[comp.graphics] 3D graphing of single valued two variable functions, info needed

vecellio@sunybcs.UUCP (02/25/87)

I'am looking for information on the 3D graphing of functions of the
following form.

	z = f(x,y)

The fast removal of hidden lines is very important.

I have the references on this subject from Foley & VanDam  and Newman &
Sproull.

I would greatly appreciate any algorithms or code related to this
subject.

Thanks in advance,

Gary Vecellio

bob@elroy.UUCP (02/26/87)

In article <2443@sunybcs.UUCP> vecellio@sunybcs.UUCP (Gary Vecellio) writes:
>I'am looking for information on the 3D graphing of functions of the
>following form.
>
>	z = f(x,y)
>
>The fast removal of hidden lines is very important.
>
>I have the references on this subject from Foley & VanDam  and Newman &
>Sproull.
>
>I would greatly appreciate any algorithms or code related to this
>subject.
>

Look at the algorithm in

Wright, T., "A Two Space Solution to the Hidden Line Problem for Plotting
a Funciton of 2 Variables", IEEE Trans. Comp., pp. 28-33, Jan. 1973

(you probably have this reference).  I think this is the classic
paper on the subject, and is the basis for hidden line plotting
in the popular graphics packages.  It's simple and fast; basically,
it revolves around a routine to plot a hidden-line segment in (2D)
DEVICE space.  Hidden line plots can easily be obtained interactively.
Using orthographic projection, it's near flawless; using perspective
projection, it breaks down in cases where there is some perspective
distortion.

There is a guy at Ames who has supposedly come out with an improved
hidden line algorithm.  There was a back issue of IEEE CG&A which
mentioned it.