Dialog Box: 3D Display Parameters [ Input2 Menu]
This dialog controls parameters for the 3D Display mode, which is selected with the combo box in the Dialog Bar - Left, or with the Modes/Display Menu.
You can Show Edges and/or Show Faces , but of course you must check one or the other of these boxes unless you want to show symmetry elements only.
Edges may be simple Lines or Cylinders of the specified Radius . Lines have the thickness (in inches or centimeters) currently set in the Line Attributes dialog (Input2 menu). Keep in mind that lines are three-dimensional objects (with a ribbon shape), and they may interpenetrate with and be partially obscured by other objects such as crystal faces. If edges are to be wider than a few pixels it is usually better to use cylinders (note that cylinder radius is in central distance units, not cm/in). If lines are used it may be best to use a similar color for edges and faces. The edge colors are set in the Line Colors dialog in the Input2 menu. Striations in 3D mode are always lines, not cylinders.
Faces may be completely opaque (opacity = 1.0), or translucent/transparent. If the opacity value is greater than 0.98, faces will be assumed to be completely opaque - drawing opaque surfaces is faster.
If the Show Symmetry box is checked, all rotation axes and mirror planes will be shown. Attributes of this display may be changed with the Symmetry button (Symmetry Element Display dialog)
The Materials button (3D Materials dialog) allows changing the reflective/emissive properties of the objects.
If the Use Face/Form Fills radio button is checked, the selected faces or forms (Face or Form Fills dialog, Input1 menu) will have the particular color specified. Any faces or forms not specified will have the overall crystal color. If the Use Crystal Color radio button is checked, the given color will be applied to all faces. All faces, whether using fills or not, will be shaded according to the current illumination direction and materials parameters.
If there is more than one crystal (twin individuals or epitaxial crystals), and the Use color for each crystal box is checked, a separate color for each one will be used. The colors for the second and subsequent crystals must be set with the More Colors button (Crystal Colors dialog).
The Illumination direction is the direction in observer Cartesian coordinates (see Coordinate Systems) from which the light is coming. This is the same vector as in the Shading dialog (Input1 menu).
There is only one light, of the Directional type (not Positional) - that is, all rays are parallel.