WriteSTL

Description¶

An [(file format)|STL file]]([wikipedia:STL) describes a triangulated three-dimensional surface by the unit normal and vertices (ordered by the right-hand rule) of the triangles. This example saves a 3D geometric data stored in a {{class vtkPolyData}} to an STL file using {{class vtkSTLWriter}}.

Other languages

See (Cxx), (Java)

Question

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Code¶

WriteSTL.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import vtk


def get_program_parameters():
    import argparse
    description = 'Generate image data, then write a .stl file.'
    epilogue = '''
   '''
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=description, epilog=epilogue)
    parser.add_argument('filename', help='A required stl filename.', nargs='?',
                        const='TestWriteSTL.ply',
                        type=str, default='TestWriteSTL.ply')
    args = parser.parse_args()
    return args.filename


def main():
    colors = vtk.vtkNamedColors()

    filename = get_program_parameters()

    sphereSource = vtk.vtkSphereSource()
    sphereSource.Update()

    # Write the stl file to disk
    stlWriter = vtk.vtkSTLWriter()
    stlWriter.SetFileName(filename)
    stlWriter.SetInputConnection(sphereSource.GetOutputPort())
    stlWriter.Write()

    # Read and display for verification
    reader = vtk.vtkSTLReader()
    reader.SetFileName(filename)

    mapper = vtk.vtkPolyDataMapper()
    mapper.SetInputConnection(reader.GetOutputPort())

    actor = vtk.vtkActor()
    actor.SetMapper(mapper)

    # Create a rendering window and renderer
    ren = vtk.vtkRenderer()
    renWin = vtk.vtkRenderWindow()
    renWin.AddRenderer(ren)

    # Create a renderwindowinteractor
    iren = vtk.vtkRenderWindowInteractor()
    iren.SetRenderWindow(renWin)

    # Assign actor to the renderer
    ren.AddActor(actor)
    ren.SetBackground(colors.GetColor3d('cobalt_green'))

    # Enable user interface interactor
    iren.Initialize()
    renWin.Render()
    iren.Start()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()