Client Graphics Normal

[gerrardhickson]

Hi All,

In the help file under "Client Graphics - Triangle API Sample " There is some sample code that creates a cylinder. Near the end of that sample, the code defines and assigns a normal for the client graphics 'surface'. What is the purpose of this? I've run the code without the normal, and it appears to do what I want. Are there cases when defining the normal is important?

Thanks

[FINET_Laurent]

Hi @gerrardhickson,

It is the same for workplanes. For instance here we have a plane that is orange :

If I look the other side of the workplane, it will be blue.

Now I can right click on it and select "Invert normal" :

And now the colors are swapped : 

Here is an explanation of what the normal of a surface is. The swap we did is simply defining where the arrow is pointing (two solutions)

Kind regard,

FINET L.

[gerrardhickson]

@FINET_Laurent , yeah I understand what a normal is in the context of planes and why you might want to control them in for a work plane. But those reasons don't seem to apply to client graphics. E.g. you can't interact with client graphics the same way that you can with a work plane.

[FINET_Laurent]

@gerrardhickson, 

The normal is often used in 3D computer graphics (notice the singular, as only one normal will be defined) to determine a surface's orientation toward a light source for flat shading, or the orientation of each of the surface's corners (vertices) to mimic a curved surface with Phong shading.

The rangebox appear non-shaded on my end if I remove those lines.

Kind regards,

FINET L.