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<h1><a href="http://www.susqu.edu/brakke/evolver/evolver.htm">
Surface Evolver</a> Documentation</h1>
</center>
<a href="evolver.htm#doc top">Back to top of Surface Evolver documentation.</a>
<a href="index.htm">Index.</a>

<h1><a name="graphics">Surface Evolver graphics</a></h1>

<h2>Contents</h2>
<ul>
<li> <a href="#overview">Overview</a>
<li> <a href="#screen graphics">Screen graphics</a>.
<li> <a href="#OpenGL">OpenGL graphics</a>.
<li> <a href="#geomview">Geomview graphics</a>.
<li> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics prompt commands</a>.
<li> <a href="#view matrix">View matrix</a>.
<li> <a href="#view transforms">Multiple view transforms</a>.
<li> <a href="#picking">Picking</a> elements with the mouse.
<li> <a href="#clip view">Clip view</a> - see inside your surface!
<li> <a href="#slice view">Slice view</a> - 2D section of 3D surface.
<li> <a href="#postscript">PostScript output</a> - for publications, movie
   frames, web site images, etc.
<li> <a href="#graphics related">Other graphics related features.</a>
</ul>

<a name="overview"></a>
<hr>
<h2>Overview</h2>
Surface Evolver graphics consists of drawing edges and facets. There
is a single graphics driver routine which produces colored edges and
facets in 3D and sends them to a set of display routines.  There are
three main sets of display routines:
<ul>
<li> <a href="#screen graphics">Native screen graphics</a>, built-in
Evolver graphics of various qualities on various platforms,
<li> Interface to the <a href="#geomview">Geomview</a> 3D viewer, for 
Unix/Linux users without OpenGL/GLUT graphics compiled into Evolver,
<li> <a href="#postscript">PostScript</a> files, for everybody wanting
to make 2D images for publications, web sites, etc.
</ul>
<hr>
<H2><a name="screen graphics">
 Native screen graphics</a></H2>

The Surface Evolver has the ability to produce its own
screen graphics directly.  The Windows version has nice
<a href="#OpenGL">OpenGL/GLUT graphics</a>,
 which should also be available on any Unix/Linux/Mac OSX system.
 The Mac OS 9 version has some simple graphics, and there is a primitive
X-windows graphics module for Unix/Linux systems that for some reason
can't do OpenGL.  Those compiling unix
versions must link in the appropriate graphics
module.
<p>
Screen graphics appear in their own window but can be controlled by
typing <a href="#graphics commands">graphics commands</a> 
at the "graphics command: " prompt in the main window. 
OpenGL graphics can also be controlled by mouse and keyboard 
<a href="#graphics actions">actions</a> in
the graphics window.
<p>
Main prompt commands relevant to screen graphics:
<ul>
<li> <a href="single.htm#s"><tt>s</tt></a> for starting screen graphics and entering 
<a href="#graphics commands">graphics command mode</a>
<li> <a href="single.htm#D"><tt>D</tt></a> or <a href="toggle.htm#AUTODISPLAY">
<tt>autodisplay</tt></a> for toggling automatic redraw when the surface changes.
Default is automatic redraw.
<li> <a href="commands.htm#close_show"><tt>close_show</tt></a> for ending screen graphics
</ul>

<p>
<a name="view matrix"></a>
 The native screen graphics view is
controlled by a view transformation matrix, which may be specified in 
the <a href="datafile.htm#viewing matrix">datafile</a>,
 and which is dumped by the <a href="single.htm#d"><tt>d</tt></a> or
<a href="commands.htm#list topinfo"><tt>list topinfo</tt></a> commands.
The view matrix may be changed with <a href="#graphics commands">graphics mode
commands</a>. 
   The view matrix elements may be
 read or set at runtime by <tt>view_matrix[i][j]</tt>, where
 the indices start at 1.  In particular, one can write
 command scripts to save and reload particular view matrices;
 see <tt>saveview.cmd</tt> in the distribution package.
 The view matrix does not affect geomview.
<p>
The display consists entirely of facets and edges.  Special edges
(<a href="elements.htm#fixed edge">fixed</a> edges, 
<a href="elements.htm#edge boundary">boundary</a> edges, 
<a href="elements.htm#edge constraints">constraint</a> edges, triple edges, 
<a href="elements.htm#bare edge">bare</a> edges) are
always shown, unless you make their color <a href="syntax.htm#clear">CLEAR</a>.
  The individual
facet edges can be toggled with the graphics mode command 
`<a href="#e (graphics)">e</a>'.

