3D plotting and mesh analysis through a streamlined interface for the Visualization Toolkit (VTK)

Overview

PyVista is:

• Pythonic VTK: a high-level API to the Visualization Toolkit (VTK)

• mesh data structures and filtering methods for spatial datasets

• 3D plotting made simple and built for large/complex data geometries

PyVista is a helper library for the Visualization Toolkit (VTK) that takes a different approach on interfacing with VTK through NumPy and direct array access. This package provides a Pythonic, well-documented interface exposing VTK’s powerful visualization backend to facilitate rapid prototyping, analysis, and visual integration of spatially referenced datasets.

This module can be used for scientific plotting for presentations and research papers as well as a supporting module for other mesh dependent Python modules.

Want to test-drive PyVista? Check out our live examples on MyBinder:

PyVista is a NumFOCUS affiliated project

https://numfocus.org/sponsored-projects/affiliated-projects

Brief Examples

Here are some brief interactive examples that demonstrate how you might want to use PyVista:

Maps and Geoscience

Download the surface elevation map of Mount St. Helens and plot it.

from pyvista import examples
mesh = examples.download_st_helens()
warped = mesh.warp_by_scalar('Elevation')
surf = warped.extract_surface().triangulate()
surf = surf.decimate_pro(0.75)  # reduce the density of the mesh by 75%
surf.plot(cmap='gist_earth')

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Finite Element Analysis

Plot the ‘X’ component of elastic stress of a 3D notch specimen.

from pyvista import examples
mesh = examples.download_notch_stress()
mesh.plot(scalars='Nodal Stress', component=0, cmap='turbo', cpos='xy')

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Simple Point Cloud with NumPy

Easily integrate with NumPy and create a variety of geometries and plot them. You could use any geometry to create your glyphs, or even plot the points directly.

import numpy as np
import pyvista

rng = np.random.default_rng(seed=0)
point_cloud = rng.random((100, 3))
pdata = pyvista.PolyData(point_cloud)
pdata['orig_sphere'] = np.arange(100)

# create many spheres from the point cloud
sphere = pyvista.Sphere(radius=0.02, phi_resolution=10, theta_resolution=10)
pc = pdata.glyph(scale=False, geom=sphere, orient=False)
pc.plot(cmap='Reds')

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Plot a Spline

Generate a spline from an array of NumPy points.

import numpy as np
import pyvista

# Make the xyz points
theta = np.linspace(-10 * np.pi, 10 * np.pi, 100)
z = np.linspace(-2, 2, 100)
r = z**2 + 1
x = r * np.sin(theta)
y = r * np.cos(theta)
points = np.column_stack((x, y, z))

spline = pyvista.Spline(points, 500).tube(radius=0.1)
spline.plot(scalars='arc_length', show_scalar_bar=False)

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Boolean Operations on Meshes

Subtract a sphere from a cube mesh.

import pyvista
import numpy as np

def make_cube():
    x = np.linspace(-0.5, 0.5, 25)
    grid = pyvista.StructuredGrid(*np.meshgrid(x, x, x))
    surf = grid.extract_surface().triangulate().flip_faces()
    return surf

# Create example PolyData meshes for boolean operations
sphere = pyvista.Sphere(radius=0.65, center=(0, 0, 0))
cube = make_cube()

# Perform a boolean difference
boolean = cube.boolean_difference(sphere)
boolean.plot(color='darkgrey', smooth_shading=True, split_sharp_edges=True)

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Plot Volumetric Data

Plot the \(3d_{xy}\) orbital of a hydrogen atom.

Note

This example requires sympy.

from pyvista import examples
grid = examples.load_hydrogen_orbital(3, 2, -2)
grid.plot(volume=True, opacity=[1, 0, 1], cmap='magma')

Translating

The recommended way for new contributors to translate PyVista’s documentation is to join the translation team on Transifex.

There is a pyvista translation page for pyvista (main) documentation.

1. Login to transifex service.

2. Go to pyvista translation page.

3. Click Request language and fill form.

4. Wait acceptance by transifex pyvista translation maintainers.

5. (After acceptance) Translate on transifex.

6. We can host the translated document using atsphinx-mini18n.

7. Translation is backed up in pyvista-doc-translations.

Details can be found here: https://help.transifex.com/en/

Status

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Professional Support

While PyVista is an Open Source project with a big community, you might be looking for professional support. This section aims to list companies with VTK/PyVista expertise who can help you with your software project.

Company Name	Kitware Inc.
Description	Kitware is dedicated to build solutions for our customers based on our well-established open source platforms.
Expertise	CMake, VTK, PyVista, ParaView, Trame
Contact	https://www.kitware.com/contact/

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