Manipulating Surface Data
The Surface Window supports various viewing modes. Camera mode is the default, in which the Visualizer behaves as a “camera” moving around the object. Actor mode, by contrast, displays the object as if you, the viewer, were changing position. The difference between these is subtle. In some circumstances, actions such as pan and zoom in camera mode can also add a slight rotation to the object.
From within TotalView, you can see only one array at a time. However, if you combine multiple datasets and visualize them externally, the differences between camera and actor mode can help differentiate the objects.
The following table defines all surface view general commands. Command letters can be typed in either upper- or lower-case.
Action
Press
Pick (show value): Displays the value of the data point at the cursor.
p
Camera mode: Mouse events affect the camera position and focal point. (Axes move, and you don’t.)
c
Actor mode: Mouse events affect the actor under the mouse pointer. (You move, not the axes.)
a
Joystick mode: Motion occurs continuously while you press a mouse button.
j
Trackball mode: Motion occurs only when you press the mouse button and you move the mouse pointer.
t
Wireframe view: Displays the surface as a mesh. (This is the same as not checking the Surface option.)
w
Surface view: Displays the surface as a solid. (This is the same as having checked the Surface option.)
s
Reset: Removes the changes you’ve made to the way the Visualizer displays an object.
r
Initialize: Restores the object to its initial state before you interacted with the Visualizer. As this is a menubar accelerator, the window must have focus.
i
Exit or Quit: Close the Visualizer.
Ctrl-Q
The following table defines the actions you can perform using your mouse:
Action
Click or Press
Camera mode
Actor mode
 
Rotate camera around focal point (surface only)
Rotate actor around focal point (surface only)
Left mouse button
Zoom: Zooms in on the object.
Scale: the object appears to get larger
Right mouse button
Pan: Moves the “camera”. For example, moving the camera up means the object moves down.
Translate: The object moves in the direction you pull it.
Middle mouse button or
Shift-left mouse button