<hr><H2><a name="graphics commands">Graphics mode commands</a></H2>

When the native graphics display is invoked by the 
'<a href="single.htm#s"><tt>s</tt></a>' command
or the various `<a href="commands.htm#show"><tt>show</tt></a>' commands, 
the Evolver enters graphics 
mode, with the prompt `Graphics command: '.
 A graphics
    command is a string of letters followed by RETURN.  Each
    letter causes an action.  Some commands may be preceded by an integer
    count of how many repetitions to do.  Example command: <tt>15u2z</tt>,
which does '<tt>u</tt>' 15 times and '<tt>z</tt>' twice.
    Rotation commands may be preceded by a real number giving the
    degrees of rotation; an integer will give a repetition count
    with the default angle of 6 degrees.  A real number is indicated
  by including a decimal point.
<p>

<h4>   Repeatable commands:</h4>
<dl >
<dt>   <a name="u (graphics)"><tt>u</tt></a>
<a name="rotate"></a> </dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Tip up.  Rotates image about horizontal axis, 
default 6 degrees.  
Example: `15u' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0u' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="d (graphics)"><tt>d</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Tip down.  Rotates image other way, default 6 degrees.
Example: `15d' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0d' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="r (graphics)"><tt>r</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Rotate right.  Rotates about vertical axis, default 6 degrees.
Example: `15r' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0r' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="l (graphics)"><tt>l</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Rotate left.  Rotates about vertical axis, default 6 degrees.
Example: `15l' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0l' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="c (graphics)"><tt>c</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Rotate clockwise about center of screen, default 6 degrees.
Example: `15c' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0c' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="C (graphics)"><tt>C</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Rotate counterclockwise about center of screen, default 6 degrees.
Example: `15C' does 90 degree rotation,
`15.0C' does 15 degree rotation. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="z (graphics)"><tt>z</tt></a>
<a name="zoom (graphics)"></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Zoom.  Expands image by factor, default 1.2. Examples:
`z' zooms by 1.2, `2z' zooms by 1.44, '2.0z' zooms by 2. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="shrink"></a> <a name="s (graphics)"><tt>s</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Shrink.  Contracts image by factor, default 1.2. </dd>
<dt>  <a name="arrow keys">arrow keys</a></dt>
<dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
Move image in appropriate direction.  May be prefixed by 
a real number, which is multiple of thirds of screen width to
move.  Default move is 1/12 screen width.
             May not work on all terminals. </dd>
</dl>
<h4>     Non-repeatable commands: </h4>
<dl >
<dt>   <a name="R (graphics)"><tt>R</tt></a> </dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Reset viewing angles to original defaults and rescale
             the image to fit the viewing window. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="m (graphics)"><tt>m</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Center image in viewing window. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="e (graphics)"><tt>e</tt></a> </dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Toggle showing all the facet edges. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="h (graphics)"><tt>h</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Toggle hiding hidden surfaces.  When ON, takes longer to
             display images, but looks better. </dd>
<dt>   
<a name="bounding box"></a>
<a name="b (graphics)"><tt>b</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Toggles display of bounding box.  Useful for visualizing
             orientation.  In the native graphics window, the 'o'
      key does the same thing. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="t (graphics)"><tt>t</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Reset mode of displaying 
<a href="model.htm#torus model">torus model</a>.  Choice of 
   <a href="toggle.htm#raw_cells">raw unit cell</a>,
   <a href="toggle.htm#clipped">clipped unit cell</a>, or 
   <a href="toggle.htm#connected">connected bodies</a>. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="w (graphics)"><tt>w</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Toggles display of facets entirely on 
<a href="constrnt.htm#level set constraints">constraints</a>.  
For a <a href="constrnt.htm#one-sided constraints">one-sided
constraint</a>, applies to facets  whose vertices all hit the
constraint.
             "w" stands for "wall".   </dd>
<dt>   <a name="B (graphics)"><tt>B</tt></a></dt>
 <dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
  Toggles display of facets on 
<a href="constrnt.htm#parametric boundaries">boundaries</a> or
  <a href="constrnt.htm#level set constraints">equality constraints</a>. </dd>
<dt>   <a name="v (graphics)"><tt>v</tt></a></dt>
 <dd> <a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Toggles showing of convex and concave edges in different
             colors.  "v" stands for "valleys".  </dd>
<dt> <a name="+ (graphics)">  <tt>+</tt></a></dt>
 <dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
  Increments color number used for facet edges.  </dd>
<dt>  <a name="- (graphics)"> <tt>-</tt></a></dt>
 <dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
  Decrements color number used for facet edges.  </dd>
<dt>   <a name="help (graphics)"><tt>?</tt></a></dt>
 <dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
  Prints help screen for graphics commands.   </dd>
<dt> <a name="x (graphics)"></a>
  <a name="q (graphics)"><tt>q</tt></a>
,<tt>x</tt></dt><dd><a href="#graphics commands">Graphics mode</a> command.
 Exit from graphics mode, and return to main command mode. </dd>
</dl> 


