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Plots of 3D surfaces can be rotated and inspected by activating a VCAM window.
In a read-only document, click the plot frame to activate a VCAM window. In a
read-write document, click the plot frame to make the VCAM tool
visible,
then click the VCAM tool to activate the VCAM
window.

The VCAM toolbar on the top edge of the VCAM window gives control over the plot. The Rotate, Zoom, Move, and Plot Coordinates tools allow you to control the plot with your mouse. The Start/Stop Rotate tools and the Zoom tools animate rotation and zooms.

Click
the Help tool to activate
VCAM User Interface Help, which provides
additional details about each of the VCAM features. Click the
View Control tool to view and edit details
about the current view.

(firewall and anti-popup settings permitting...)
For an animated plot, you specify a third animation parameter. The default
animation parameter is
.
To
make an animated plot in rectangular coordinatesType an expression in three variables.
With the insertion point in the expression, choose Plot 3D Animated + Rectangular.
The next example shows a 3D animated plot with Boxed Axes and
Intervals
,
,
,
where
is the animation variable. The View is set to
Turn:
,
Tilt:
. The
surface changes from a hyperbolic paraboloid
(
),
to a paraboloid
(
),
then to a hyperbolic paraboloid with a different
orientation
(
).
Plot
3D Animated + Rectangular
-
click on
graphic for Animation (1.5Mb)
For animated 3D plots, the VCAM toolbar on the top edge of
the VCAM window gives additional control over the plot. The
Animation Style drop-down menu
includes the options Run Once, Loop, and
Back and Forth. The Animation Speed drop-down menu includes options that range from 8
Slower
to 8
Faster.

To make a parameterized animated plot
in rectangular coordinates
Type an expression of the form
With the insertion point in the expression, choose Plot 3D Animated + Rectangular.
The next example shows a cylinder that is transformed from the right circular
cylinder
to a cylinder based on the limaçon of Pascal
,
with Intervals
,
,
and
.
The View Orientation is Turn:
,
Tilt:
.
Plot
3D Animated + Cylindrical
-
click on
graphic for Animation (1.8Mb)
To
make a parametric animated plot in cylindrical coordinates
Type an expression of the form
With the insertion point in the
expression, choose
Plot 3D Animated +
Cylindrical.
The next animation shows a knot being drawn. The
Intervals are
and
,
and Radius is set to
.
Plot
3D Animated + Tube
-
click on
graphic for Animation (1.4Mb)
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.