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I am using tikz-3dplot to draw vectors and arcs in 3d space. In the following example I am drawing two pictures. The code to draw the vector and the arc is the same in both pictures. However, picture 2 has customized axes:

\documentclass[tikz,border=10pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz-3dplot}

\begin{document}
\tdplotsetmaincoords{60}{120}

% picture 1
\begin{tikzpicture}[tdplot_main_coords]

  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 1,0,0) node[anchor=north east]{$x$};
  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 0,1,0) node[anchor=west]{$y$};
  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 0,0,1) node[anchor=south]{$z$};  

  \draw[red,->] (0,0,0) -- (.5,.5,0);
  \draw[red,dotted] (.5,0,0) -- (.5,.5,0) -- (0,.5,0);

  \tdplotdefinepoints(0,0,0)(1,0,0)(0,1,0)
  \tdplotdrawpolytopearc[blue]{.7}{anchor=north,blue}{$\phi$}
\end{tikzpicture}

% picture 2
\begin{tikzpicture}[tdplot_main_coords,
  z={(\raarot cm, \rbarot cm)},
  y={(\rabrot cm, \rbbrot cm)},
  x={(\racrot, \rbcrot cm)}]

  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 1,0,0) node[anchor=south]{$x$};
  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 0,1,0) node[anchor=west]{$y$};
  \draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 0,0,1) node[anchor=north east]{$z$};  

  \draw[red,->] (0,0,0) -- (.5,.5,0);
  \draw[red,dotted] (.5,0,0) -- (.5,.5,0) -- (0,.5,0);

  \tdplotdefinepoints(0,0,0)(1,0,0)(0,1,0)
  \tdplotdrawpolytopearc[blue]{.7}{anchor=north,blue}{$\phi$}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

picture 1

enter image description here

picture 2

enter image description here

In both pictures, the red vector is in the xy-plane, as expected. The problem is the blue arc in the second picture, I would expect it also to be in the xy-plane. What is going wrong here? Is my expectation wrong?

sergej
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  • Related – sergej Sep 12 '15 at 18:18
  • It seems like when you specify x=... by yourself, tikz-3dplot does not take it seriously. It just uses the old coordinate system for \tdplotdrawpolytopearc. The really awkward thing is that you are trying to exchange x-axis and z-axis, which is mathematically not a rotation but a reflection. The package did not support reflection yet. – Symbol 1 Sep 13 '15 at 13:34

1 Answers1

1

As I said in the comment: If you specify x=..., y=..., and z=... in TikZ layer by yourself, the draw commands such as

\draw[thick,->] (0,0,0) -- ( 1,0,0) node[anchor=south]{$x$};

is adapted to the new coordinate because points like (0,0,0) and (1,0,0) are evaluated by TikZ directly.

For tikz-3dplot's exclusive features such as \tdplotsetrotatedcoords, the new coordinate is calculated base on the variables \raarot and its friend. However never did tikz-3dplot know that \raarot is now used for horizontal component of z-unit vector. So tikz-3dplot will assume that \raarot is, as default, the horizontal of x-unit vector and ultimately gives the undesired result.

To come over this, just remember that the user should modify only \raarot and its friends and let tikz-3dplot do the remaining job, including applying x=.... In your case, you should begin your second picture as follows:

% picture 2

\let\raarotold\raarot \let\rbarotold\rbarot
\let\rabrotold\rabrot \let\rbbrotold\rbbrot
\let\racrotold\racrot \let\rbcrotold\rbcrot

\let\raarot\racrotold \let\rbarot\rbcrotold
\let\rabrot\rabrotold \let\rbbrot\rbbrotold
\let\racrot\raarotold \let\rbcrot\rbarotold

\begin{tikzpicture}[tdplot_main_coords]

This gives the desired result. (Except the anchor of \phi)

Symbol 1
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  • Would it be possible to change the "direction" of the z-axis? z shall be -z. – sergej Sep 25 '15 at 08:18
  • Sorry for even later reply. It is possible by changing the sign of some of the macros. I can show you. But you need to specify whether you need a "-z" label or an arrow pointing northeast. – Symbol 1 Oct 02 '15 at 08:07
  • The +z arrow should be pointing northeast. – sergej Oct 02 '15 at 08:16