Category Archives: Graphics

Connect The Dots E8

By Zevan | March 19, 2010
CLICK HERE TO COPY
Actionscript:
  1. [SWF(width = 500, height = 500)]
  2. const TWO_PI:Number = Math.PI * 2;
  3. var centerX:Number = stage.stageWidth / 2;
  4. var centerY:Number = stage.stageHeight / 2;
  5. addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, onLoop);
  6. function onLoop(evt:Event):void{
  7.     // data
  8.     var points:Array = [];
  9.     var i:int = 0;
  10.     var pointNum : int = Math.max(2,int(mouseX / 12))
  11.    
  12.     var radius:Number = 200;
  13.     var step:Number = TWO_PI / pointNum;
  14.     var theta:Number = step / 2;
  15.     for (i = 0; i<pointNum; i++){
  16.         var xp:Number = centerX + radius * Math.cos(theta);
  17.         var yp:Number = centerY + radius * Math.sin(theta);
  18.         points[i] = new Point(xp, yp);
  19.         theta += step;
  20.     }
  21.     // render
  22.     graphics.clear();
  23.     graphics.lineStyle(0,0);
  24.     for ( i = 0; i<pointNum; i++){
  25.      var a:Point = points[i];
  26.      for (var j:int = 0; j<pointNum; j++){
  27.         var b:Point = points[j];
  28.         if (a != b){
  29.            graphics.drawCircle(a.x, a.y, 10);
  30.            graphics.moveTo(a.x, a.y);
  31.            graphics.lineTo(b.x, b.y);
  32.         }
  33.      }
  34.    }
  35. }

I've been using this geometric shape for lots of different things recently. Including during consulting gigs as a helpful visualization. Just move your mouse left and right... I particularly like the simpler forms you get by moving your mouse to the left (triangles squares and simple polygons):

While not entirely related this wikipedia article is interesting.

[EDIT : Thanks to martin for reminding me that I can do away with the if statement here in the above code ]

CLICK HERE TO COPY
Actionscript:
  1. graphics.clear();
  2. graphics.lineStyle(0,0);
  3. for (i = 0; i<pointNum; i++) {
  4.     var a:Point=points[i];
  5.     for (var j:int = i+1; j<pointNum; j++) {
  6.         var b:Point=points[j];
  7.         graphics.drawCircle(a.x, a.y, 10);
  8.         graphics.moveTo(a.x, a.y);
  9.         graphics.lineTo(b.x, b.y);
  10.     }
  11. }
  12. graphics.drawCircle(a.x, a.y, 10);

I implemented that change over at wonderfl and it works nicely

Also posted in Math, misc | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Nonsense Clocks

By Zevan | March 15, 2010
CLICK HERE TO COPY
Actionscript:
  1. [SWF(width = 500, height=500, backgroundColor=0x000000)]
  2.  
  3. var clockNum:int = 100;
  4. var clocks:Vector.<Function> = new Vector.<Function>(clockNum, true);
  5.  
  6. var clockContainer:Sprite = Sprite(addChild(new Sprite()));
  7. clockContainer.x = stage.stageWidth / 2;
  8. clockContainer.y = stage.stageHeight / 2;
  9. buildClocks();
  10. runClocks();
  11.  
  12. function buildClocks():void{
  13.     for (var i:int = 0; i<clockNum; i++){
  14.         var theta:Number = Math.random() * Math.PI * 2;
  15.         var radius:Number = Math.random() * 200;
  16.         var xp:Number = radius * Math.cos(theta);
  17.         var yp:Number = radius * Math.sin(theta);
  18.         clocks[i] = makeClock(xp,yp,Math.random() * Math.PI * 2);
  19.     }
  20. }
  21. function runClocks():void{
  22.     addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, onRunClocks);
  23. }
  24. function onRunClocks(evt:Event):void{
  25.     for (var i:int = 0; i<clockNum; i++){
  26.         clocks[i]();
  27.     }
  28.     clockContainer.rotationX = clockContainer.mouseY / 30;
  29.     clockContainer.rotationY = -clockContainer.mouseX / 30;
  30. }
  31. function makeClock(x:Number, y:Number, time:Number=0):Function{
  32.     var radius:Number = Math.random() * 20 + 5;
  33.     var border:Number = radius * 0.2;
  34.     var smallRadius:Number = radius - radius * 0.3;
  35.    
  36.     var clock:Sprite = Sprite(clockContainer.addChild(new Sprite()));
  37.     clock.x = x;
  38.     clock.y = y;
  39.     clock.z = 100 - Math.random() * 200;
  40.     clock.rotationX = Math.random() * 40 - 20;
  41.     clock.rotationY = Math.random() * 40 - 20;
  42.     clock.rotationZ = Math.random() * 360;
  43.     return function():void{
  44.         with (clock.graphics){
  45.             clear();
  46.             lineStyle(1,0xFFFFFF);
  47.             drawCircle(0,0,radius + border);
  48.             var xp:Number = smallRadius * Math.cos(time/2);
  49.             var yp:Number = smallRadius * Math.sin(time/2);
  50.             moveTo(0,0);
  51.             lineTo(xp, yp);
  52.             xp = radius * Math.cos(time);
  53.             yp = radius * Math.sin(time);
  54.             moveTo(0,0);
  55.             lineTo(xp, yp);
  56.         }
  57.         time+=0.1;
  58.     }
  59. }


