slice

The slice module allows you to create a subset of your input which is of reduced dimensionality.  This means that volumetric, surface and line  inputs will result in surface, line and point outputs respectively.  This is unlike cut which preserves dimensionality.

General Module Function

The slice module is used to slice through an input field using a slicing plane defined by one of four methods which are discussed below.

The slicing plane essentially slices through the data field showing the intersection of the slice plane with your input object.

Module Input Ports

slice has two input ports.

1. The leftmost port accepts any 1D, 2D or 3D mesh. The mesh can contain nodal data and/or cell data.

2. The right port is the Z-Scale and is required if Explode_and_Scale is upstream, in order to reference the correct z coordinates when options 3 or 4 are selected.

Module Output Ports

slice has three output ports.

1. The leftmost is the Z-Scale

2. The second (blue/black) outputs the slice.  Data consists of nodal and/or cell data for all map components selected.

3. The red output port is a renderable version (for connection to the Viewer) of the second port.

Module Control Panel

The control panel for slice is shown in the figure above. The above example shows "Slice Easting" as the selected slice type.  For any of the first three slice types, the plane is defined by a single coordinate input (X, Y, or Z).

• The Slice Type is how the slicing plane is specified.  It can be one of four methods:

• 1. A vertical plane defined by an X or Easting coordinate

  2. A vertical plane defined by a Y or Northing coordinate

  3. A Horizontal plane defined by a Z coordinate

  4. An arbitrarily positioned Rotatable plane which requires:

     1. A 3D point through which the slicing plane passes.  This point can be displayed using the Reference Sphere whose size, visibility and transparency can be controlled.   Please note that the same slicing result can be achieved with an infinite number of 3D points, all of which would be on the same slicing plane.

     2. A Dip direction

     3. A Strike direction

• Z Scale is required if Explode_and_Scale is upstream, in order to reference the correct z coordinates when options 3 or 4 are selected.

• Reference Sphere: The reference sphere is a pickable object which you can move using your mouse.  To pick it, hold down the Alt key and click on the sphere with your left mouse button.  Moving the sphere with the right mouse will move the resulting slice output.  

• • Sphere Visibility is a toggle to turn on/off the sphere

  • Sphere Transparency is a slider to control the opacity of the sphere

  • Sphere Radius is a type-in to control the size of the sphere.  The default value is computed for you based on the x-y extents of the model.

• The Slice Parameters are the coordinates and/or Dip/Strike angles required to specify the position and orientation of the slicing plane.  These include:

• • X coordinate (used with Slice Easting and Rotatable)

  • Y coordinate (used with Slice Northing and Rotatable)

  • Z coordinate (used with Slice Horizontal and Rotatable)

  • Dip angle (used only with Rotatable)

  • Dip Direction (used only with Rotatable)

• Map Nodal Components determines which nodal components will be sent to the output ports. Also, the first map component selected will be the variable used to color the output.

• The Map Cell Components option box selector lets you map cell data (if any) to the output.  The cell data will only be visible if all nodal data components are unselected (under Map Nodal Components).

Related Modules

-> cut