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Render Properties

The Render Properties tool controls how volume meshes are displayed in the 3D view. This includes representation mode, element edge visibility, lighting effects, and bounding box overlays. Adjusting these settings helps optimize visualization for different analysis and presentation needs.

Accessing the Tool​

Navigate to the Volume Mesh ribbon tab and click Render Properties in the General section. The tool panel opens with settings for the currently active volume mesh.

Render Tab​

The Render tab contains the primary visualization controls.

Draw Settings​

Representation​

Controls the rendering primitive type for the volume mesh:

OptionDescription
PointsDisplay only vertex positions as discrete points
WireframeShow element edges without filled faces
SolidRender element faces as opaque surfaces
Solid edgesCombine solid face rendering with visible element edges

The Points representation is useful for examining vertex distribution or when working with very large meshes where solid rendering would be slow. Wireframe mode reveals the internal mesh structure, showing how elements are connected. Solid mode provides a realistic appearance suitable for presentations. Solid edges combines the realistic appearance with visibility of the underlying mesh structure.

Point Size​

Adjusts the size of rendered vertices when using Points representation.

ParameterRangeDefault
Point size1 - 161

Increase point size to improve visibility when vertices are sparse or when viewing from a distance.

Line Width​

Controls the thickness of element edges when using Wireframe or Solid edges representation.

ParameterRangeDefault
Line width1 - 161

Thicker lines improve visibility of the mesh structure but may obscure fine details in dense regions.

Other Options​

Lighting​

Toggle lighting calculations on or off for the volume mesh rendering.

When enabled, lighting provides depth cues through shading based on element face orientations relative to light sources. This creates a more three-dimensional appearance. Disabling lighting results in flat shading where all faces appear with uniform brightness, which can be useful for examining mesh structure without visual distractions.

Clipping​

Toggle whether the volume mesh is affected by 3D clipping planes.

When enabled, the volume mesh will be cut by any active clipping planes, allowing you to see internal structure. When disabled, the mesh is rendered in its entirety regardless of clipping plane positions.

Widgets Tab​

The Widgets tab controls auxiliary visual elements that provide spatial reference.

Bounds​

These options add visual overlays showing the spatial extent of the volume mesh:

WidgetDescription
Scale axesDisplay graduated scale bars along each axis
Outline bounding boxShow a wireframe box around the mesh extents
Corner bounding boxDisplay corner markers at bounding box vertices
Axes labelsShow axis labels (X, Y, Z) at appropriate positions

Each widget has an associated color button for customization. Click the color button to open a color picker and select a custom display color.

Scale axes are particularly useful when presenting results or screenshots, providing viewers with dimensional reference. Bounding boxes help understand the spatial extent of the mesh relative to other objects in the scene.

Practical Usage​

Mesh Quality Inspection​

To examine mesh quality and element distribution:

  1. Set representation to Wireframe or Solid edges
  2. Enable Lighting for depth perception
  3. Increase Line width if edges are difficult to see
  4. Enable Clipping and position clipping planes to view internal structure

Presentation Mode​

For professional screenshots or presentations:

  1. Set representation to Solid or Solid edges
  2. Enable Lighting for realistic appearance
  3. Enable Scale axes or Outline bounding box for dimensional reference
  4. Customize widget colors to match your presentation theme

Large Mesh Performance​

When working with very large meshes that render slowly:

  1. Set representation to Points or Wireframe for faster rendering
  2. Disable Lighting to reduce computation
  3. Use Clipping to view only regions of interest