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Archive-name: auto/comp.graphics.explorer/Module-available-for-Render-annotation-Axis-v1-0


(The following is avaiable from swedishchef.lerc.nasa.gov in the US, or 
 at the ftp site ftp.epcc.ed.ac.uk in edinburgh overseas)

"Axis" will annotate a geometric, rendered image that was constructed
from an Explorer 3D Uniform Lattice. The user has control over the
axes that are displayed, as well as textual information such
as axis labels, tic labels and an image title. This module is meant
to be used in conjunction with the "Render" module, since all of its
output is in the geometric data set.

"Axis" was written so that the user can "know where he/she is looking"
in a render window. Although explorer is an excellent visualization
tool, the lack of any common reference can be quite confusing after
you've stretched, rotated and zoomed behind your image a multitude of
times. "Axis" provides you with a common reference point, and allows
for a bit of useful annotations. 

Although images rendered in conjunction with "Axis" can be used
for presentations or reports, the extreme two-dimensionality of the
fonts in a three-dimensional world can look a bit...strange. In a 
future release, we will offer better control of font placement, 
font type, and (hopefully) three-dimensional block fonts. Until that
time, feel free to use "Axis" as a starting point and perhaps fill
in the "nicities" of image label using "Showcase" or a similar
presentation tool.


Axis can be assembled and installed in the usual manner with 
the module builder. There is, however, one item that is a little
different. The fonts in Axis are loaded at run time from a file
that has the font information stored in a homegrown format.
This font information is distributed freely with the Axis
module in file 
	Axis.pp_font01

Axis looks for this file in the directory
	/usr/local/explorer/modules

If you wish this file stored in a different location, or if we
distribute more fonts in future releases, the default location 
can be overridden with the environmental variable
	EXP_AXIS_FONT

Set this variable to the complete path/file name that the fonts 
are kept in.


Axis was intended as the first step of an annotation system for
Explorer. (Later pieces will include a better titling mechanism,
a legend for color indexes, individual labeling of items, etc.)
With the release of Explorer 2.0, SGI plans on including an
annontation feature for the Explorer package. I do not know when
they plan on releasing 2.0, but I'd rather not reinvent the wheel
if I do not have to. If people would like to see additional
modules to perform annontation, or if you like the way Axis works,
I'd appreciate hearing from you. Please e-mail to the below address.


 - Rob DeMillo			| Internet: 	  demillo@juliet.ll.mit.edu
   MIT Lincoln Lab 		| America Online: exgalileo@aol.com
   Weather Sensing - Group 43	| Reality:        617-981-2105 (office)

"Operation Goofy now in effect!"
	--- Tom Servo, "Gamera vs. Gaos," Mystery Science Theater 3000


--


 - Rob DeMillo			| Internet: 	  demillo@juliet.ll.mit.edu
   MIT Lincoln Lab 		| America Online: exgalileo@aol.com
   Weather Sensing - Group 43	| Reality:        617-981-2105 (office)

"Operation Goofy now in effect!"
	--- Tom Servo, "Gamera vs. Gaos," Mystery Science Theater 3000