[vtkusers] dataset?

[Prabhu Ramachandran]

>>>>> "CP" == Csaba Palotai <c0palo01 at louisville.edu> writes:

    CP> Hi list, I need a lil advice.  I'm working with numerical
    CP> modeling of atmospheres.  Currently I use several layers with
    CP> a set of actors and render them in the same window to get
    CP> image of all layers. (polydata arrays) And for coloring I use
    CP> a similar data structure from scalars.  I'd like to use
    CP> isosurfaces (vtkMarchingCubes) which requires a 3D structured
    CP> point set.  My grid has points at the same latitude/longitude
    CP> at every layer, but the heights vary within the layers
    CP> following terrain and such (aka not a rectilinear grid).  What
    CP> data-structures you recommend me that would allow me to use
    CP> the MarchingCubes and still allow me to have variable height
    CP> and coloring option? Structured points? Structured grid?  If
    CP> so, how? Ideas, examples greatly appreciated.

Well, if you have a baseline height that all your subsequent grids
follow i.e. you have a corrugated surface and at regular intervals
above this surface you have your "layers", then you can use a
Structured Grid.  If the height between the layers is itself random
then your best bet looks to be using an unstructured grid.  If that is
a speed problem you can sample the unstructured grid onto a structured
grid/points dataset and use that for contouring.

For now the best place to look at the different data sets is the
fileformats document available on the the VTK site.  

cheers,
prabhu