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Re: Graphics3D of the official "arbitrary surface"

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg76178] Re: Graphics3D of the official "arbitrary surface"
• From: Jens-Peer Kuska <kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de>
• Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 06:02:49 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: Uni Leipzig
• References: <f2em3g$2oo$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Reply-to: kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de

Hi,

form Plot3D[] or ParametricPlot3D[] you get
an polygonal approximation of the surface but
never the surface.

If you wish to use the polygons just take the first argument
of the Graphics3D[] object or for versions < 5.2 convert the
SurfaceGraphics[] to a Graphis3D[] object.

Regards
   Jens

Hatto von Aquitanien wrote:
> In virtually every math book which deals with multivariable/multi-valued
> functions, there are diagrams showing an "arbitrary surface".  Often there
> is a vector and/or a curve drawn on that surface.  The surface itself is
> the kind of thing we get from Plot3D or ParametricPlot3D.  I know I can
> coble together a surface from polygons, but seems reasonable that there
> should be a way of using what's already built in.  Is the way to do this
> simply to use Plot3D or ParametricPlot3D, and pull the graphics data out of
> the resulting object?  
> 
> I'd like to be able to simply create a surface "in place" rather than having
> to transform some externally generated object into place.  If I want to
> create the surface directly without using Plot3D, etc., does that mean I
> have to roll my own from scratch?