Point of Interest

Let's start with a fresh version of the Test Data by restarting Partiview. The Point of Interest is the point about which orbiting and rotating take place. It is marked with the red, green, and blue, Cartesian axes (assuming censize > 0), where red is the + x axis, green is the + y axis, and blue is the + z axis. The location of the Point of Interest sets the flight scale in the logarithmic flight modes (zero speed on the point and increasing speed as one moves away from the point), as discussed in Flight Modes and Controls.

Adjusting the Size of the Point of Interest

If you wish to adjust the size of the Point of Interest, this is accomplished using the censize command. Typing censize without any arguments reports the current size of the Point of Interest. Inside the config file, this size is set to 0.5, and this is what Partiview should return. However, if you wish to increase the size to span the cube, set the size to 1 using the command

censize 1

Conversely, if you want the Point of Interest marker to disappear, set the size to 0.

Selecting a New Point of Interest

Next, let's move the Point of Interest. Set the Point of Interest size to 0.5 again and choose a particle that you want to set as the Point of Interest. There are two ways to set the location of the Point of Interest equal to that of a particle's location. While placing the cursor on top of the particle, either

Press the [Shift] key while you click the middle mouse button on a three button mouse
Press the [Shift] key while you type the letter p

Try this with a few points. You might notice that if two points are close together, then Partiview may have trouble choosing which point you want. In this case, move the data around a little to isolate the point. You will see a remnant of the original Point of Interest at (0, 0, 0), this is normal.

Setting the Point of Interest

If you know an x, y, z location where you want to place the Point of Interest, you may enter it via the center or interest commands. These commands are identical and take x, y, z values to set the Point of Interest to some arbitrary point. Try this by setting the Point of Interest to a point outside the data cube, like

center 2 0 0

Now the Point of Interest should be above the data cube along the red axis and you will now orbit about this point.

Digital Universe Atlas

Partiview User's Guide

Point of Interest