S2PLOT:3dPDF
From S2PLOT
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3d-PDF: Embedding S2PLOT Content in PDF Documents
Since version 2.02, S2PLOT has been able to write the displayed geometry to a VRML 97 format file. This format was selected as it can be read in by Adobe Acrobat 3D and embedded in Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Modern versions of Adobe Reader can then render the 3-d model interactively, allowing the reader to view the 3-d scene from any angle or distance. Individual parts of the model can be turned on and off by explicit user control (eg. toggling the display of axis labels) or by implicit programmatic control (eg. toggling the selected set of slices for display as a volume rendering).
The 3-d PDF capabilities of S2PLOT are documented in the following papers. If you embed S2PLOT content in a formally published article, please cite at least one of these sources:
- Fluke, C.J., Barnes, D.G., 2008, The Interactive Astronomy Textbook, Astronomy Education Review, 7(1). For interactive figures, please download paper from here. (AER).
- Barnes, D.G., Fluke, C.J., 2008, Incorporating interactive 3-dimensional graphics in astronomy research papers, New Astronomy, 13, 599. For interactive figures, please download paper from here. (ADS) - arXiv:0709.2734.
Requirements
- S2PLOT version 2.02 or higher
- version 2.4 or higher recommended
- Adobe Acrobat 3D version 8.1.2
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 Extended expected to work but not yet tested and interface may be different to that described below
VRML export from S2PLOT
Most S2PLOT geometry can be written to VRML format. While running an S2PLOT program, simply press Shift-W and a file called "test.wrl" will be written. It will overwrite any pre-existing "test.wrl" file in the current working directory.
When writing an S2PLOT program whose output may be captured to VRML, keep the following points in mind:
- screen-coordinate geometry is not saved to VRML
- line thickness is not properly supported in VRML
- textured spheres are not presently written to VRML (next version of S2PLOT)
- transparent dots are not presently written to VRML (next version of S2PLOT)
- disks are not presently written to VRML (next version of S2PLOT)
- both static and dynamic S2PLOT geometry is saved to the VRML file
- you can organise parts of your geometry into named sections of the VRML file (model tree) by using the S2PLOT function pushVRMLname
- correct volume rendering requires special attention (see below)
- frame animation is possible (see below)
- billboards can be used but require special attention (see below)
- handles are written and can be used for particular types of interaction (see below)
- Acrobat Reader generally struggles with more than say 5000 pieces of geometry (whether points, lines or facets)
- you can programmatically export the VRML file by declaring the function "void writeVRML20(void)" and calling it from a dynamic S2PLOT callback function
