9.2 Using Geomview as Mathematica's Default 3D Display

The package Geomview.m arranges for Geomview to be the default display program for 3D graphics in Mathematica. To load it, give the command << Geomview.m to Mathematica. Thereafter, whenever you display 3D graphics with Plot3D or Show, Mathematica will send the graphics to Geomview.

Loading Geomview.m implicitly loads OOGL.m as well, so you can use the Geomview and WriteOOGL as described above after loading Geomview.m. You do not have to separately load OOGL.m.

     % math
     Mathematica 2.0 for SGI Iris
     Copyright 1988-91 Wolfram Research, Inc.
      -- GL graphics initialized --
     
     In[1] := <<Geomview.m
     
     In[2] := Plot3D[x^2 + y^2, {x, -2, 2}, {y, -2, 2}]
     
     Out[2] := -SurfaceGraphics-

This invokes geomivew and loads the graphics object into it.

     In[3] := Plot3D[{x*y + 6, RGBColor[0,x,y]}, {x,0,1}, {y,0,1}]
     
     Out[3] := -SurfaceGraphics-

This replaces the previous Geomview object by the new object.

     In[4] := Geomview[{%2,%3}]
     
     Out[4] := {-SurfaceGraphics-, -SurfaceGraphics-}

This displays both objects at once. You also can have more than one Mathematica object at a time on display in Geomview, and have separate control over them, by using the Geomview command with a name, See OOGL.m.

     In[5] := Graphics3D[ {RGBColor[1,0,0], Line[{ {2,2,2},{1,1,1} }] }]
     
     Out[5] := -Graphics3D-
     
     In[6] := Geomview["myline", %5]

This addes the Line specified in In[5] to the existing Geomview display. It can be controlled independently of the "Mathematica" object, which is currently the list of two plots.

     In[7] := <<GL.m

If you're on an SGI, loading GL.m returns Mathematica to its usual 3D graphics display. The following plot will appear in a normal static Mathematica window.

     In[8] := ParametricPlot3D[{Sin[x],Sin[y],Sin[x]*Cos[y]}, {x,0,Pi},{y,0,Pi}]
     
     Out[8] := -Graphics3D-

We can return to Geomview graphics at any time by reloading Geomview.m.

     In[9] := <<Geomview.m
     
     In[10] := Show[%8]
     
     Out[10] := -Graphics3D-
     
     In[11] := ParametricPlot3D[
     	   {(2*(Cos[u] + u*Sin[u])*Sin[v])/(1 + u^2*Sin[v]^2),
     	   (2*(Sin[u] - u*Cos[u])*Sin[v])/(1 + u^2*Sin[v]^2),
     	   Log[Tan[v/2]] + (2*Cos[v])/(1 + u^2*Sin[v]^2)},
     	  {u,-4,4},{v,.01,Pi-.01}]
     
     Out[11] := -Graphics3D-

This last plot is Kuen's surface, a surface of constant negative curvature. Parametrization from Alfred Gray's Modern Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces textbook.