<hr>
<a name="OpenGL"></a>
<h2>OpenGL graphics</h2>
Ideally, you have a version of the Evolver that uses OpenGL/GLUT
for its screen graphics.  OpenGL is standard on Mac OSX, most unix systems,
and Microsoft Windows.
Tbe graphics display is invoked with the 's' command, which leaves you
at the graphics prompt, which you should quit 'q' right away since graphics
commands are better given in the graphics window.
<a name="graphics actions"></a>
There are many mouse and keyboard actions that can be performed in the
graphics window itself.  Holding down and dragging the 
left mouse button moves the
surface continuously, and the clicking right mouse button 
<a href="#picking">picks</a> vertices, edges, and facets.  Picked element
id numbers are printed in the console window.
With the graphics window in the foreground, these keyboard commands are
active: <p>
<table>
<tr><td>h  </td><td>  Print a help screen on the console window.</td></tr>
<tr><td>r  </td><td>  Rotate mode for left mouse button.</td></tr>
<tr><td>t  </td><td>  Translate mode for left mouse button.</td></tr>
<tr><td>z  </td><td>  Zoom mode for left mouse button (and use F to focus on particular vertex).</td></tr>
<tr><td>c  </td><td>  Clockwise/counterclockwise spin mode for left mouse button.</td></tr>
<tr><td>+  </td><td> Widen edges.</td></tr>
<tr><td>-  </td><td>  Narrow edges.</td></tr>
<tr><td>b  </td><td>  Decrement edge front bias by .001.</td></tr>
<tr><td>B  </td><td>  Increment edge front bias by .001 (to show edges more clearly).</td></tr>
<tr><td>R  </td><td>  Reset the view.</td></tr>
<tr><td>m  </td><td>  Center the image.</td></tr>
<tr><td>M  </td><td>  Have the right mouse button bring up a menu instead of picking.</td></tr>
<tr><td>P  </td><td>  Have the right mouse button do picking instead of menu (default).</td></tr>
<tr><td>p  </td><td>  Toggle orthogonal/perspective projection.</td></tr>
<tr><td>s </td><td>   Toggle cross-eyed stereo.</td></tr>
<tr><td>e  </td><td>  Toggle showing edges, regardless of "show edge" condition.</td></tr>
<tr><td>f  </td><td>  Toggle showing facets obeying "show facet" condition or no facets.</td></tr>
<tr><td>F  </td><td>  Move the rotate/zoom origin to the last picked vertex.</td></tr>
<tr><td>G  </td><td>  Start another graphics window with independent camera.</td></tr>
<tr><td>o  </td><td>  Toggle drawing a bounding box.</td></tr>
<tr><td>g  </td><td>  Toggle Gourard (smooth) shading.</td></tr>
<tr><td>x  </td><td>  Close the graphics window.</td></tr>
<tr><td>arrow keys </td><td>   Translate a bit.</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td>And some more advanced commands most users will never use, but are
listed here for completeness:</td></tr>
<tr><td>H  </td><td>  Print advanced help.</td></tr>
<tr><td>a  </td><td>  Toggle using OpenGL element arrays.</td></tr>
<tr><td>i  </td><td>  Toggle interleaved elements in OpenGL arrays.</td></tr>
<tr><td>I  </td><td>  Toggle indexed OpenGL arrays.</td></tr>
<tr><td>S  </td><td>  Toggle OpenGL triangle strips.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Y  </td><td>  Toggle strip coloring (I was curious as to what OpenGL triangle
strips would look like).</td></tr>
<tr><td>D  </td><td>  Toggle using a display list.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Q  </td><td>  Toggle printing drawing statistics.</td></tr>
</table>



<hr>
<h2><a name="geomview">Geomview graphics</a></h2>
Excellent screen graphics on Unix systems
 can be done through the free 3D viewing program
<a href="install.htm#geomview install">geomview</a>.
 Geomview can be started
with the <a href="single.htm#P">P</a> command, option 8.
One caution: geomview does
   not deal well with object sizes below 1e-5, so displaying micron-size
   objects using MKS units is ill-advised.

