4.7. Per-Geometry Default Data View

In this section we explain how to configure the default 3D data view (representation) that is automatically applied to each geometry type when data is imported into the visualization.

Overview

When a pipeline runs or a file is loaded, DREAM3D-NX automatically creates an initial data view for each geometry. The Per-Geometry Default Data View feature lets you choose a different starting representation for each of the six supported geometry types independently, so the visualization is immediately useful without requiring manual adjustments after every pipeline run.

Every geometry type always receives at least an Outline representation. Outline is the built-in minimum — it is used whenever no other default has been configured, and for any geometry type that is not yet listed in the Preferences dialog.

The six configurable geometry types are:

• Image Geometry — regular voxel grid (e.g. from an SEM or CT scan)

• Rectilinear Grid Geometry — non-uniform voxel grid with variable spacing

• Vertex Geometry — unconnected point cloud

• Edge Geometry — connected line segments

• Triangle Geometry — triangulated surface mesh

• Quad Geometry — quadrilateral surface mesh

Configuring the Per-Geometry Defaults

Per-geometry defaults are configured in the Visualization tab of the DREAM3D-NX Preferences dialog.

1. Open Preferences from the application menu (DREAM3D-NX → Preferences on macOS, Edit → Preferences on Windows/Linux).

2. Select the Visualization tab.

Figure 4.62 The Visualization tab of the Preferences dialog with per-geometry default data view settings for each geometry type.

3. Locate the Per-Geometry Default 3D Data View section.

4. For each geometry type, use the corresponding drop-down list to select the desired default representation. The available options are:

   Representation	Description
   Outline	Bounding-box wireframe — lightweight, shows overall extent
   Points	Renders every vertex as a point
   Wireframe	Renders all cell edges
   Surface	Filled surface rendering
   Volume	Direct volume rendering (Image/Rectilinear Grid only)
   2D Image/Slice	Slice plane view (Image/Rectilinear Grid only)

5. Click OK (or Apply) to save your changes. The new defaults take effect immediately for any geometry imported after the dialog is closed.

Note

Changing the per-geometry defaults does not alter data views that are already present in the Visualization Pipeline Browser. Only newly imported data sources are affected.

Recommended Defaults by Geometry Type

The following defaults are a useful starting point for common workflows:

Geometry Type	Suggested Default	Rationale
Image Geometry	Surface or 2D Image/Slice	Most image-data workflows benefit from an immediate surface or slice view
Rectilinear Grid Geometry	Surface or Outline	Surface shows the outer extent; use Outline for very large grids
Vertex Geometry	Points	Point clouds are most naturally viewed as points
Edge Geometry	Wireframe	Line/edge data is best viewed as connected edges
Triangle Geometry	Surface	Triangle meshes are typically rendered as filled surfaces
Quad Geometry	Surface	Quad meshes are typically rendered as filled surfaces

Persistence

All per-geometry default selections are stored in the application’s QSettings store under the VisualizationSettings group. They persist between DREAM3D-NX sessions and are restored automatically on start-up. The factory default for every geometry type is Outline.

See also

• Creating Data Views — detailed descriptions of every representation type and its configurable options.

• Importing Data — how geometry data is loaded into the Visualization Toolkit from pipelines and files.