A distance map is a regular 2D grid of values, like the pixels of an image, where each value is a distance: for example, the depth of a surface measured from a plane. You can think of it as a depth map or a height map. In MeshInspector it is a separate object type, Distance Map, shown in the viewport as a relief surface.
Distance maps are characterized by:
- Distance-based values in the cells of a 2D grid.
- A resolution (the number of cells along X and Y) and a defined spatial extent.
- Representation as a dedicated object type.
- Use for depth and height data: reliefs, contours (isolines) and conversion between images and 3D surfaces.
Distance Map in MeshInspector
When you create or open a distance map, it appears in the Scene tree and in the viewport. In the Scene tree, its icon is a row of vertical bars of different heights. The Information panel shows:
- Object Type (Distance Map).
- Box Size, Local and World (the dimensions of the tight axis-aligned bounding box).
- Box Min, Local and World.
- Box Max, Local and World.
On the Inspect tab, Object Info shows more details of the distance map:
- The class of the object and its memory use.
- The bounding box (min, max, center and size).
- The resolution of the map (resX, resY).
- The parameters that place the map in space: pixelXVec and pixelYVec (the size and direction of one cell), depthVec (the direction and scale of the distance values) and origin.
Where distance maps come from
| Source | Tool | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| A mesh | Distance Maps › Mesh to Distance Map | Professional |
| Polylines | Lines › Lines to Distance Map | Professional |
| An image | Distance Maps › Image to Distance Map | Professional |
| Two distance maps | Distance Maps › Distance Map Boolean | Professional |
Mesh to Distance Map creates a depth map of the selected object. Image to Distance Map loads a picture and turns it into a distance map, with white pixels at the Max Height you set; this is the first step to make a relief from an image. See Mesh to Distance Map and Image to Distance Map.
Open a distance map file
Home › Open Files opens MeshInspector distance maps (.mrdistancemap) and TIFF files (.tif, .tiff) as distance maps. A PNG or JPEG picture does not open as a distance map directly: use Image to Distance Map.
Convert a distance map to another type
| Result | Tool | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh | Distance Maps › Distance Map to Mesh | Professional |
| Polylines (isolines) | Distance Maps › Distance Map to IsoLines | Professional |
| Image | Distance Maps › Distance Map to Image | Professional |
Distance Map to IsoLines creates polylines that connect points of equal distance, like contour lines on a map. See Distance Map to Mesh, Distance Map to IsoLines and Distance Map to Image.
Save a distance map
- Export saves the selected distance map as .mrdistancemap, .raw or .tiff.
- Distance Map to Image saves the map as a picture file (its Export button).
- Home › Save Scene saves the whole scene to a MeshInspector scene file (.mru).
Distance map options in the Scene tree
Right-click the distance map in the Scene tree to change how its surface is displayed: shading, flat shading, edges, points, borders, bounding box, transparency, clipping, colors and opacity. The menu also has the Remove and Clone buttons. Every option is explained in Scene Tree Mastery.
