Spreads vs Vectors

vvvv beta question
1

Is there any difference at all between the output of the Vector Join and the Stallone in the picture below?{img src = "sites/default/files/imagefield_thumbs/images/vvvv_0.png?1395183768" title = “title”}
Is a list of 3D vectors simply a spread of successive x1,y1,z1,x2,y2,z2… values which are distinguished only by the way that particular graphics nodes use them? If so, why are there X and Y input and output values on the IOBox’s inspector? The docs seem to speak of a “spread of vectors” and speak of “vector” as though it was a type while happily ignoring any careful explanation of precisely what it is they’re talking about.

I can’t ultimately see any distinction (though I don’t understand the X/Y thing on IOBoxes) but I’d like to verify for sure that if I put out a spread of floats as “points” that something isn’t going to break somewhere down the line.

Thanks for any insight!

2

you are absolutely right, a ‘spread of vectors’ is just a list of values like any other, there is no difference. the interpretation of the list as x1,y1,z1,x2,y2,z2… has each node to do for itself.

some nodes have convenience features like ‘bin size’ or ‘vector size’ to configure the behavior of the node, that it treats the data as 2d/3d or whatever dimension of vectors you choose.

regarding the IO box pins, they refer to the XY 2d slider mode, have a look at the help patch of IOBox (Value).