VTK (.vtk)

Import and Export are fully compatible with the ASCII and binary versions of the VTK format.

Background

▪ Visualization Toolkit format.

▪ Used for storage of 3D models.

▪ Native format of the open-source Visualization Toolkit software.

▪ ASCII or binary format.

▪ VTK is an acronym derived from Visualization Toolkit.

▪ Stores a single 3D object as a collection of line, point, and polygon primitives and their properties.

▪ Can also store nonlinear graphics primitives.

▪ Allows user-defined format elements.

▪ Originally developed by Kitware.

Import["file.vtk"] imports the polygon information from a VTK file and returns it as a Graphics3D object.
Export["file.vtk",expr] exports a Graphics3D or GraphicsComplex expression to a VTK file.
Import["file.vtk"] returns an expression of the form Graphics3D[ GraphicsComplex[…]].
Import["file.vtk",elem] imports the specified element from a VTK file.
Import["file.vtk",{elem,sub,…}] imports a subelement.
Import["file.vtk",{{elem₁,elem₂,…}}] imports multiple elements.
The import format can be specified with Import["file","VTK"] or Import["file",{"VTK",elem,…}].
Export["file.vtk",expr,elem] creates a VTK file by treating expr as specifying element elem.
Export["file.vtk",{expr₁,expr₂,…},{{elem₁,elem₂,…}}] treats each expr_i as specifying the corresponding elem_i.
Export["file.vtk",expr,opt₁->val₁,…] exports expr with the specified option elements taken to have the specified values.
Export["file.vtk",{elem₁->expr₁,elem₂->expr₂,…},"Rules"] uses rules to specify the elements to be exported.
See the reference pages for full general information on Import and Export.
ImportString and ExportString support the VTK format.

	"Elements"	list of elements and options available in this file
	"Rules"	full list of rules for each element and option
	"Options"	list of rules for options, properties, and settings

	"CuboidData"	cuboid data in indexed form
	"CuboidObjects"	list of Cuboid primitives given in absolute coordinates
	"Graphics3D"	VTK file represented as a Graphics3D object
	"GraphicsComplex"	VTK file as a GraphicsComplex object
	"LineData"	the line elements of a VTK file in indexed form, with integer indices referencing the vertices as given by "VertexData"
	"LineObjects"	list of Line primitives given in absolute coordinates
	"PolygonData"	the polygon elements in indexed form
	"PolygonObjects"	list of Polygon primitives given in absolute coordinates
	"VertexData"	list of vertex coordinates
	"PointData"	point data in indexed form
	"PointObjects"	list of Point primitives given in absolute coordinates

Background	Automatic	what background color to use
ImageSize	Automatic	overall size of the graphics to display
Lighting	Automatic	what simulated lighting to use in coloring 3D surfaces

All options of Graphics3D can be given when importing from VTK.
Export option:
"BinaryFormat" False whether to create a binary VTK file
Advanced option:
"VerticalAxis" {0,0,1} orientation to assume for the coordinate system used in the file
By default, the Wolfram Language assumes that in the coordinate system used by the VTK format, the vertical axis corresponds to the third coordinate.
With the setting "VerticalAxis"->{0,1,0}, the Wolfram Language will apply the transformation {x,y,z}->{x,-z,y} to all graphics coordinates when importing from VTK, and the inverse transformation when exporting to VTK.