4

I have some 3D (x,y,z,value) data in python and I can visualize the isosurfaces in Mayavi. How can I export this isosurface into a file that I can read into Blender?

Here is some example code:

import numpy
from mayavi import mlab

x, y, z = numpy.ogrid[-5:5:64j, -5:5:64j, -5:5:64j]
values = x * x * 0.5 + y * y + z * z * 2.0
mlab.contour3d(values, contours=[.5])
mlab.show()
DanHickstein
  • 6,588
  • 13
  • 54
  • 90
  • Answer to this may well help with unanswered http://stackoverflow.com/questions/23122004/how-to-write-stl-file-within-python-mayavi too – timday Sep 10 '14 at 20:43

2 Answers2

7

Using @timday's suggestion, I added the following code to save the isosurface in a wavefront (.obj) format:

mlab.savefig('surface.obj')

Then, I can open it in Blender with File>>Import>>Wavefront (.obj)

I had to scale down the image considerably (~100x) to make it visible in the Blender viewport.

enter image description here

The origin is set way off to the side of the actual object, so the object is easier to deal with if I use Object>>Transform>>Origin to Geometry

enter image description here

After adding some lighting and a plane, the object looks pretty good!

enter image description here

DanHickstein
  • 6,588
  • 13
  • 54
  • 90
1

I've never tried it myself but I notice mlab's savefig also claims to support saving to Wavefront ".obj" format (also known as wavefront format), a 3D geometry format. Certainly I've seen importers from obj to Blender.

timday
  • 24,582
  • 12
  • 83
  • 135