You can go check the swf out at wonderfl.net...

Also posted in 3D, misc, motion | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Polar Coordinates Distribution

By Zevan | March 3, 2010

If you're at all interested in watching me free from code. I recorded a video of me coding this snippet (which is about 11 minutes long or so).

In the video I create a few functions that allow you to draw shapes like these:

Mathematically this stuff is really simple ... the free form nature of the video takes a less technical perspective as you'll see (I even made a few funny mistakes).



CLICK HERE TO COPY
Actionscript:
  1. [SWF(width = 600, height = 600)]
  2. var dotNum:int = 1000;
  3. var dotRad:Number = 0.5;
  4.  
  5. x = 120
  6. y = 100;
  7.  
  8. // extra stuff to display what the functions can do
  9. stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, onDrawAll);
  10.  
  11. function onDrawAll(evt:Event):void{
  12.     graphics.clear();
  13.     for (var i:int = 0; i<16; i++){
  14.         var m:Number;
  15.    
  16.         var rad:Number = 120;
  17.         var xp:Number = i % 4 * rad
  18.         var yp:Number = int(i / 4) * rad
  19.    
  20.         var type:int = int(Math.random() * 4);
  21.         if (type == 0){
  22.           makeShape(xp, yp, rad-60, Math.random() , 1);
  23.         }else if (type == 1){
  24.            makeShape(xp, yp, rad-60, 1,  Math.random());
  25.         }
  26.         else if (type == 2){
  27.            m = Math.random() * 2;
  28.            makeShape(xp, yp, rad-Math.random()*120, m, m);
  29.         }
  30.         else if (type == 3){
  31.            m = Math.random() * 2;
  32.            makeShape(xp, yp, rad-Math.random()*120, m, m/2);
  33.         }
  34.     }
  35. }
  36.  
  37. // main part from the video
  38. function makeShape(xp:Number, yp:Number,
  39.                    maxRad:Number = 100,m0:Number=1,
  40.                    m1:Number=1):void{
  41.     var polarX:Number;
  42.     var polarY:Number;
  43.     var radius:Number;
  44.     graphics.lineStyle(0, 0);
  45.     var theta:Number = Math.random() * Math.PI * 2;
  46.     for (var i:int = 0; i<dotNum; i++){
  47.         radius = Math.random() * maxRad
  48.         polarX = xp + radius * Math.cos(theta * m0);
  49.         polarY = yp + radius * Math.sin(theta * m1);
  50.         theta += 0.1;
  51.          
  52.         makeDot(polarX, polarY);
  53.        
  54.     }
  55. }
  56.  
  57. function makeDot(xp:Number, yp:Number, fillColor:uint = 0x000000):void{
  58.     graphics.beginFill(fillColor);
  59.     graphics.drawCircle(xp, yp, dotRad);
  60.     graphics.endFill();
  61. }

Here it is over at wonderf:

Also posted in Math, functions, misc | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

AS Quiz #8

By Zevan | January 20, 2010

Today's quiz is not multiple choice. Instead, your task is to write a function that draws stairs that look like this:

Your function should have the following arguments:

drawStairs(graphics, stairNum);
// you may include additional arguments for size, depth etc..

Feel free to post your solution in the comments.

I'll post my solution for this in the comments tomorrow. There is also another multiple choice quiz in the pipeline for tomorrow...

BONUS: Try to use as few Graphics class method calls as possible.

You can see my solutions here.

Also posted in Quiz | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments