GraphicsComplex
✖
GraphicsComplex
represents a graphics complex in which coordinates given as integers i in graphics primitives in data are taken to be pti.
Details and Options

- GraphicsComplex works in both 2D and 3D.
- GraphicsComplex[{pt1,pt2,…},data] effectively replaces integers i that appear as coordinates in data by the corresponding pti.
- GraphicsComplex provides a convenient way to build up meshes or simplicial complexes in which vertices of polygons are shared.
- GraphicsComplex is treated like a single primitive in Graphics and Graphics3D.
- In GraphicsComplex[pts,data], data can be any nested list of graphics primitives and directives.
- The following options can be given:
-
ContentSelectable Automatic whether to allow contents to be selected VertexColors Automatic vertex colors corresponding to each pti VertexNormals Automatic vertex normals corresponding to each pti VertexTextureCoordinates None vertex texture coordinates for each pti - GraphicsComplex[{pt1,pt2,…},data,VertexColors->{c1,c2,…}] replaces Polygon[{i,j,…}] by Polygon[{pti,ptj,…},VertexColors->{ci,cj,…}].
- The VertexNormals and VertexTextureCoordinates option works the same way.
- Normal[GraphicsComplex[pts,data]] substitutes coordinates to give an ordinary list of graphics primitives and directives.
Examples
open allclose allBasic Examples (3)Summary of the most common use cases

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-ftsu6s

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-7xmx6


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-oj5cw

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-hebi7

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-73ynw

Use built-in PolyhedronData:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-gzqs93

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-d1dozg


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-cuezch

Do the same using PolyhedronData property annotations:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-c46wcn

Scope (3)Survey of the scope of standard use cases
The coordinate data for any primitive can come from a GraphicsComplex:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-nw645

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-lqiek7


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-cq2gmf


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bcgh3l

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-g59q94


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-iskskk

Mixing directives and primitives within a GraphicsComplex:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-j14e4o

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-cscsmj

Options (7)Common values & functionality for each option
ContentSelectable (3)
No individual object is selectable; the graphics complex appears as one object:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-l25cix

Allow the individual objects in the graphics complex to be selectable by a single click:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-fugd5

The first click selects the whole complex, and subsequent clicks select individual objects:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-db8u7t

VertexColors (2)
VertexNormals (1)
Define vertices and face indices of a cylindrical model:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bvw8jm

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-m5tuy
Without surface normals, the shading is constant or flat for each polygon face:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-g7dc06

With surface normals, the shading is interpolated or smooth across each polygon face:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-efqagj

Applications (2)Sample problems that can be solved with this function
Most surface and region plots produce GraphicsComplex:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-jsguv

You can use GraphicsComplex to transform the coordinates in this simple rotation:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-fwp5w6

The same idea applies to 3D surfaces:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-b1jzb


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-lno4j

Properties & Relations (4)Properties of the function, and connections to other functions
Set up a graphics complex with shared coordinates:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-gbl5s2
Applying Normal will split a complex into primitives with duplicated coordinates:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-f33r8z

Both forms produce the same image:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bt4b95

Graphics complexes can be built up from integrated PolyhedronData:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bvj6xw

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-du73z

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bl7mmt

Or, get a graphics complex directly:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-car1rq

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-5u07j


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-n137pe

ExampleData contains a number of 3D graphics complex models:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-bnv08a


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-dp7iq5

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-b0s1pn

Many Import formats produce GraphicsComplex:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-ctm8yq

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-buvtrp


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-3j5dd

In this case the surface has about 35000 vertices:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-cub1y7

Neat Examples (2)Surprising or curious use cases
A random selection of index coordinates:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-l38plo

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-l5xam8


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-dyhgti

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-0d4om


https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-hqtjn8

https://wolfram.com/xid/0en0dy7dm-k6cfa9

Wolfram Research (2007), GraphicsComplex, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html.
Text
Wolfram Research (2007), GraphicsComplex, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html.
Wolfram Research (2007), GraphicsComplex, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2007. "GraphicsComplex." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html.
Wolfram Language. 2007. "GraphicsComplex." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2007). GraphicsComplex. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html
Wolfram Language. (2007). GraphicsComplex. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_graphicscomplex, author="Wolfram Research", title="{GraphicsComplex}", year="2007", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html}", note=[Accessed: 07-June-2025
]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_graphicscomplex, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={GraphicsComplex}, year={2007}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsComplex.html}, note=[Accessed: 07-June-2025
]}