Built-in Mathematica Symbol

Tube

Tube[{{x₁, y₁, z₁}, {x₂, y₂, z₂}, ...}]
represents a 3D tube around the line joining a sequence of points.

Tube[{pt₁, pt₂, ...}, r]
represents a tube of radius r.

Tube[{{pt₁₁, pt₁₂, ...}, {pt₂₁, ...}, ...}, ...]
represents a collection of tubes.

Tube[curve, ...]
represents a tube around the specified 3D curve.

MORE INFORMATION

Tube renders as a circular 3D tube in Graphics3D.

The radius of the tube can be specified either in absolute coordinates, or as Scaled[s].

If no explicit radius is specified, Tube uses a small scaled radius.

Tube[{pt₁, pt₂, ...}, {r₁, r₂, ...}] specifies a different tube radius at the position of each of the points pt_i.

Tube[{pt₁, pt₂, ...}, ...] gives a tube consisting of a sequence of straight segments. It is equivalent to Tube[Line[{pt₁, ...}], ...].

By default, the joins between tube segments are rounded.

Different forms of joining between tube segments can be specified using JoinForm.

By default, the ends of the tube are rounded.

Different caps for the tube can be specified using CapForm.

CapForm[None] specifies that the end of the tube should be left open.

In Tube[curve, ...], curve can have head BezierCurve, BSplineCurve or Line.

Colors and other material properties of tubes can be specified using color directives as well as Specularity and Glow.

Tubes can be specified as transparent using Opacity directives.

Individual coordinates and lists of coordinates in tubes can be Dynamic objects.

EXAMPLES

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Basic Examples (3)

A tube primitive:

A tube with radius .1:

Differently styled tubes:

A tube primitive:

A tube with radius .1:

In[1]:=

Out[1]=

Differently styled tubes:

In[1]:=

In[2]:=

Out[2]=

Scope (16)

Single tube segment:

Multiple connected tube segments:

Multiple disconnected tube segments:

Tubes with different radii:

Radii can also be specified at vertices:

Tubes with scaled radii:

Tube can take a line or curve argument:

Colored tubes:

Different properties can be specified for the front and back faces using FaceForm:

Tubes with different specular exponents:

White tube that glows red:

Opacity specifies the face opacity:

Tube caps can be specified using CapForm:

Joining of tube segments can be specified using JoinForm:

Colors can be specified at vertices using VertexColors:

Use Scaled coordinates:

Options (1)

Use VertexColors to vary the colors along the tube:

Applications (4)

PieChart3D uses Tube to produce donut charts:

Plot a parametric space curve and replace the curve with a tube:

Tube can be used with Arrow for full 3D arrows:

A random 3D walk:

Use Tube for 3D edges in GraphPlot3D:

Directed edges:

Properties & Relations (6)

Use Scale to get an elliptical tube:

Use Arrow with Tube to get a full 3D arrow:

Cone is a special case of Tube:

Get a truncated cone by specifying different radii in Tube:

Cylinder is a special case of Tube:

Get curved cylinder by using additional points:

A parametric specification of a tube generated using ParametricPlot3D:

An implicit specification of a tube generated by ContourPlot3D:

Possible Issues (1)

Tube objects can only use machine-number coordinates:

Neat Examples (4)

A random collection of tube curves:

Tubes with interpolated colors:

Tube curves with interpolated radii:

Using random radii: