SMS:Scatter Data Menu

Most of the SMS modules have a Data menu, but the items in this menu are different for each module. The menu items work with the active scatter set unless otherwise noted. The Scatter module commands include:

Dataset Commands

Dataset Toolbox

Opens the Dataset Toolbox containing various tools to work with datasets. Includes the Data Calculator options.

Smooth Size Dataset

Opens the Smooth Dataset dialog that can be used to condition scattered data scalar values.

Transform

Brings up the Transform dialog. The Transform command is used to move scatter points.

Zonal Classification

Can be used to identify areas that meet a set of criteria. The criteria can be based upon scalar dataset values and/or specific material ids in a coverage. Opens the Classification Wizard.

Visualization Commands / Options

Contour Options

Brings up the Display Options dialogue. See Contour Options for more information.

Vector Options

Brings up the Display Options dialogue. See Vector Display Options for more information.

Film Loop

Opens the Film Loop Setup Wizard. See Animation for more information.

Data Conversion Commands

Scatter → Mesh

The scatter points are converted to a mesh by this command. All functional data, scalar and vector, is copied to the mesh. The mesh nodes can be triangulated in the Mesh module using the menu command Elements | Triangulate.

Scatter Contour → Feature

When this command is invoked, the Create Contour Arcs dialog opens. For more information, see Create Contour Arcs.

Boundary → Feature

The outer boundary of the scatter set is converted to Map module arcs. Arcs are created where scatter triangles do not border another triangle.

Scatter Commands

Find

Finds a specific scatter point either by specifying its ID or by specifying the nearest (x,y) coordinate. This can be useful if one specific scatter point needs to be located in a large scatter set.

Scatter Filter

File:Scatter Filter Options.jpg

Filter Options dialog in the Scatter Data menu

There are two filter options. The first option is to filter by adjacent triangle normal angle filter. The second option is to filter by using the VTK Decimate Pro. Access the Filter Options dialog by going to Data | Filter... while in the Scatter Module.

Filter – Adjacent Triangle Normal Angle Filter

Redundant and overlapping data may exist in a scatter. SMS offers the ability to filter the data and remove unnecessary data points in relatively flat areas in the Filter option from the Scatter module, Data menu. Specify an angle. Each data point is checked to see if it is in a flat region by dotting the normals of the surrounding triangles.

If the normals are all within the specified angle, the region is flat and the point is deleted.

Filter – VTK Decimate Pro

VTK Decimate Pro is a filter to reduce the number of triangles in a triangle mesh, forming a good approximation to the original geometry. To get a detailed description of the options to set when performing this kind of filter, please visit the website: http://www.vtk.org/doc/release/4.0/html/classvtkDecimatePro.html

Filter Options dialog showing the VTK Decimate Pro options

Select/Delete Duplicate Points

This menu item changes according to the option set in the Scatter Options dialog. In the options, choose to select or delete duplicate points and set a tolerance. The check works by checking each point and selecting/deleting any point that is within the tolerance. Points with lower ids are checked first; the point with the higher id is therefore selected/deleted.

Obsolete Commands

The following commands have been removed from current versions of SMS.

Create Datasets

Brings up the Create Datasets dialogue for creating functions for the active scatter set. No longer available starting in SMS 10.1. Has been replaced by the Dataset Toolbox.

Data Calculator

Can be used to perform mathematical operations with datasets to create new datasets.

Related Topics

• Scatter Module
• Scatter Module Menus
• Create Coastline
• Coastline Files