# PlotlyJS doesn't implement orthographic projection option
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203
**Category:** Visualization
**Tags:** plots, 3d, plotlyjs
**Created:** [March 16, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203 "2023-03-16T19:03:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bhalpin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bhalpin)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/1 "2023-03-16T19:03:00Z")
PlotlyJS has an option for orthographic projection rather than the default “perspective” projection. It is described in the docs here:
[https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/plotlyjs/generated/plotlyjs-ref060/](https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/plotlyjs/generated/plotlyjs-ref060/)
The orthographic example is actually using perspective.
The options work as intended with GR.
Code to reproduce (based on the example in the docs):
```plaintext
x = [[-1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, -1], [1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, 1], [1, 1]]
y = [[1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, -1], [1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, 1]]
z = [[1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, 1], [-1, -1], [-1, -1], [-1, -1], [-1, -1]]
kw = (aspect_ratio = :equal, label = :none, xlabel = "x", ylabel = "y", zlabel = "z", xlims = (-1.1, 1.1), ylims = (-1.1, 1.1), zlims = (-1.1, 1.1))
plotlyjs()
plot(plot(x, y, z; proj_type = :ortho, title = "PlotlyJS incorrect ortho", camera = (45, round(atand(1 / √2); digits = 3)), kw...),
plot(x, y, z; proj_type = :persp, title = "PlotlyJS perspective", camera = (45, round(atand(1 / √2); digits = 3)), kw...))
gr()
plot(plot(x, y, z; proj_type = :ortho, title = "GR correct orthographic", camera = (45, round(atand(1 / √2); digits = 3)), kw...),
plot(x, y, z; proj_type = :persp, title = "GR perspective", camera = (45, round(atand(1 / √2); digits = 3)), kw...))
```
(Am trying to figure out how to add graphics files…)
In the absence of graphics, the orthogonal projection of a cube at this angle should yield a regular hexagon, whereas perspective projection yields a hexagon that is appropriately distorted. PlotlyJS produces similar irregular hexagons for both cases, whereas GR does it right.
---
### Author:  [@bhalpin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bhalpin)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2023, 10:45pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/2 "2023-03-16T22:45:02Z")
The GR docs and the PlotlyJS docs on the issue show the problem clearly
[https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/gr/generated/gr-ref060/#gr\_ref060](https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/gr/generated/gr-ref060/#gr_ref060)
vs
[https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/plotlyjs/generated/plotlyjs-ref060/](https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/plotlyjs/generated/plotlyjs-ref060/)
---
### Author:  [@empet](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/empet)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/3 "2023-03-16T23:10:10Z")
Using direct PlotlyJS, not via Plots, the two projections are distinct:
---
### Author:  [@bhalpin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bhalpin)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/4 "2023-03-17T19:27:01Z")
OK, that helps localise the problem. Thanks!
Could you please show how to do that? I can plot using PlotlyJS without Plots, but I can’t figure out how to pass the projection parameter.
---
### Author:  [@empet](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/empet)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/5 "2023-03-17T22:31:28Z")
Set in Layout, `scene_camera_projection_type="othographic"`
---
### Author:  [@bhalpin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bhalpin)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/6 "2023-03-19T13:36:50Z")
Thanks,
I can’t get that to work exactly in that form, but using it as a starting point I arrived at this snippet which works, and generates an orthographic projection (which from this angle reduces to a 2-D X-Y view):
```julia
using PlotlyJS
rw() = cumsum(randn(400))
trace1 = scatter3d(;x=rw(),y=rw(), z=rw(), mode="lines")
layout=Layout(scene=attr(camera=attr(eye=attr(x=0.0, y=0.0, z=10.0),
projection=attr(type="orthographic"))))
plot([trace1], layout)
```
This is a solution for me, but the problem remains that the example in the docs at [3D projection · Plots](https://docs.juliaplots.org/stable/gallery/plotlyjs/generated/plotlyjs-ref060/) doesn’t work as advertised. Who should I tell?
---
### Author:  [@empet](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/empet)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotlyjs-doesnt-implement-orthographic-projection-option/96203/7 "2023-03-19T14:20:03Z")
What I posted is a path in a nested Dict interpreted as a tree with the root, `scene`. But finally you realized how to write it to have effect.
You may open an issue on the PlotlyJS.jl.repo or better, a PR to improve the docs related to projection type.