processing.core

Class PVector

Object

PVector

All Implemented Interfaces:

Serializable

public class PVector
extends Object
implements Serializable

( begin auto-generated from PVector.xml ) A class to describe a two or three dimensional vector. This datatype stores two or three variables that are commonly used as a position, velocity, and/or acceleration. Technically, position is a point and velocity and acceleration are vectors, but this is often simplified to consider all three as vectors. For example, if you consider a rectangle moving across the screen, at any given instant it has a position (the object's location, expressed as a point.), a velocity (the rate at which the object's position changes per time unit, expressed as a vector), and acceleration (the rate at which the object's velocity changes per time unit, expressed as a vector). Since vectors represent groupings of values, we cannot simply use traditional addition/multiplication/etc. Instead, we'll need to do some "vector" math, which is made easy by the methods inside the PVector class.

The methods for this class are extensive. For a complete list, visit the developer's reference. ( end auto-generated ) A class to describe a two or three dimensional vector.

The result of all functions are applied to the vector itself, with the exception of cross(), which returns a new PVector (or writes to a specified 'target' PVector). That is, add() will add the contents of one vector to this one. Using add() with additional parameters allows you to put the result into a new PVector. Functions that act on multiple vectors also include static versions. Because creating new objects can be computationally expensive, most functions include an optional 'target' PVector, so that a new PVector object is not created with each operation.

Initially based on the Vector3D class by Dan Shiffman.

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
float	x ( begin auto-generated from PVector_x.xml ) The x component of the vector.
float	y ( begin auto-generated from PVector_y.xml ) The y component of the vector.
float	z ( begin auto-generated from PVector_z.xml ) The z component of the vector.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
PVector() Constructor for an empty vector: x, y, and z are set to 0.
PVector(float x, float y) Constructor for a 2D vector: z coordinate is set to 0.
PVector(float x, float y, float z) Constructor for a 3D vector.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
PVector	add(float x, float y)
PVector	add(float x, float y, float z)
PVector	add(PVector v) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_add.xml ) Adds x, y, and z components to a vector, adds one vector to another, or adds two independent vectors together.
static PVector	add(PVector v1, PVector v2) Add two vectors
static PVector	add(PVector v1, PVector v2, PVector target) Add two vectors into a target vector
static float	angleBetween(PVector v1, PVector v2) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_angleBetween.xml ) Calculates and returns the angle (in radians) between two vectors.
float[]	array() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_array.xml ) Return a representation of this vector as a float array.
PVector	copy() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_copy.xml ) Gets a copy of the vector, returns a PVector object.
PVector	cross(PVector v) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_cross.xml ) Calculates and returns a vector composed of the cross product between two vectors.
PVector	cross(PVector v, PVector target)
static PVector	cross(PVector v1, PVector v2, PVector target)
float	dist(PVector v) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_dist.xml ) Calculates the Euclidean distance between two points (considering a point as a vector object).
static float	dist(PVector v1, PVector v2)
PVector	div(float n) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_div.xml ) Divides a vector by a scalar or divides one vector by another.
static PVector	div(PVector v, float n) Divide a vector by a scalar and return the result in a new vector.
static PVector	div(PVector v, float n, PVector target) Divide a vector by a scalar and store the result in another vector.
float	dot(float x, float y, float z)
float	dot(PVector v) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_dot.xml ) Calculates the dot product of two vectors.
static float	dot(PVector v1, PVector v2)
boolean	equals(Object obj)
static PVector	fromAngle(float angle) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_sub.xml ) Make a new 2D unit vector from an angle.
static PVector	fromAngle(float angle, PVector target) Make a new 2D unit vector from an angle
PVector	get() Deprecated.
float[]	get(float[] target)
int	hashCode()
float	heading() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_setMag.xml ) Calculate the angle of rotation for this vector (only 2D vectors) ( end auto-generated )
float	heading2D() Deprecated.
PVector	lerp(float x, float y, float z, float amt) Linear interpolate the vector to x,y,z values
PVector	lerp(PVector v, float amt) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_rotate.xml ) Linear interpolate the vector to another vector ( end auto-generated )
static PVector	lerp(PVector v1, PVector v2, float amt) Linear interpolate between two vectors (returns a new PVector object)
PVector	limit(float max) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_limit.xml ) Limit the magnitude of this vector to the value used for the max parameter.
float	mag() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_mag.xml ) Calculates the magnitude (length) of the vector and returns the result as a float (this is simply the equation sqrt(x*x + y*y + z*z).) ( end auto-generated )
float	magSq() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_mag.xml ) Calculates the squared magnitude of the vector and returns the result as a float (this is simply the equation (x*x + y*y + z*z).) Faster if the real length is not required in the case of comparing vectors, etc.
PVector	mult(float n) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_mult.xml ) Multiplies a vector by a scalar or multiplies one vector by another.
static PVector	mult(PVector v, float n)
static PVector	mult(PVector v, float n, PVector target) Multiply a vector by a scalar, and write the result into a target PVector.
PVector	normalize() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_normalize.xml ) Normalize the vector to length 1 (make it a unit vector).
PVector	normalize(PVector target)
static PVector	random2D() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_random2D.xml ) Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction.
static PVector	random2D(PApplet parent) Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction using Processing's current random number generator
static PVector	random2D(PVector target) Set a 2D vector to a random unit vector with a random direction
static PVector	random2D(PVector target, PApplet parent) Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction.
static PVector	random3D() ( begin auto-generated from PVector_random3D.xml ) Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction.
static PVector	random3D(PApplet parent) Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction using Processing's current random number generator
static PVector	random3D(PVector target) Set a 3D vector to a random unit vector with a random direction
static PVector	random3D(PVector target, PApplet parent) Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction
PVector	rotate(float theta) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_rotate.xml ) Rotate the vector by an angle (only 2D vectors), magnitude remains the same ( end auto-generated )
PVector	set(float[] source) Set the x, y (and maybe z) coordinates using a float[] array as the source.
PVector	set(float x, float y)
PVector	set(float x, float y, float z) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_set.xml ) Sets the x, y, and z component of the vector using two or three separate variables, the data from a PVector, or the values from a float array.
PVector	set(PVector v)
PVector	setMag(float len) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_setMag.xml ) Set the magnitude of this vector to the value used for the len parameter.
PVector	setMag(PVector target, float len) Sets the magnitude of this vector, storing the result in another vector.
PVector	sub(float x, float y)
PVector	sub(float x, float y, float z)
PVector	sub(PVector v) ( begin auto-generated from PVector_sub.xml ) Subtracts x, y, and z components from a vector, subtracts one vector from another, or subtracts two independent vectors.
static PVector	sub(PVector v1, PVector v2) Subtract one vector from another
static PVector	sub(PVector v1, PVector v2, PVector target) Subtract one vector from another and store in another vector
String	toString()