<p>
Main prompt commands relevant to geomview:
<ul>
<li> <a href="commands.htm#geomview command"><tt>geomview</tt></a>
 or <tt><a href="single.htm#P">P</a> 8</tt> to start geomview
<li> <tt><a href="single.htm#P">P</a> 9</tt> to end geomview
<li> <a href="commands.htm#geompipe"><tt>geompipe</tt></a>
 to pipe geomview input someplace else
<li> <a href="commands.htm#geomview command"><tt>geomview</tt></a>
<a href="syntax.htm#stringexpr"><em>string</em></a> 
to send user commands to geomview
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#gv_binary"><tt>gv_binary</tt></a>
 toggle to control interface mode
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#view_4d"><tt>view_4D</tt></a>
 to toggle sending 3D or 4D info to geomview
<li> <a href="single.htm#D">D</a> or <a href="toggle.htm#autodisplay">
autodisplay</a> for toggling automatic redraw when the surface changes.
Default is automatic redraw when geomview is started.
</ul>

<hr>
<h2><a name="view matrix"></a>The View Matrix</a></h2>
The mapping of coordinates from ambient space to the graphics display is done
by a matrix called the view matrix.  The matrix uses homogeneous 
coordinates, thus is a square matrix whose size is one larger than
the dimension of the ambient space.  The view matrix can be
initialized in the top of the <a href="datafile.htm#view_matrix">datafile</a>,
or  its elements may be
 read or set at runtime by <tt>view_matrix[i][j]</tt>, where
 the indices start at 1.  In particular, one can write
 command scripts to save and reload particular view matrices;
 see <tt>saveview.cmd</tt> in the distribution package.
 The view matrix is saved in dump files.

<hr>
<h2><a name="view transforms"></a>Multiple view transforms.</h2>
<a name="view_transform_swap_colors"></a>
<a name="view_transform_parity"></a>
Evolver can display multiple transformations of a surface 
simultaneously, for all of the possible graphics displays.
Each transform is defined by a matrix in homogeneous coordinates,
which for a 3D surface means 4x4 matrix which has a 3x3 rotation matrix 
in the  upper left, a translation vector in the last column, and 
a row (0,0,0,1) on the bottom.  There are two ways to specify the
transform matrices:
<ol>
<li>List each matrix individually in the datafile; see
<a href="datafile.htm#view_transforms">view_transforms</a>.
<li>List a set of transforms in the datafile (see
<a href="datafile.htm#view_transform_generators">view_transform_generators</a>)
and use the <a href="commands.htm#transform_expr">transform_expr</a>
command at run time to generate a set of transforms.  I much prefer the
second way.
</ol>
The final list of transforms may be accessed by the matrix 
<tt>view_transforms[][][]</tt>.
Because some transformations may reverse the front and back sides of
surfaces, transforms can be made to swap frontcolor and backcolor
attributes of facets; see
<a href="datafile.htm#view_transforms">view_transforms</a> or
<a href="datafile.htm#view_transform_generators">view_transform_generators</a>)
for syntax.  The read-only array <tt>view_transform_swap_colors[]</tt>  
has a 1 entry for the transforms that do swap

<hr>
<h2><a name="picking"></a><b>Picking elements.</b></h2>
One of the big advantages of using geomview or the OpenGL
version is that you
can pick vertices, edges, and facets in the geomview window by
right-mouse-clicking, and the 
<a href="elements.htm#id">id</a> numbers of the picked objects will
be printed in the main window.  Be careful when picking; it does not
always work as you might hope.  It may be necessary to zoom in on the
surface to get a clear shot at the element you want.  Be wary when 
the element returned is 1; that seems to be a common response when
Evolver is confused as to what element was picked.
Also, Evolver polls geomview for pick results only when at a 
prompt awaiting user input.
<br>
Picked vertex, edge, and facet numbers are stored in the internal variables
<tt>pickvnum</tt>, <tt>pickenum</tt>, and <tt>pickfnum</tt>, respectively.
The 'F' key command on the graphics window sets the rotation and scaling
center to the pickvnum vertex. Pickvnum is settable with ordinary assignment
commands, so the user can zoom in on any vertex desired.
<p>
Note: Since vertices are not drawn individually, Evolver reports a vertex
as picked only when two edges with a common vertex are simultaneously
picked. Therefore a vertex at the end of a single edge cannot be picked.





