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I really don't understand VertexTextureCoordinates in Texture.

For example, let

pic = ExampleData[{"TestImage", "Mandrill"}];

then

Graphics[{Texture[pic], EdgeForm[Black],
  Polygon[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {1, 1}, {0, 1}},
   VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2}, {0, 2}}]}]

this gives

enter image description here

But how to understand this?

Graphics[{Texture[pic], EdgeForm[Black],
  Polygon[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {2, 2}, {0.5, 2.5}},
   VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2}, {0, 2}}]}]

enter image description here

Why is the center point at this location?

Update

I devise a more interesting demo

pic = Image[{{Red, Blue}, {Green, Yellow}}];

it gives color square enter image description here

Manipulate[
 Graphics[{Texture[pic], EdgeForm[Black], 
   Polygon[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {1, 1}, {0, 1}}, 
    VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{i11, i12}, {i21, i22}, {i101, 
       i102}, {i41, i42}}]}
  ],
 {i11, 0, 10},
 {i12, 0, 10},
 {i21, 0, 10},
 {i22, 0, 10},
 {i101, 0, 10},
 {i102, 0, 10},
 {i41, 0, 10},
 {i42, 0, 10}]

Now you can manipulate as you want. But I still can not figure out what is going on

enter image description here

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5
  • $\begingroup$ Do you really get that for the first output, and not a single mandrill image instead of four? $\endgroup$
    – Szabolcs
    Mar 27, 2017 at 14:11
  • $\begingroup$ @Szabolcs Sorry, I copy the wrong code. I updated my post $\endgroup$
    – matheorem
    Mar 27, 2017 at 14:15
  • $\begingroup$ I think polygons with texturing (or gradients) are always rendered triangle by triangle. You have a quadrangle, which is broken down into two triangles. That is what causes the distortion. When I try to experiment with this though, I get many internal self test errors ... so I will stop here. I think the triangles are Polygon[{{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {2, 2}}, {{2, 2}, {0.5, 2.5}, {0, 0}}}. $\endgroup$
    – Szabolcs
    Mar 27, 2017 at 14:19
  • $\begingroup$ This new example looks different on my machine ... i.stack.imgur.com/fv4yR.png but I find it really hard to follow with this type of image. I hope I explained why the center is somewhere else in your original question, but with this new one I cannot help. $\endgroup$
    – Szabolcs
    Mar 27, 2017 at 19:30
  • $\begingroup$ @Szabolcs I finally understand the texture and post my understanding. Thank you so much for your answer. It enlighten me. But in terms of your manipulate result, is it due to different OS? I am on windows $\endgroup$
    – matheorem
    Mar 28, 2017 at 1:04

3 Answers 3

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This happens because texturing is done triangle by triangle. Polygons with more sides are broken down into triangles, and each triangle is textured individually. I believe your example is effectively equivalent to

pic = ExampleData[{"TestImage", "Mandrill"}];

Graphics[{Texture[pic], EdgeForm[Black], 
  Polygon[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {2, 2}}, 
   VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2}}], 
  Polygon[{{2, 2}, {0.5, 2.5}, {0, 0}}, 
   VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{2, 2}, {0, 2}, {0, 0}}]}]

Mathematica graphics

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Hi, Szabolcs. Thank you so much for answering. I am afraid I still don't get it. I have updated my post. $\endgroup$
    – matheorem
    Mar 27, 2017 at 16:24
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Note first : it is recommended to read this answer after the two other ones (from Szabolcs and matheorem)

Here is a tool intended to explore how VertexTextureCoordinates works.

The texture is the image :

enter image description here

The evaluation of the code at the end of the answer returns the following :

enter image description here

A1,A2,A3 ..., B1,B2,B3 can be independently moved with the mouse (on both sides).

  • the polygon A1,A2,A3... shows what piece of the texture is extracted.

  • the polygon B1,B2,B3... shows where goes the piece

The relevant corresponding part of the code is :

Texture[the image] ...
Polygon[{B1,B2,B3...},VertexTextureCoordinates-> {A1,A2,A3...}]

Note :

  • If one adds a locator (with the button "add locator") and move the new locator on the left side, nothing happens on the right side. This let think that the update in the right side is not real time. This is not true : simply move the new locator on the right side, then after the corresponding locator on the left side and see...

