RVTK
VTK library from Kitware
company is a library for 3D modelling and data visualization. It is
extensively used in medicine, aerospace, meteorology. Although it is
written in C++ language, Kitware provides wrappers for the library to
TCL, Python and Java. There is also an "unofficial" binding for Octave language made by Dragan
Tubic.RVTK is a wrapper for VTK-4.4 to R-language. Functionality
similar to RVTK's one is provided for R by rgl package.
Parser.
ObjectModel.
The hard part of VTK learning is the lack of documentation. Kitware
sells VTK manual as a printed book. Other sources of information about
VTK - Doxygen mans available at VTK site, mailing list
and examples which come with VTK source. So I think some short
introduction into VTK principles is required. This also helps to
understand some pecularities of RVTK realization.
RVTK Example: Pipeline and Data Storage
Objects (DataArrays)
RVTK Example: Data Models (DataSets,
Cells, Points and their Attributes)
RVTK Example: Data Representation
(Mappers and Actors)
RVTK Example: Rendering and User
Interaction (Windows, WindowInteractors, Pickers and 3DWidgets)
RVTK Example: Sources and Filters
RVTK Example: Input/Output.
Memory Management
Installation and downloads.
If you are not scared by rather long introduction, then you are need
R-2.x, Linux (Windows version of RVTK is not available) and VTK version
4.4. If you want to install VTK from source you also need a cmake
utility from Kitware, otherwise use binary version (with the headers).
VTK itself can be configured in different way so the RVTK package is
split in several packages to make it more easy to configure RVTK to
match your VTK configuration.
And of course RVTK packages:
RVTK.Base_0.1-4.tar.gz - RVTK Base.
Minimal configuration of VTK, only processing routines are included
(without rendering). This is consist of Common, Filtering, Graphics ,
Imaging and IO subtrees of VTK source tree.
RVTK.Render_0.1-4.tar.gz -
Routines and classes needed for onscreen rendering. Whithout this
package only data processing can be done by means of RVTK.
RVTK.Hybrid_0.1-4.tar.gz -
Several high-level classes. It is not always needed but nice to have.
RVTK.GL2PS_0.1-4.tar.gz - One
exporter class which converts GL graphics into vector (ps or pdf)
hardcopy. It is disabled by default in VTK (gl2ps converter is
considered alpha) and is enabled in "advanced" mode of VTK ccmake.
There are also newer packages for the latest release VTK-5.0.2:
RVTK_0.1-6.tar.gz
To install it just do sudo R CMD
INSTALL RVTK*.tar.gz and if you are lucky it will install.
To use it
R --vanilla
library(RVTK)
demo(Cone1)
Feel free to send suggestions, patches, bug-reports on my e-mail.