<hr>
<h2><a name="clip view">Clip view of surface</a></h2>
<a name="clip_coeff"></a>

It is possible to have the graphics display clip the surface
with multiple clipping planes.
A clipping plane is defined by a plane of the form ax + by + cz = d.
The visible volume is ax + by + cz &lt;= d.
Up to 10 clipping planes may be stored in the array <tt>clip_coeff[][]</tt>,
with the first plane coefficientsa,b,c,d stored in <tt>clip_coeff[1][1]</tt>
 through <tt>clip_coeff[1][4]</tt>, etc.  
The user does not have to create <tt>clip_coeff[][]</tt>.
  To use clip view,
first set the coefficients of however many clip planes you want
and then use the <tt>clip_view</tt> toggle.
For example, to get a vertical clipping plane parallel to the y and z axes
and a little in front of them:
<pre>
   clip_coeff[1] := 1;
   clip_coeff[2] := 0;
   clip_coeff[3] := 0;
   clip_coeff[4] := .2;
   clip_view;
</pre>
With OpenGL graphics, the first clip plane
plane can be varied interactively by hitting the 'l' key (lower case L)
 in the graphics
window and dragging the mouse horizontally. 
The 'k' key will make mouse dragging change the orientation of the
clip plane.
 Hit 'r' or 'c' or 't' to
get back to another mouse mode.  'L' will turn off clip_view.
<p> Clip view works separately, and after, torus model viewing modes such
as <a href="toggle.htm#clipped">clipped</a> and 
<a href="toggle.htm#connected">connected</a>, 
so it is no problem to have them together.
<p>In case <tt>clip_view</tt> and <a href="#slice view"><tt>slice_view</tt></a>
are both in effect, <tt>slice_view</tt> operates instead of <tt>clip_view</tt>.


<hr>
<a name="slice_coeff"></a>
<h2><a name="slice view">Slice view of surface</a></h2>

It is possible to plot a cross-sectional slice of a surface. 
The slice is defined by a plane of the form ax + by + cz = d.
The coefficients a,b,c,d are stored in the array <tt>slice_coeff[]</tt>
(which the user does not have to create).  To use slice view,
first set the coefficients and then use the slice_view toggle.
For example, to get a vertical slice parallel to the x and y axes
and a little in front of them:
<pre>
   slice_coeff[1] := 1;
   slice_coeff[2] := 0;
   slice_coeff[3] := 0;
   slice_coeff[4] ;= .2;
   slice_view;
</pre>
The cross-section will be in the form of line segments of the same color
as the facets they are sections of. With OpenGL graphics, the slice
plane can be varied interactively by hitting the 'l' key (lower case 'L')
in the graphics
window and dragging the mouse horizontally.  
The 'k' key will make mouse dragging change the orientation of the
clip plane.
Hit 'r' or 'c' or 't' to
get back to another mouse mode.
'L' will turn off slice_view.

<p> Slice view works separately, and after, torus model viewing modes such
as <a href="toggle.htm#clipped">clipped</a> and 
<a href="toggle.htm#connected">connected</a>, 
so it is no problem to have them together.
<p>In case <tt>slice_view</tt> and <a href="#clip view"><tt>clip_view</tt></a>
are both in effect, <tt>slice_view</tt> operates instead of <tt>clip_view</tt>.