Methods inherited from class Object

getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

x

public float x

( begin auto-generated from PVector_x.xml ) The x component of the vector. This field (variable) can be used to both get and set the value (see above example.) ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

The x component of the vector

Usage:

web_application

y

public float y

( begin auto-generated from PVector_y.xml ) The y component of the vector. This field (variable) can be used to both get and set the value (see above example.) ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

The y component of the vector

Usage:

web_application

z

public float z

( begin auto-generated from PVector_z.xml ) The z component of the vector. This field (variable) can be used to both get and set the value (see above example.) ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

The z component of the vector

Usage:

web_application

Constructor Detail

PVector

public PVector()

Constructor for an empty vector: x, y, and z are set to 0.

PVector

public PVector(float x,
               float y,
               float z)

Constructor for a 3D vector.

Parameters:

x - the x coordinate.

y - the y coordinate.

z - the z coordinate.

PVector

public PVector(float x,
               float y)

Constructor for a 2D vector: z coordinate is set to 0.

Method Detail

set

public PVector set(float x,
                   float y,
                   float z)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_set.xml ) Sets the x, y, and z component of the vector using two or three separate variables, the data from a PVector, or the values from a float array. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

x - the x component of the vector

y - the y component of the vector

z - the z component of the vector

In brief:

Set the components of the vector

set

public PVector set(float x,
                   float y)

Parameters:

x - the x component of the vector

y - the y component of the vector

set

public PVector set(PVector v)

Parameters:

v - any variable of type PVector

set

public PVector set(float[] source)

Set the x, y (and maybe z) coordinates using a float[] array as the source.

Parameters:

source - array to copy from

random2D

public static PVector random2D()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_random2D.xml ) Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction. If you pass in "this" as an argument, it will use the PApplet's random number generator. You can also pass in a target PVector to fill.

Returns:

the random PVector

See Also:

random3D()

In brief:

Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction.

Usage:

web_application

random2D

public static PVector random2D(PApplet parent)

Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction using Processing's current random number generator

Parameters:

parent - current PApplet instance

Returns:

the random PVector

random2D

public static PVector random2D(PVector target)

Set a 2D vector to a random unit vector with a random direction

Parameters:

target - the target vector (if null, a new vector will be created)

Returns:

the random PVector

random2D

public static PVector random2D(PVector target,
                               PApplet parent)

Make a new 2D unit vector with a random direction. Pass in the parent PApplet if you want randomSeed() to work (and be predictable). Or leave it null and be... random.

Returns:

the random PVector

random3D

public static PVector random3D()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_random3D.xml ) Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction. If you pass in "this" as an argument, it will use the PApplet's random number generator. You can also pass in a target PVector to fill.

Returns:

the random PVector

See Also:

random2D()

In brief:

Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction.

