Choose a cut plane

• Push the ``Choose plane'' button, the possibility to make the object moving is invalidated. Push another time to make the object moving. (You note that when ``Choose Plane'' is not validated all the buttons concerning this module are insentitive.
• First choose the plane direction by setting ``XY'', ``YZ'' or ``ZX'' on.
• The default plane is ``XY''.
• Now you have three choices to modify the plane position:
  • Press the left mouse button on the boundary in the drawing area. the plane will pass this point. You can note that the push buttons near the scales indicates the point coordinates.
  • Move the cursor of the ``z'' scale, because you have chosen a plane according to ``XY''. Note that the Z-button value follows the movements of the scale.
  • You can also specify the plane equation, by pushing on the Z-button and giving a new value to the equation: ``z = cste'', (see figure 1.33).

    Figure 1.33: Choosing a z_cste plane equation.

    

• If you want to save this plane equation, set the toggle ``extension'' on, a new window appears, (see figure 1.34).

  Figure 1.34: Setting, Saving, or Restoring a plane equation.

  
  • You can save a plane equation with a name (default one is ``vigie_3d.equation'').

  • You can set the coefficients $a$, $b$, $c$ or $d$ of the plane equation $ax + by + cz + d = 0$ in the editable windows where you can read them and validate them by pushing the ``set'' button.

  • You can follow a plane crossing the mesh by pushing the arrows in the ``translate'' frame, but this feature must be use with caution. Vigie can crash.

  • You can use the ``restore'' pushbutton to reload a previously saved plane equation.

• You can also define the cut plane by an axis and a rotation:
  • First selsect on a point on the boundary in the drawing area with the left mouse button.

  • Press the ``Rotation Axis'' button .

  • Then click on a second point on the boundary.
    You have set the rotation axis with the two points you've just chosen.

  • Move the cursor in the ``Rot'' scale to define the rotation angle around the rotation axis.

  • You can also set the angle value by pushing the Rot-button near the scale.
    The plane is defined by two 2 points P1, P2 and a rotation around this axis, (see figure 1.35). You can save this plane, and restore it as described before.

Figure 1.35: Choosing a new rotation angle value.

Note: Another use of the scale cursors (either than moving the cursor) is to keep the mouse cursor in the scale window near the scale cursor and to push rapidly with left button. This is a more precise way to move a scale cursor.

Now you have chosen a cut plane and you're going to visualize Isolines and Colour contours in this plane.