Picking points on a mesh

This example demonstrates how to pick points on meshes using enable_point_picking().

from __future__ import annotations

import pyvista as pv

Pick points on a sphere

sphere = pv.Sphere()

p = pv.Plotter()
p.add_mesh(sphere, pickable=True)
p.enable_point_picking()
p.show()

Ignore the 3D window

In the above example, both points on the mesh and points in the 3d window can be selected. It is possible instead pick only points on the mesh.

sphere = pv.Sphere()

p = pv.Plotter()
p.add_mesh(sphere, pickable=True)
p.enable_point_picking(pickable_window=False)  # Make the 3D window unpickable
p.show()

Modify which actors are pickable

After enabling point picking, we can modify which actors are pickable.

sphere = pv.Sphere()
cube = pv.Cube().translate([10, 10, 0])

p = pv.Plotter()
sphere_actor = p.add_mesh(sphere, pickable=True)  # initially pickable
cube_actor = p.add_mesh(cube, pickable=False)  # initially unpickable
p.enable_point_picking(pickable_window=False)

p.pickable_actors = [sphere_actor, cube_actor]  # now both are pickable
p.view_xy()
p.show()

Pick using the left-mouse button

sphere = pv.Sphere()

p = pv.Plotter()
p.add_mesh(sphere, pickable=True)
p.enable_point_picking(left_clicking=True)
p.show()