or nearly vertical) surfaces seem to have gaps, or spurious bits of surface appear near vertical surfaces,
Zoom In to decrease the steepness of the surface.
Change Colors
You can even change the colors of the surface and background. Click on the radio
button to indicate which color you want to change, then click a color swatch to change the color.
NOTE: You must be using
Internet Explorer Version 5 or greater to use this feature.
Use the Viewer Offline!
Once you've installed 3DSurface Viewer, you can save the page as one of
your 'Favorites' in Internet Explorer and use the Viewer while off-line! Click
the button below, and your browser's 'Add Favorite' dialog box will appear.
Check the 'Make Available Offline' box, and click 'OK'.
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