# Indexing

Several methods can be used to obtain integer indices associated with mesh elements. Such indices are often needed for, e.g., building matrices. These methods index elements from 0 through the number of elements of the same kind. I.e., vertices are indexed 0, 1, 2, …, up through the number of vertices. In general nothing can/should be assumed about this ordering, except that it will remain fixed as long as the mesh connectivity is not changed.

Note that in some cases, the most straightforward thing may be to just assign your own indices—especially if the indexing scheme needed to build your matrix is different from a straightforward enumeration of mesh elements. For instance, in the following example a boolean vertex attribute skip is provided, which determines whether each vertex is used in a linear system:

VertexData<bool> skip; // assume skip[v] is true if v is not used in the linear system
VertexData<size_t> vertexIndex( mesh );
int i = 0;
for( Vertex v : mesh.vertices() ) {
if( !skip[v] ) {
vertexIndex[v] = i;
i++;
}
}


## Uncached index arrays

These methods build and return an ElementData<size_t> array that indexes the mesh elements. Note that these arrays are not cached, and arrays are re-built each time the method is invoked.

HalfedgeData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getHalfedgeIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all halfedges, with values between 0 and H-1, where H is the number of halfedges in the mesh.

CornerData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getCornerIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all corners, with values between 0 and C-1, where C is the number of corners in the mesh.

VertexData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getVertexIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all vertices, with values between 0 and V-1, where V is the number of vertices in the mesh.

VertexData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getInteriorVertexIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all interior vertices, with values between 0 and I-1, where I is the number of interior vertices in the mesh.

EdgeData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getEdgeIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all edges, with values between 0 and E-1, where E is the number of edges in the mesh.

FaceData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getFaceIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all faces, with values between 0 and F-1, where F is the number of faces in the mesh.

BoundaryLoopData<size_t> SurfaceMesh::getBoundaryLoopIndices()

Returns an array that provides indices for all boundary loops, with values between 0 and B-1, where B is the number of boundary loops in the mesh.

## Cached index arrays

These methods build the same arrays as the uncached methods, but cache them in a Geometry object. Note that indices of course do not relate to the actual geometry (i.e., shape and size) of the mesh—however, this mechanism allows indices to be tracked with the geometry classes, so they can participate in the buffer management and dependency management. Basic example usage:

SurfaceMesh mesh;
VertexPositionGeometry geometry( mesh );
geometry->requireVertexIndices();
for( Vertex v : mesh->vertices() ) {
int i = geometry->vertexIndices[v];
// do science
}

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireHalfedgeIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::halfedgeIndices that provides indices for all halfedges, with values between 0 and H-1, where H is the number of halfedges in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireCornerIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::cornerIndices that provides indices for all corners, with values between 0 and C-1, where C is the number of halfedges in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireVertexIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::vertexIndices that provides indices for all vertices, with values between 0 and V-1, where V is the number of vertices in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireInteriorVertexIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::interiorVertexIndices that provides indices for all interior vertices, with values between 0 and I-1, where I is the number of interior vertices in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireEdgeIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::edgeIndices that provides indices for all edges, with values between 0 and E-1, where E is the number of edges in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireFaceIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::faceIndices that provides indices for all faces, with values between 0 and F-1, where F is the number of faces in the mesh.

void BaseGeometryInterface::requireBoundaryLoopIndices()

Builds and maintains the array BaseGeometryInterface::boundaryLoopIndices that provides indices for all boundary loops, with values between 0 and B-1, where B is the number of boundary loops in the mesh.

## Per element indices

Warning

The routines in this section are valid only when the mesh is compressed.

These methods access the index directly from the mesh element itself. For example:

Edge e;
size_t i = e.getIndex();

size_t Halfedge::getIndex() const

Returns an index between 0 and H-1, where H is the number of halfedges in the mesh.

size_t Corner::getIndex() const

Returns an index between 0 and C-1, where C is the number of corners in the mesh.

size_t Vertex::getIndex() const

Returns an index between 0 and V-1, where V is the number of vertices in the mesh.

size_t Edge::getIndex() const

Returns an index between 0 and E-1, where E is the number of edges in the mesh.

size_t Face::getIndex() const

Returns an index between 0 and F-1, where F is the number of faces in the mesh.