plot (x,y,z) triplets as a surface?

[Andrew <noymer(at)my-deja.com>]

Dear comp.lang.idl-pvwave,

   I have some surface data that are generated by a computer
simulation I wrote.  The simulation itself is not written in IDL,
it's an external program that produces an ASCII data set.  Before
switching to IDL, I used a plotting program that required the surface
data to be z only, with x and y determined by column and row.

   As far as I can tell, this is also IDL's preferred way to read
surface data.  Obviously, it is a more economical way to store surface
data.  However, economy aside, for many reasons I would prefer to
have my simulation output (x,y,z) triplets.  The x,y values ARE evenly
spaced but I would STILL like to output the data as triplets.  Call
me stubborn.

   Is there any way to read (x,y,z) triplets into IDL and make a
surface?  Sorry if this is a terrible newbie question.

    TIA,
        Andrew
noymer@my-deja.com


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