xd3d

If you are looking for a simple and easy-to-learn scientific visualization tool, xd3d might just be the perfect solution. This software is capable of plotting both 2D and 3D meshes with a variety of features, including shadowing, contour plots, vector fields, and iso-contour (3D) plots, as well as 3D surfaces z=f(x,y) defined by an algebraic expression or a cloud of points. Additionally, xd3d can generate high-quality vector PostScript files that are perfect for use in scientific publications, as well as still or animated bitmap images.

One of the standout features of xd3d is its inclusion of the graph plotter xgraphic, which can be incredibly useful for users who also need to create graphs as part of their research or projects. To use xd3d, simply install it on any UNIX system that has X windows available. This includes all UNIX workstations, Linux systems, Mac OS X, and Microsoft-Windows computers that have an X11 emulation like the freeware Cygwin/Xfree.

To install and compile xd3d and all its related programs, you will need to have a Fortran 77 and a C compiler like g77 and gcc. Additionally, the X11 library libX11.a and the include file X.h must be present on your computer. However, to run xd3d, you only need to have X11 available.

If you're curious about what's new in the latest release of xd3d, you'll be pleased to know that two major bugs from version 8.3.0 have been corrected. These bugs impacted the support for .xyz files and Gmsh meshes, so users who encountered issues with these features should find that they now work as expected after updating. Overall, xd3d is a solid choice for anyone in need of a straightforward scientific visualization tool.