Sources - Visualization Tab

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Visualization Tab

Page Contents

Description

Navigation

Controls

Application Notes

•Modify ray colors to track power

Related Topics

Description

The Visualization tab on a detailed source allows specification of the visualization properties for a given source.

Navigation

This feature can be accessed by selecting the Visualization tab in a Detailed Source dialog box.

Controls

Control	Inputs / Description	Defaults
Ray Starting Positions
Draw	If checked, each ray's starting position is drawn in the 3D view.	Checked
Color	The color of the starting position. This is different from the colors specified on the wavelengths tab in that it only governs the color of the ray starting position, not the ray as it is traced.	White
Draw every n^th ray position	Determines how many ray starting positions to draw out of the number of rays. For example, if 2 is entered, FRED will draw every other starting ray position.	1
Ray Colors During Raytracing
Modify Ray Colors to Track Power	When checked, modifies darkens the color of the ray as the ray loses power.	Unchecked
Local Bounding Volume
Draw	Draws a bounding volume around the source when checked.	Unchecked
Color	The default color of the bounding volume box.	Gray

OK	Accept settings and close dialog box.
Cancel	Discard settings and close dialog box.
Apply	Apply settings and keep dialog box open.
Help	Access this Help page.

Application Notes

Modify ray color to track power

The Modify Ray Color to Track Power option scales the RGB draw color according to power loss as a ray propagates through an optical system. The RGB values are modified by a scale factor

S = [ 3×log₁₀(f_c/f_i) - 1 ] - 1

where f_c is the current ray flux and f_i is the initial ray flux at the time of its creation. The scale factor S is applied uniformly to the R, G and B values (R' = S×R ; G' = S×G ; B'= S×B) and R', G' and B' are rounded to the nearest integer. Therefore, S has a threshold value of 0.01 below which R'G'B' are set to zero. Since RGB values range from white (R=255, G=255, B=255) to black (R=0, G=0, B=0), ray color always approaches black as power is lost. There is no "clear" or "invisible" color state.

The scale factor S is applied only when rays experience a surface intersection. Color change does not occur in a continuous fashion in propagation between intersections.

Additionally, the scaled ray color will be drawn in the positions spot diagram analysis.