Strange problems in 3D-Plots TikZ: Missing parts and axes

Question

compiling the following example in newest MikTeX or TexLive results in strange problems: Have a look at the plot:

There are some missing parts and only the z-axis is drawn. Please try to help.

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz,tikz-3dplot}
\begin{document}
\tdplotsetmaincoords{70}{10}
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=5,line join=bevel,tdplot_main_coords,fill opacity=.15]
\pgfsetlinewidth{.2pt}
\tdplotsetpolarplotrange{30}{100}{0}{360}
\tdplotsphericalsurfaceplot[parametricfill]%
{18}%
{36}%
{1}%
{black}%
{\tdplotphi+\tdplottheta+\tdplotr}%
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (1.3,0,0) node[right]{\(x\)};}
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (0,3.3,0) node[above right]{\(y\)};}
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (0,0,1.3) node[above]{\(z\)};};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Any hints? Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Thanks for pointing out the problem with drawing the axes. I have uploaded a modified version of tikz-3dplot to ctan, and it should be available soon.

It turned out to be a very subtle problem, which may be due to using an older version of pgf to develop this. If you're curious, it all had to do with a conditional statement, where \pgfmathresult returns a "1" for true, and a "0" for false. I had written tikz-3dplot to expect "1.0", and thus the condition was never met, and the x/y axes were never drawn.

The problem with drawing only a segment has been fixed as well. The problem was related to an incorrect order of operations involving squaring and square rooting a negative number.

Now, I notice that this output looks a bit boxy, and you can smooth it out a bit if you like by increasing the number of segments per revolution. Also, it couldn't hurt to spin the axes around a bit.

\tdplotsetmaincoords{70}{100}
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=5,line join=bevel,tdplot_main_coords,fill opacity=.15]
\pgfsetlinewidth{.2pt}
\tdplotsetpolarplotrange{30}{100}{0}{360}
\tdplotsphericalsurfaceplot[parametricfill]%
{48}%
{48}%
{1}%
{black}%
{\tdplotphi+\tdplottheta+\tdplotr}%
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (1.3,0,0) node[below]{\(x\)};}
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (0,1.3,0) node[above right]{\(y\)};}
{\draw[color=black,thick,->] (0,0,0) -- (0,0,1.3) node[above]{\(z\)};};
\end{tikzpicture}

Answer 2

The same with PSTricks ... Run it with xelatex or load package auto-pst-pdf

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pst-solides3d}

\begin{document}

\psset{unit=2.5}
\begin{pspicture}(-2,-2)(2,2)
\psset{viewpoint=20 20 20 rtp2xyz,
   Decran=20,lightsrc=viewpoint}
\psSolid[object=grille,base=-2 2 -2 2,action=draw,linecolor=red](0,0,0)
\axesIIID(2,2,1.5)(3,3,2)
\defFunction[algebraic]{sphere}(u,v)
   {2*cos(u)*cos(v)} {2*sin(u)*cos(v)} {2*sin(v)}
\psSolid[object=surfaceparametree,
   base=pi neg pi 0 0.75,hue=0.2 0.8,function=sphere,
   linewidth=0.2pt,opacity=0.8,ngrid=0.1]
%\gridIIID[Zmin=0,Zmax=1.5](-2,2)(-2,2)
\end{pspicture}

\end{document}

Answer 3

Solution of pgfplots:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\usetikzlibrary{pgfplots.external}
\tikzexternalize
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[width=\textwidth,
  samples=25,domain=0:360,y domain=10:30,
  xmin=-1.2,xmax=1.2,ymin=-1.2,ymax=1.2,zmin=0,zmax=1.2,
  xlabel={$x$},ylabel={$y$},zlabel={$z$},
  axis lines=center]
\addplot3[surf,opacity=0.5]
  ({cos(x)*cos(y)}, {sin(x)*cos(y)}, {sin(y)});
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

(The labels are not at right place. It seems there's a bug of pgfplots. But we can put the labels manually.)

Answer 4

I am not sure what is the cause, and I am unable to fix the missing axes, but I noticed couple of things:

1. With the most recent version of tikz-3dplot, even the examples from the manual will have only z-axis drawn. The pictures in the pdf manual that comes with the package have all three axes, however, recompiling the manual created pictures with only z-axis. So my guess is that there is a bug in the current version.

2. The missing parts seem to have something to do with the second parameter in \tdplotsetmaincoords. If the second parameter is at least 90, the whole surface is drawn. If it is less then 90, parts are missing. Larger part is missing id the parameter is smaller. It happens with the examples from the manual, too, if you change the second parameter so it is smaller than 90. Again, it seems like a bug in tikz-3dplot.

Answer 5

In ubuntu, following the route latex -> dvips -> ps2pdf, works for me, and also using the package auto-pst-pdf and viewing in Acrobat. So probably there is something wrong with your viewer. Though of course Herbert's code looks much more beautiful!