Function Repository Resource:

PointArrayToPolygons

Make polygons from an array of points

Contributed by: Jan Mangaldan

ResourceFunction["PointArrayToPolygons"][array]

returns a GraphicsComplex object representing polygons formed from the two-dimensional array of 3D points array.

Details and Options

The points in ResourceFunction["PointArrayToPolygons"] can also take the form {x,y,z,col}, where col is a color directive.

ResourceFunction["PointArrayToPolygons"] takes the option VertexNormals. With VertexNormals→True, vertex normals are automatically computed.

Examples

Basic Examples (2)

An array of points:

In[1]:=

$pts = Table[ N[{x, y, Sin[x + Sin[y]]}], {x, 0, 2 \[Pi], \[Pi]/6}, {y, 0, 2 \[Pi], \[Pi]/6}];$

Make polygons out of the points, and visualize them:

In[2]:=

Out[2]=

Scope (2)

Points representing a torus:

In[3]:=

$torus = With[{c = 3, a = 1, m = 55, n = 55}, Table[N[{(c + a Cos[v]) Cos[u], (c + a Cos[v]) Sin[u], a Sin[v]}], {v, 0, 2 \[Pi], (2 \[Pi])/(n - 1)}, {u, 0, 2 \[Pi], (2 \[Pi])/(m - 1)}]];$

Use directives to modify the style of the polygons:

In[4]:=

Out[4]=

Torus points with color directives for each point:

In[5]:=

$torcol = With[{c = 3, a = 1, m = 55, n = 55}, Table[N[{(c + a Cos[v]) Cos[u], (c + a Cos[v]) Sin[u], a Sin[v], Hue[1/3 + Cos[u - v]^2 Sin[u]^2]}], {v, 0, 2 \[Pi], (2 \[Pi])/( n - 1)}, {u, 0, 2 \[Pi], (2 \[Pi])/(m - 1)}]];$