The full 3D representation of crystallographic texture is given by the orientation distribution function (ODF) which can be achieved through evaluation of a set of pole figures or diffraction patterns.  Subsequently, all pole figures can be derived from the ODF.
The ODF is defined as the volume fraction of grains with a certain orientation .
The orientation  is normally identified using three Euler angles. The Euler angles then describe the transition from the sample’s reference frame into the crystallographic reference frame of each individual grain of the polycrystal. One thus ends up with a large set of different Euler angles, the distribution of which is described by the ODF.
The orientation distribution function, ODF, cannot be measured directly by any technique. Traditionally both X-ray diffraction and EBSD may collect pole figures. Different methodologies exist to obtain the ODF from the pole figures or data in general. They can be classified based on how they represent the ODF. Some represent the ODF as a function, sum of functions or expand it in a series of harmonic functions. Others, known as discrete methods, divide the ODF space in cells and focus on determining the value of the ODF in each cell.