[vtkusers] how to draw a 3D spring

[Marius S Giurgi]

Hey, Shi

Here's an example I used to create tubed axes, using the vtkTubeFilter.

# Axes
vtkAxes axes
   axes SetOrigin 0 0 0
   axes SetScaleFactor 200
   axes SymmetricOn

vtkTubeFilter tubedAxes
   tubedAxes SetInput [axes GetOutput]
   tubedAxes SetRadius 3
   tubedAxes SetNumberOfSides 16
   tubedAxes CappingOn

vtkPolyDataMapper axesMapper
   axesMapper SetInput [tubedAxes GetOutput]

vtkActor axesActor
   axesActor SetMapper axesMapper


Once you get the polyline created (the spiral/helix for your spring) 
you can pass it as an input to the vtkTubeFilter to get it tubed. 
Pretty cool. Check it out and see if this is what you're looking for. 
(I don't know whether there's a class to create the helix though. You 
might have to generate it on your own).

cheers,
marius



On Jan 15, 2005, at 9:07 PM, Shi Jin wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> I am very new to VTK. My first intention is to draw
> something for my research which requires drawing a
> spring-mass system. My question is how to draw the
> spring  connectting the two balls. I am thinking using
> a sprial(helix) tube. The helix has a very simple
> mathematica form but the problem is how to draw it
> three dimensionly, like the real springs. I am
> thinking the vtkSweptSurface Class. But is there any
> other way to do it, like curved tubes?
> Thanks a lot.
> Shi
>
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