Frame Iteration and Scalars

Frame Iteration and Scalar Fields

Once a model is open, you can iterate over frames and select scalar fields for visualization:

// Query dataset extents
size_t numFrames = model->frameCount();
size_t maxParticles = model->maxParticleCount();
cee::BoundingBox bbox = model->boundingBox();

// Move to a specific frame
model->setCurrentFrameIndex(42);

// Query the current frame index
size_t current = model->currentFrameIndex();  // 42

// Query available scalar fields
std::vector<cee::Str> fields = model->scalarFieldNames();

// Activate a scalar field (colors particles by this field)
model->setActiveScalarField("Temperature");

// Query the active scalar field
if (model->hasActiveScalarField())
{
    cee::Str name = model->activeScalarField();  // "Temperature"
}

// Query the scalar range for the current frame
double minVal, maxVal;
model->scalarRange(&minVal, &maxVal);

// Clear scalar coloring (revert to uniform particle color)
model->clearActiveScalarField();

// Update the renderable visualization
model->updateVisualization();

Rendering Properties

You can configure rendering properties such as particle size, color, opacity, and decimation factor:

model->setParticleSize(2.0f);
model->setParticleColor(cee::Color3f(1.0f, 0.5f, 0.0f));
model->setOpacity(0.8f);
model->setDecimation(0.5f);  // Show 50% of particles

// Query current property values
float size  = model->particleSize();       // 2.0f
cee::Color3f col = model->particleColor(); // (1.0, 0.5, 0.0)
float alpha = model->opacity();            // 0.8f
float dec   = model->decimation();         // 0.5f

// Query the actual number of visible particles (after decimation)
size_t visible = model->visibleParticleCount();

The decimation uses a deterministic hash on particle IDs, so the same subset of particles is shown consistently across frames. This provides stable visual behavior during animation.

To clear the renderable parts without closing the model (e.g. before rebuilding):

model->clearVisualization();

For diagnostic purposes, modelInfo() returns a summary string describing the model state:

cee::Str info = model->modelInfo();
// e.g. "ParticleModel: 200 frames, 10000 max particles, scalar: Temperature"

Scalar Mapping

To control how scalar values are mapped to colors, assign a ScalarMapperContinuousDomain:

#include "CeeVisualization/ScalarMapperContinuousDomain.h"

cee::PtrRef<cee::vis::ScalarMapperContinuousDomain> mapper = new cee::vis::ScalarMapperContinuousDomain;
mapper->setRange(0.0, 1500.0);
// Configure color table, etc.

model->setScalarMapper(mapper.get());
model->updateVisualization();

You can retrieve the current scalar mapper with scalarMapper():

cee::vis::ScalarMapperContinuousDomain* currentMapper = model->scalarMapper();

When no scalar mapper is set, the component uses a default rainbow mapping over the scalar range.