<hr>
<h2><a name="postscript">PostScript files</a></h2>
The Surface Evolver can generate PostScript files by either the
<a href="commands.htm#postscript command">postscript</a> command
or the
<a href="single.htm#P"><tt>P</tt></a> command option 3, or just "P 3".
The image is the same one shown with
the <a href="#screen graphics">native screen graphics</a>,
 so one should use the <a href="single.htm#s"><tt>s</tt></a> command and
<a href="#graphics commands">graphics mode commands</a>
 to get the image looking as desired.  The variable 
<a href="syntax.htm#brightness">brightness</a> can be used to set
the median gray level.  The
PostScript image is put into an 8 inch square at the lower left
of the page.
<P>
With the P command, you will be prompted for options.   
<dl>
<dt><tt>Show grid lines?</tt> </dt>
<dd>This is asked if you are graphing a 2D surface. If you reply 'y', 
all triangle edges will be plotted.  If 'n', only special edges will
be plotted (triple junctions, borders, etc.; this can be controlled with the 
<a href="commands.htm#show"><tt>show edges</tt></a> command).
Default 'n'. 
The <a href="commands.htm#postscript command">postscript</a> command
uses the  <a href="toggle.htm#ps_gridflag">ps_gridflag</a> toggle to control this.
</dd>
<dt><tt>Do colors? </tt> </dt>
<dd> If you reply 'y', edges and facets will be plotted with their
color attributes and <a href="toggle.htm#shading">shading</a>
 (if activated). If 'n', then all edges
are plotted as black, and all facets as white with shading.
Default 'n'. 
The <a href="commands.htm#postscript command">postscript</a> command
uses the  <a href="toggle.htm#ps_colorflag">ps_colorflag</a> toggle to control this.
</dd>
<dt><a name="crossings"><tt>Do crossings? </tt></a> </dt>
<dd>This is asked if the surface is 1-dimensional (the 
<a href="model.htm#string model">string model</a>)
and the dimension of space is at least 3.  If you reply 'y', a 3D effect
will be created by plotting edges back to front, with each edge plotted
first as a thick white line and then as a thin black line. This creates
a broken back line and continuous foreground line at each crossing.
Default 'n'. 
The <a href="commands.htm#postscript command">postscript</a> command
uses the  <a href="toggle.htm#ps_crossingflag">ps_crossingflag</a> toggle to control this.
</dd>
<dt>
<a name="ps_labelsize"></a>
<a name="labels"><tt>Do labels? (i for ids, o for originals)</tt></a> </dt>
<dd>This PostScript P 3 command subprompt 
gives you a chance to put numeric labels on vertices, edges,
and facets, which is useful for debugging or modifying a datafile.
Edge labels are slightly displaced toward the head of the edge, and
facet labels are signed according to which side of the facet is visible.
Choose 'i' or 'y' for the current element <a href="elements.htm#id">id</a>,
 or 'o' for the <a href="elements.htm#original">original</a> element number.
If you don't want any labels, just hit RETURN.
The <a href="commands.htm#postscript command">postscript</a> command
uses the  <a href="toggle.htm#ps_labelflag">ps_labelflag</a> 
toggle to control this.
The relative size of the labels can be controlled with the 
<tt>ps_labelsize</tt> variable, whose default value is 3.0.
</dd>

<dt><tt>Enter file name (.ps will be added): </tt> </dt>
<dd>Give the name of the PostScript output file.  A "<tt>.ps</tt>"
extension will be added if "<tt>.ps</tt>" or "<tt>.eps</tt>"
 is missing. Not a good idea to just
hit RETURN, since that will produce the file "<tt>.ps</tt>".
</dd>
</dl>
<a name="ps_linewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_bareedgewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_fixededgewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_conedgewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_tripleedgewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_gridedgewidth"></a>
<a name="ps_stringwidth"></a>
The linewidth of PostScript edges may be controlled by the user.  Widths are
relative to the image size, which is 3 units square.
If the real-valued edge extra attribute <tt>ps_linewidth</tt> is 
defined, that value is used as the edge width.  Otherwise
some internal read-write variables are consulted for
various types of edges, in order:
<br>
<tt>ps_stringwidth</tt> - edges in the string model, default 0.004 <br>
<tt>ps_bareedgewidth</tt> - "bare" edges, no adjacent facets, default 0.005 <br>
<tt>ps_fixededgewidth</tt> - "fixed" edges, default 0.004 <br>
<tt>ps_conedgewidth</tt> - edges on constraints or boundaries, default 0.004<br>
<tt>ps_tripleedgewidth</tt> - edges with three or more adjacent facets, default 0.003 <br>
<tt>ps_gridedgewidth</tt> - other edges, default 0.002 <br>

<br>
The bounding box listed in the PostScript file is normally the actual
extent of the surface in the window (i.e. the bounding box is never bigger
than the window, but may be smaller).  The 
<a href="toggle.htm#full_bounding_box">full_bounding_box</a> toggle will
force the bounding box to be the full window.  This is useful in controlling
the image size while making a series of images of different views or
evolution stages of a surface.

