Here is a little Java applet which will let you display the Pattern in any orientation you choose, with or without a sphere in the center. Instruction can be found further down on this page.
If you get an error or the Pattern viewer doesn't respond to your mouse commands, you probably have an "old" Java plug-in. You can get the latest Java plug-in FREE from Netscape or from MicroSoft or from Sun Microsystems. I would recommend you get the latest plug-in for Java 1.2. It will work with a plug-in for Java 1.1.7.
There are 2 rows of "buttons" and "input fields". The top row is labeled "COUNTERS:" and the second row is labeled "SPEED:".
If you "click on" the "X" label in the first row the motion of the pattern stops. Now, hold down the mouse button and move the mouse around. You will see the pattern rotating about the x-axis.
[The x-axis is not shown, but it is horizontal across the display screen. The y-axis is vertical across the display screen. And the z-axis is perpendicular to the display screen (into the display).]
You can do this with the "Y" and "Z" labels on the first row as well. Click on one of them, then holding the mouse button down and moving the mouse around will rotate the pattern about the selected axis.
As you do this, moving the mouse about, rotating the pattern, you will see that the X, or Y, or Z "COUNTER" fields will increase in number. These fields are only to indicate how much you have rotated the pattern about that axis. Note that these fields do not give you the "orientation" of the pattern.
You can set these fields to zero by clicking in these fields and then using the normal keyboard delete and/or backspace keys to remove the current value. Then type in the value you want. Note that this does not change the orientation of the pattern. These are only "COUNTER" values, not orientation values.
A similar thing happens when you click on the "THETA" button on the first row. However, the associated input field is an orientation field. Whatever value you type into this field, the pattern will be displayed open to that angle. The theta angle ranges from 0.0 to 54.73 degrees.
With the mouse arrow/pointer, click on the "SPHERE" label in the first row. A sphere will now appear in the center of the pattern. Click on this label again and the sphere is removed.
When you first get to this web page, the pattern is shown opening and closing. How "fast" it is opening and closing (as well as how fast it is spinning about any of the axes) is determined by the values entered in the 2nd, "SPEED", row. All these values are initially set to zero except for the "T" value which is set to 2. This causes the pattern to open and close 2 degrees every cycle. To double the speed that the pattern is opening and closing, set this value to 4. To stop the pattern from opening and closing, set this value to 0.
By setting non-zero values in the "X", "Y", or "Z" input fields of the 2nd row, you are indicating by how many degrees the pattern is to be rotated about that axis every cycle.
Click on the "PAUSE" button to stop all motion of the pattern.
Click on the "CONT." button to continue the motion of the pattern (if not all the "speed" values are zero).
Click on the "RESET" button to reset all counters and speeds to their original values and the pattern to its original orientation.
Usage Note: My work is copyrighted. You may use my work but you may not include my work, or parts of it, in any for-profit project without my consent.