  • The Button in the middle simply does B1=A1;B2=A2;B3=A3... . See the effect on a distorded image.

  • The code shows 4 images simply to illustrate a wrapping effect on the texture when the scaled coordinates are not in the interval [0,1]

It's really interesting to watch how the triangulation changes when the locators on the right side are moved, for example by taking the example "big hat" (simply press the button) and moving B2 upwards.

Code

myHatching=RegionPlot[Rectangle[{0,0},{512,512}],Mesh-> 30,
MeshFunctions->{#1-#2 &, #1+#2 & },PlotStyle->Opacity[0],MeshStyle->
{Directive[AbsoluteThickness[2],Black],Directive[AbsoluteThickness[3],Red]}];
img00=Rasterize[Show[Lighter @ ExampleData[{"TestImage", "Lena"}],myHatching,ImageSize-> 512]];
img00X4=ImageAssemble[{{img00,img00},{img00,img00}}];

ptsA= ptsB= {{250,250},{375,150},{500,250},{500,500},{250,500}};

Row[{
LocatorPane[
   Dynamic[ptsA],
   Show[img00X4,Frame-> True,ImageSize-> 500,Epilog-> Dynamic[
      {
      Thick,
      Line[Append[ptsA,ptsA[[1]]]],
      MapIndexed[Style[Text["A"<>ToString[#2 //First] ,#+{15,15}],FontSize->14,Bold,Black]&,ptsA]
      }], DataRange-> {{0,2},{0,2}}],
   Appearance->Graphics[{Black,Disk[]},ImageSize->7]
],
Button[" -->\ndo :\n B1=A1\n B2=A2\n ...\n Bn=An\n -->",ptsB=ptsA],
LocatorPane[
   Dynamic[ptsB],
   Dynamic[Graphics[
      {
         Texture[img00],
         Polygon[ptsB,VertexTextureCoordinates-> (ptsA/512.)],
         MapIndexed[Style[Text["B"<>ToString[#2 //First],#+{15,15}],FontSize->14,Bold]&,ptsB]
      },
      PlotRange->{{0,1024},{0,1024}},Frame-> True,ImageSize-> 500]],
   Appearance->Graphics[{Black,Disk[]},ImageSize->7]]
},"   "] //Style[#,ImageSizeMultipliers-> {1,1}]&

Button[
"add locator",
ptsB=Insert[ptsB,(ptsB[[1]]+ptsB[[2]])/2.,2];
ptsA=Insert[ptsA,(ptsA[[1]]+ptsA[[2]])/2.,2]]

Button["sample 1 : big hat",
ptsB={{87.,249.},{375.,150.},{500.,250.},{432.,457.},{21.,659.}};
ptsA={{87.,249.},{375.,150.},{500.,250.},{432.,457.},{137.,481.}};] 

(It's quick and dirty code, ie not a reference for programmer.)

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the number of coordinates in VertexTextureCoordinates should be the same as the number of vertex in polygon.

As an example

Graphics[{Texture[pic], EdgeForm[Black],
  Polygon[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}, {2, 2}, {0.5, 2.5}},
   VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2}, {0, 2}}]}]

The texture process is actually means to think the pic as stretchable membrane and do four steps:

  1. grab {0,0} point (the lower left point) of the pic and stick it on polygon's {0,0} vertex
  2. grab {2,0} point of the pic and stick it on polygon's {1,0} vertex. But since {2,0} is actually outside the pic, we should really think we have extended periodic array of pic, and the coordinates is as follows enter image description here But now we only have stick two points and only got line.
  3. grab {2,2} point of the pic and stick it on polygon's {2,2} vertex. Now we have stick three points, and they form a triangle, and we got a triangle area textured with pic, and there is still one triangle left.
  4. grab {0,2} point of the pic and stick it on polygon's {0.5, 2.5} vertex. Now we the remaining triangle textured. and got

enter image description here

Also note, unequal points will be filled with {0,0}. That is

VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2}}

is equivalent to

VertexTextureCoordinates -> {{0, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 2},{0,0}}
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