3D View

On the first page of the Chart Wizard or in the context menu of a chart you can choose a chart type.

The chart preview responds to the new settings that you enter in the dialog.

• When you leave the dialog with OK, the settings are applied permanently.

• When you leave the dialog with Cancel or Escape, the chart returns to the state when you opened the dialog.

For a 3D chart you can choose Format - 3D View to set perspective, appearance and illumination.

Perspective

• Enter the values for rotation of the chart on the three axes and for a perspective view.

Set all angles to 0 for a front view of the chart. Pie charts and donut charts are shown as circles.

With Right-angled axes enabled, you can rotate the chart contents only in X and Y direction, that is, parallel to the chart borders.

An x value of 90, with y and z set to 0, provides a view from top down to the chart. With x set to -90, you see the bottom of the chart.

The rotations are applied in the order first x, then y, last z.

When shading is enabled and you rotate a chart, the lights are rotated as if they are fixed to the chart.

Select the Perspective check box to view the chart in central perspective as through a camera lens instead of using a parallel projection.

Set the focus length with the spin button. 100% gives a perspective view where a far edge in the chart looks approximately half as big as a near edge.

Appearance

• Select a scheme from the list box.

By selecting a scheme, the check boxes and the light sources are set accordingly.

• If you mark or unmark a combination of check boxes that is not given by the Realistic or Simple scheme, you create a Custom scheme.

• Mark Shading to use the Gouraud method for rendering the surface, otherwise a flat method is used.

  The flat method sets a single color and brightness for each polygon. The edges are visible, soft gradients and spot lights are not possible.

  The Gouraud method applies gradients for a smoother, more realistic look.

• Mark Object Borders to draw lines along the edges.

• Mark Rounded Edges to smooth the edges of box shapes.

Illumination

Set the light sources for the 3D view.

• Click any of the eight buttons to switch a directed light source on or off.

  By default, the second light source is switched on. It is the first of seven "normal", uniform light sources. The light source number one projects a specular light with highlights.

• For the selected light source, you can then choose a color and intensity in the list box just below the eight buttons. The brightness values of all lights are added, so use dark colors when you enable multiple lights.

• The small preview inside this tab page has two sliders to set the vertical and horizontal position of the selected light source. The light source always aims to the middle of the object.

• The button in the corner of the small preview switches the internal illumination model between a sphere and a cube.

• Use the Ambient light list box to define the ambient light which shines with a uniform intensity from all directions.