Skip to content


# VectorFieldExample

VTKEx/Java/Visualization/VectorFieldExample

### Description

The code below shows how to load a vector field from a vtu file, where some data is stored and we are only interested in the vector field.

Note

Please make sure that you adapt the code below to your system properties, like e.g. paths to native vtk libraries.

Question

If you have a simple question about this example contact us at VTKExProject If your question is more complex and may require extended discussion, please use the VTK Discourse Forum

### Code

VectorFieldExample.java

    import java.awt.BorderLayout;
    import java.io.File;
    import java.io.IOException;
    import java.io.Serializable;
    import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
    import javax.swing.JFrame;
    import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;

    import vtk.vtkActor;
    import vtk.vtkArrowSource;
    import vtk.vtkCubeSource;
    import vtk.vtkGlyph3D;
    import vtk.vtkNativeLibrary;
    import vtk.vtkObject;
    import vtk.vtkPanel;
    import vtk.vtkPolyData;
    import vtk.vtkPolyDataMapper;
    import vtk.vtkThresholdPoints;
    import vtk.vtkUnstructuredGrid;
    import vtk.vtkXMLUnstructuredGridReader;

    public class VectorFieldExample implements Serializable {

      private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

      // Loading Native Libraries.
      // Now it works in eclipse without any issues.
      static {
        if (!vtkNativeLibrary.LoadAllNativeLibraries()) {
          for (vtkNativeLibrary lib : vtkNativeLibrary.values()) {
            if (!lib.IsLoaded()) {
              System.out.println(lib.GetLibraryName() + " not loaded");
            }
          }
        }
        vtkNativeLibrary.DisableOutputWindow(null);
      }

      public static vtkPanel showVectorField(
          File file,
          int elementInFile,
          double threshold,
          double scaleFactor) {

        vtkXMLUnstructuredGridReader reader = new vtkXMLUnstructuredGridReader();

        reader.SetFileName(file.getAbsolutePath());
        reader.Update();
        vtkUnstructuredGrid image = reader.GetOutput();
        image.GetPointData().SetVectors(image.GetPointData().GetArray(elementInFile));

        vtkThresholdPoints thresholdVector = new vtkThresholdPoints();
        thresholdVector.SetInputData(image);
        thresholdVector.SetInputArrayToProcess(
            elementInFile,
            image.GetInformation());

        thresholdVector.ThresholdByUpper(threshold);
        thresholdVector.Update();

        // represent vector field
        vtkGlyph3D vectorGlyph = new vtkGlyph3D();
        vtkArrowSource arrowSource = new vtkArrowSource();
        vtkPolyDataMapper vectorGlyphMapper = new vtkPolyDataMapper();

        int n = image.GetPointData().GetNumberOfArrays();
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
          System.out.println("name of array[" + i + "]: " + image.GetPointData().GetArrayName(i));
        }

        vtkPolyData tmp = thresholdVector.GetOutput();
        System.out.println("number of thresholded points: " + tmp.GetNumberOfPoints());

        vectorGlyph.SetInputData(image);
        vectorGlyph.SetSourceConnection(arrowSource.GetOutputPort());
        vectorGlyph.SetScaleModeToScaleByVector();
        vectorGlyph.SetVectorModeToUseVector();
        vectorGlyph.ScalingOn();
        vectorGlyph.OrientOn();
        vectorGlyph.SetInputArrayToProcess(
            elementInFile,
            image.GetInformation());

        vectorGlyph.SetScaleFactor(scaleFactor);

        vectorGlyph.Update();

        vectorGlyphMapper.SetInputConnection(vectorGlyph.GetOutputPort());
        vectorGlyphMapper.Update();

        vtkActor vectorActor = new vtkActor();
        vectorActor.SetMapper(vectorGlyphMapper);

        vtkPanel vis = new vtkPanel();
        vis.GetRenderer().AddActor(vectorActor);

        return vis;
      }

      //  public static void main(String s[]) throws IOException {
      public static void main(String[] args) {
        //parse command line arguments
        if (args.length != 1) {
          System.err.println("Usage: java -classpath ... VectorFieldExample Filename(.vtu) e.g tetra.vtu");
          return;
        }

        String filename = args[0];

        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

          @Override
          public void run() {

            JFrame frame = new JFrame("VTKJPanel Demo");
            frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

            File file = new File(filename); // needs to be replaced

            vtkPanel panel = showVectorField(file, 2, 0.001, 0.05); // values need to be replaced

            frame.add(panel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
            frame.setSize(600, 600);
            frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
            frame.setVisible(true);

            panel.repaint();

          }
        });
      }
    }