8. Transformations

Transformation nodes are a kind of node that changes the geometric properties of objects in a scene, like location and size. The Transform node class can actually perform all possible geometric transformations, but there are also some specialized subclasses with more limited effects. When writing code by hand the specialized versions will probably be easier to use.

8.1 Transformation Classes

These are most of the transformations available in Open Inventor, showing their fields and the respective default values. Remember that in your scene descriptions you don't have to bother including all the fields for a node, just the fields that you want to have something other than their default value.

Transform. A Transform node can be used to create any geometric transformation.

    Transform {
        translation       0 0 0
        rotation          0 0 1  0
        scaleFactor       1 1 1
        scaleOrientation  0 0 1  0
        center            0 0 0
    }

Translation. A Translation node displaces an object by the distances specified with respect to the X, Y, and Z axes. The orientation of the object is not changed.
```
    Translation {
        translation  0 0 0
    }
```
Rotation. A Rotation node rotates an object about an arbitrary (ie: one you specify) axis through the origin. This will change the object's orientation and possibly its location depending on where the centre of the object is currently.
```
    Rotation {
        rotation  0 0 1  0
    }
```
RotationXYZ. A RotationXYZ node rotates an object about one of the three major axes (X, Y, or Z). This will change the object's orientation and possibly its location depending on where the centre of the object is currently.
```
    RotationXYZ {
        axis   X
        angle  0
    }
```
Scale. A Scale node stretches an object by multiplying its size in the X, Y, and Z directions.
```
    Scale {
        scaleFactor  1 1 1
    }
```

More Information

More information on Open Inventor transformations is available in:

the man pages for the corresponding C++ class;
the Inventor Nodes/File Format Quick Reference;
the Inventor Mentor.