# IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference

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### Ribbon

Category

Annotation

Function

Produces a ribbon of specified width from a specified line.

Syntax `ribbon = Ribbon(line, width);`

Inputs

Name | Type | Default | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
`line` | field | none | line to be drawn as a ribbon
`width` | scalar | input dependent | ribbon width

Outputs

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`ribbon` | field | the line turned into a ribbon

Functional Details

This module is intended for use with any module that creates lines.

`line` | specifies a line to be turned into a ribbon. If this line has a "normals" component (as would occur, for example, if the input field `curl` were used with Streamline), the resulting ribbon shows a twist corresponding to this component (at each point of the input line, the ribbon is oriented in the direction pointed to by the normal). If a "normals" component is not found but the input contains a "binormals" component, normals are derived by crossing the binormals with the approximated tangents. If no "normals" component is present, the ribbon's orientation is based on the path of the line.
`width` | specifies the width of the ribbon in the same units as those of the original space. If this parameter is not specified, the system provides an appropriate value (1/50 of the diagonal of the bounding box of `line`). The value used is attached to the output object as a "Ribbon width" attribute (which can be extracted with the Attribute module).

Note: Different colors can be specified for the two sides of the ribbon. Use the Color module and specify "front colors" and "back colors."

Components

Creates new "positions," "connections," and "normals" components. All other components are propagated to the output.

Example Visual Programs

    ThunderStreamlines.net
    UsingStreakline.net

See Also

Color, Streakline, Streamline, Tube

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