<p>
<a name="visibility_test"></a><a name="visibility_debug"></a>
<b>Visibility testing.</b>  PostScript files of complicated surfaces
may contain a high proportion of facets not visible in the final image.
This takes much extra file space and rendering time.  There is an option
to process the list of PostScript facets to eliminate the non-visible
facets, the <tt>visibility_test</tt> option command.  For my own
debugging purposes, there is a <tt>visibility_debug</tt> toggle,
which causes printing of verbose information; don't use it.

<hr>

<a name="graphics related"></a>
<h2> Other graphics related features.</h2>
This section has links to other topics you should consult.
<p>
Internal Evolver state information relevant to graphics:
<ul>
<li> <a href="elements.htm#edge color">edge color</a>
<li> <a href="elements.htm#facet color">facet color</a>, 
  <a href="elements.htm#frontcolor">frontcolor</a>, 
  and <a href="elements.htm#backcolor">backcolor</a>
<li> edge <a href="commands.htm#show">show</a> expression
<li> facet <a href="commands.htm#show">show</a> expression
<li> facet <a href="toggle.htm#shading">shading</a> toggle
<li> facet <a href="syntax.htm#brightness">brightness</a> 
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#facet_colors">facet_colors</a> toggle
<li> <a href="#view matrix">view matrix</a>
<li> <a href="commands.htm#transform_expr">view transform expression</a>
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#transforms">transforms toggle</a>
<li> <a href="model.htm#torus model">torus model</a> display mode: 
   <a href="toggle.htm#raw_cells">raw_cells</a>,
   <a href="toggle.htm#clipped">clipped</a>, or 
   <a href="toggle.htm#connected">connected</a>
<li> <a href="syntax.htm#thickness">surface thickness</a>
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#show_inner">show_inner</a>
   and <a href="toggle.htm#show_inner">show_outer</a> toggles
<li> <a href="syntax.htm#background">background</a> color
<li> <a href="syntax.htm#window_aspect_ratio">window_aspect_ratio</a> variable
</ul>

Datafile features that are relevant to graphics are:
<ul>
<li> <a href="datafile.htm#edges section">edge color</a>
<li> <a href="datafile.htm#faces section">facet color</a>, 
<a href="datafile.htm#faces section">frontcolor</a>,
 and <a href="datafile.htm#faces section">backcolor</a>
<li> <a href="datafile.htm#view transforms">view transforms</a>
<li> <a href="datafile.htm#view generators">view transform generators</a>
<li> <a href="datafile.htm#viewing matrix">viewing matrix</a>
</ul>
Main prompt commands that are relevant to all graphics are:
<ul>
<li> <a href="commands.htm#show"><tt>show</tt></a>,
   <a href="commands.htm#showq"><tt>showq</tt></a>, and 
 <a href="commands.htm#show_expr"><tt>show_expr</tt></a> 
  for controlling which elements are displayed.
<li> <a href="commands.htm#set"><tt>set edge color</tt></a>
<li> <a href="commands.htm#set"><tt>set facet color, frontcolor, backcolor</tt></a>
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#transforms"><tt>transforms</tt></a> toggle
<li> <a href="commands.htm#transform_expr"><tt>transform_expr</tt></a>
<li> <a href="syntax.htm#thickness"><tt>thickness</tt></a>
<li> <a href="model.htm#torus model">torus model</a> display mode toggles: 
   <a href="toggle.htm#raw_cells"><tt>raw_cells</tt></a>,
   <a href="toggle.htm#clipped"><tt>clipped</tt></a>, or 
   <a href="toggle.htm#connected"><tt>connected</tt></a>
<li> <a href="toggle.htm#show_inner"><tt>show_inner</tt></a>
   and <a href="toggle.htm#show_outer"><tt>show_outer</tt></a> toggles
<li> <a href="commands.htm#display_text"><tt>display_text</tt></a>
<li> <a href="commands.htm#delete_text"><tt>delete_text</tt></a>
</ul>

<a href="evolver.htm#doc top">Back to top of Surface Evolver documentation.</a>
<a href="index.htm">Index.</a>
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