# How do I use three different arrays as components of one vector field?

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-do-i-use-three-different-arrays-as-components-of-one-vector-field/4637
**Category:** FAQ
**Created:** [June 22, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-do-i-use-three-different-arrays-as-components-of-one-vector-field/4637 "2020-06-22T00:43:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![cory.quammen](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/cory.quammen/32/11193_2.png) [@cory.quammen](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/cory.quammen)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-do-i-use-three-different-arrays-as-components-of-one-vector-field/4637/1 "2020-06-22T00:43:04Z")

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Many filters that operate on vector fields (e.g., **Glyph** , **Stream Tracer** , and so on) expect to operate on an array with three components. Suppose your data set has three separate arrays named “VX”, “VY”, and “VZ” that define a vector field. You cannot provide those three arrays to the **Glyph** filter. Instead, you will need to do a little work to combine them into a 3-component data array.

One way is to use the **Python Calculator** filter to make the vector array. To make a new array named “V” that has all three components combined, set the **Expression** to `make_vector(VX, VY, VZ)` and the **Array Name** to `V`. This filter is available if ParaView is built with Python support, which is true of all the ParaView binaries available for download at [www.paraview.org/download](http://www.paraview.org/download).

If you are using a custom-built ParaView that does not have Python support, you can use the **Calculator** filter instead. Set the **Result Array Name** to `V` and the calculator expression to `VX*iHat + VY*jHat + VZ*kHat`. This filter is available when Python is enabled, so it will also work in that case - the expression is just more complex.

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![cory.quammen](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/cory.quammen/32/11193_2.png) [@cory.quammen](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/cory.quammen)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-do-i-use-three-different-arrays-as-components-of-one-vector-field/4637/2 "2022-10-31T17:43:37Z")

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The **Merge Vector Components** filter provides a simpler way to do this in ParaView 5.10 and above.
