Depends on packages (on *buntu):
libmagick++-dev, libboost-program-options-dev, freeglut3-dev, freeglut3-dev.

You also need to have the math expression parser project, installed in the same directory.
Download it from github first.
E.g.:
$ git clone git://github.com/yiannis/calculator.git
$ git clone git://github.com/yiannis/fourDplot.git
$ cd fourDplot
(You do not need to build calculator first.)

Installation:
$ cmake .
$ make
$ cp plot4D /whatever/dir/you/like


Usage:
$ ./plot4D --help

plot4D has 2 main modes of operation.
Creating 3D surfaces from a user specified function, or from an image.
In order to justify the '4' in its name, this program also supports some (limited)
video capabilities in both modes.

Function mode:
  Functions of the x,y independent variables are supported, that create open
  surfaces, like f(x,y)=2*x+3/y+5*x*y. Most usual C functions and constants
  are also supported, eg: f(x,y)=sin((pi/4)*x)+sqrt(x^2+y^2).
  When the video mode is enabled, the functions can also have the 't' variable,
  so you can change any function property with time.

Image mode:
  You can open any image supported by ImageMagick and it will be converted to
  a 3D surface. The surface height is the image intensity at that point.
  It is usefull to scale down large images using the -r option.
  When loading many images, you can use the video mode to see a video of
  their respective 3D surfaces.

A slight warning: In video mode, all frames are rendered in memmory first.
If your RAM is not enough for the whole video to load, you can ommit the
--video option, and you can still navigate between the frames with
the n[ext] and p[revious] keys.
While the video is playing you can use the mouse/keyboard to control
the rotation, zoom, etc.



Examples:
$ ./plot4D -d line -f "sin(x*y)/(x*y)" -p 3000 -l -a --false-colors

$ ./plot4D -d fill -f "sin(x+y^2)" -p 5000 -l --xmin -4 --xmax 3 --ymin -2.2 --ymax 2.4 --false-colors -a

$ ./plot4D -d fill -p 7000 -a --false-colors --lights -f "2*sin((x^2+y^2)*cos(2*pi/300*t))/(x^2+y^2)" --video --duration 10 --loop

$ ./plot4D -d point -p 5000 -f "0.4*sin(x+y)/(x^2+y^2)" --xmin -2 --xmax 2 --ymin -2 --ymax 2

$ ./plot4D -d point -p 2000 -f "0.4*cos((2*pi/150)*t)*sin(x+y)/(x^2+y^2)" --xmin -2 --xmax 2 --ymin -2 --ymax 2 --video --duration 5 --loop

$ ./plot4D penguin-flat.png -d point -r 0.4 --false-color --lights

$ ./plot4D -l -d fill -p 500 -i face-height.png --image-colors face-texture.png
[Use one image as height map an another as a texture (both of identical dimentions)


Control Keys:
  You can control the application with the keyboard and mouse.
  The surfaces can be fully rotated/zoomed in-out. Also, you can control
  the video playback with start/stop, next/previous frame, etc.

  MOUSE:
    Right click:
      Rotates around the local z axis of the 3D surface - clockwise.
    Left click:
      Rotates around the local z axis of the 3D surface - counterclockwise.
    Middle click and drag rotates the 3D surface around the X-Y axes.
  
  KEYBOARD:
    Up/Down/Left/Right Arrow: Rotates the 3D surface around the X-Y axes.
    F11: full screen
    'h': home position
    'v' or <space>: Toggle video on/off
    'b': Go to first frame
    'f': Doubles the rotation speed
    's': Halfs the rotation speed
    'n': Next frame
    'p': Previous frame
    'a': Save all frames
    'd': Save Current frame
    '+': Increase the FPS
    '-': Decrease the FPS
    'z': Zoom in
    'x': Zoom out 
    'q': quit


--
Copyright 2007, 2012 Yiannis Belias
Use under the GPLv3 or later, see COPYING. 
--
Yiannis Belias  <yiannisbe@gmail.com>              `
Homepage [http://users.hol.gr/~jonnyb/video] '              .
GNU+LINUX:                                            '           '
In a world without fences who needs Gates?      .                     *