<< Prev] [Index] [Guide] [Next >>

Links

One of the more visually appealing aspects of ChView is the ability to draw links between stars. This gives users a much better feeling for the 3D relationship between the stars as virtual space is spun around. Additionally links can also display their length, for a direct physical correlation.

The display of links is controlled by the parameter "ShowLinks" which can be set to "true" or "false". Similarly "ShowLinkNums" turns on the display of the numbers. You can only show the numbers if you are showing links.

<applet code=chview.ChViewer
 archive=chview.jar
 width=290 height=320>
<param name="ShowLinks"
 value="false">
<param name="ShowLinkNums"
 value="false">
<param name="DataType"
 value="cherryh">
</applet>

<applet code=chview.ChViewer
 archive=chview.jar
 width=290 height=320>
<param name="ShowLinks"
 value="true">
<param name="ShowLinkNums"
 value="false">
<param name="DataType"
 value="cherryh">
</applet>

<applet code=chview.ChViewer
 archive=chview.jar
 width=290 height=320>
<param name="ShowLinks"
 value="true">
<param name="ShowLinkNums"
 value="true">
<param name="DataType"
 value="cherryh">
</applet>

Link Distance

ChView can show four gradations of links. These are controlled by five parameters named Link0Dist to Link4Dist. The way it works is that if the distance is greater than Link0Dist and less than Link1Dist then it is a "type 1" link. If greater than Link1Dist and less than Link2Dist then it is a "type 2" link. And so on. Stars that are closer than Link0Dist apart, or further than Link4Dist apart have no links drawn between them.

Here is an example that should show all four link types:

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="Link0Dist" value="1">
<param name="Link1Dist" value="2">
<param name="Link2Dist" value="4">
<param name="Link3Dist" value="6">
<param name="Link4Dist" value="10">
<param name="body001" value="S!!!Link 1!!G!1!-1.5,0,.5">
<param name="body002" value="S!!!Link 2!!G!1!3,0,.5">
<param name="body003" value="S!!!Link 3!!G!1!0,-5,-.5">
<param name="body004" value="S!!!Link 4!!G!1!0,8,-.5">
<param name="body005" value="S!!!!!M!1!0,0,0">
<param name="ShowLinks" value="true">
<param name="ShowLinkNums" value="true">
</applet>

Link Colors

ChView shows the four gradations by drawing in darkening shades of green, which are not fixed. Their colors are controlled by four parameters named Link1Color to Link4Color. The value of these parameters is the same as described elsewhere.

Here is an example where we change the color of all four link types:

<applet code=chview.ChViewer archive=chview.jar width=640 height=320>
<param name="Link0Dist" value="1">
<param name="Link1Dist" value="2">
<param name="Link2Dist" value="4">
<param name="Link3Dist" value="6">
<param name="Link4Dist" value="10">
<param name="Link1Color" value="red">
<param name="Link2Color" value="green">
<param name="Link3Color" value="cyan">
<param name="Link4Color" value="white">
<param name="body001" value="S!!!Link 1!!G!1!-1.5,0,.5">
<param name="body002" value="S!!!Link 2!!G!1!3,0,.5">
<param name="body003" value="S!!!Link 3!!G!1!0,-5,-.5">
<param name="body004" value="S!!!Link 4!!G!1!0,8,-.5">
<param name="body005" value="S!!!!!M!1!0,0,0">
<param name="ShowLinks" value="true">
<param name="ShowLinkNums" value="false">
</applet>

<< Prev] [Index] [Guide] [Next >>