### Tube

Category

Annotation

Function

Changes a specified line into a tube.

Syntax

    tube = Tube(line, diameter, ngon, style);

Inputs

Name | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`line` | field | none | line to be drawn as a tube
`diameter` | scalar | input dependent | tube diameter
`ngon` | integer | 8 | number of sides to the tube
`style` | string | "sphere" | style of tube caps

Outputs

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`tube` | field | a renderable tube

Functional Details

This module is intended for use with any module that creates lines (e.g., Streamline).

`line` | specifies the line that is to be changed into a tube. If a "normals" component is present (as would occur if the input field `curl` were used with Streamline or if the `flag` parameter is set in Streamline), the tube shows a corresponding twist. To show the twist most effectively, use the Ribbon module. Excessive amounts of twist can produce a pinching effect.
`diameter` | specifies the tube diameter in the same units as those of the original space. If this parameter is not specified, the module provides an appropriate value (1/50 of the diagonal of the boundary box of `line`. This value is attached to the output `tube` as an attribute called "Tube diameter," which can be extracted with the Attribute module.
`ngon` | specifies the number of sides of the cross-sectional polygon of the tube.
`style` | in the current version of Data Explorer has no effect.

Any transformation matrix applied to Tube, such as those created by the Scale module, may produce an unwanted effect of tranforming the Tube's geometry. To just transform the line but not the Tube, insert an Inquire module immediately before the Tube module, and set the `inquiry` option to "apply transform". This operation applies all transformation matrices changing the line's geometry, but prevents the transform from being carried forward onto the Tube geometry.

Components

Creates new "positions," "connections," and "normals" components. All other components are propagated to the output.

Example Visual Programs

    Imide_potential.net
    Interop.net
    PlotLine2.net
    RubberTube.net

See Also

FaceNormals, Ribbon, Streakline, Streamline

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