Usage:

web_application

random3D

public static PVector random3D(PApplet parent)

Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction using Processing's current random number generator

Parameters:

parent - current PApplet instance

Returns:

the random PVector

random3D

public static PVector random3D(PVector target)

Set a 3D vector to a random unit vector with a random direction

Parameters:

target - the target vector (if null, a new vector will be created)

Returns:

the random PVector

random3D

public static PVector random3D(PVector target,
                               PApplet parent)

Make a new 3D unit vector with a random direction

Returns:

the random PVector

fromAngle

public static PVector fromAngle(float angle)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_sub.xml ) Make a new 2D unit vector from an angle. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

angle - the angle in radians

Returns:

the new unit PVector

In brief:

Make a new 2D unit vector from an angle

Usage:

web_application

fromAngle

public static PVector fromAngle(float angle,
                                PVector target)

Make a new 2D unit vector from an angle

Parameters:

target - the target vector (if null, a new vector will be created)

Returns:

the PVector

copy

public PVector copy()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_copy.xml ) Gets a copy of the vector, returns a PVector object. ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

Get a copy of the vector

Usage:

web_application

get

@Deprecated
public PVector get()

Deprecated.

get

public float[] get(float[] target)

Parameters:

target -

mag

public float mag()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_mag.xml ) Calculates the magnitude (length) of the vector and returns the result as a float (this is simply the equation sqrt(x*x + y*y + z*z).) ( end auto-generated )

Returns:

magnitude (length) of the vector

See Also:

magSq()

In brief:

Calculate the magnitude of the vector

Usage:

web_application

magSq

public float magSq()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_mag.xml ) Calculates the squared magnitude of the vector and returns the result as a float (this is simply the equation (x*x + y*y + z*z).) Faster if the real length is not required in the case of comparing vectors, etc. ( end auto-generated )

Returns:

squared magnitude of the vector

See Also:

mag()

In brief:

Calculate the magnitude of the vector, squared

Usage:

web_application

add

public PVector add(PVector v)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_add.xml ) Adds x, y, and z components to a vector, adds one vector to another, or adds two independent vectors together. The version of the method that adds two vectors together is a static method and returns a PVector, the others have no return value -- they act directly on the vector. See the examples for more context. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - the vector to be added

In brief:

Adds x, y, and z components to a vector, one vector to another, or two independent vectors

Usage:

web_application

add

public PVector add(float x,
                   float y)

Parameters:

x - x component of the vector

y - y component of the vector

add

public PVector add(float x,
                   float y,
                   float z)

Parameters:

z - z component of the vector

add

public static PVector add(PVector v1,
                          PVector v2)

Add two vectors

Parameters:

v1 - a vector

v2 - another vector

add

public static PVector add(PVector v1,
                          PVector v2,
                          PVector target)

Add two vectors into a target vector

Parameters:

target - the target vector (if null, a new vector will be created)

sub

public PVector sub(PVector v)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_sub.xml ) Subtracts x, y, and z components from a vector, subtracts one vector from another, or subtracts two independent vectors. The version of the method that subtracts two vectors is a static method and returns a PVector, the others have no return value -- they act directly on the vector. See the examples for more context. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - any variable of type PVector

In brief:

Subtract x, y, and z components from a vector, one vector from another, or two independent vectors

Usage:

web_application

sub

public PVector sub(float x,
                   float y)

Parameters:

x - the x component of the vector

y - the y component of the vector

sub

public PVector sub(float x,
                   float y,
                   float z)

Parameters:

z - the z component of the vector

sub

public static PVector sub(PVector v1,
                          PVector v2)

Subtract one vector from another

Parameters:

v1 - the x, y, and z components of a PVector object

v2 - the x, y, and z components of a PVector object

sub

public static PVector sub(PVector v1,
                          PVector v2,
                          PVector target)

Subtract one vector from another and store in another vector

Parameters:

target - PVector in which to store the result

mult

public PVector mult(float n)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_mult.xml ) Multiplies a vector by a scalar or multiplies one vector by another. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

n - the number to multiply with the vector

In brief:

Multiply a vector by a scalar

Usage:

web_application

mult

public static PVector mult(PVector v,
                           float n)

Parameters:

v - the vector to multiply by the scalar

mult

public static PVector mult(PVector v,
                           float n,
                           PVector target)

Multiply a vector by a scalar, and write the result into a target PVector.

Parameters:

target - PVector in which to store the result

div

public PVector div(float n)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_div.xml ) Divides a vector by a scalar or divides one vector by another. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

n - the number by which to divide the vector

In brief:

Divide a vector by a scalar

Usage:

web_application

div

public static PVector div(PVector v,
                          float n)

Divide a vector by a scalar and return the result in a new vector.

Parameters:

v - the vector to divide by the scalar

Returns:

a new vector that is v1 / n

div

public static PVector div(PVector v,
                          float n,
                          PVector target)

Divide a vector by a scalar and store the result in another vector.

Parameters:

target - PVector in which to store the result

dist

public float dist(PVector v)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_dist.xml ) Calculates the Euclidean distance between two points (considering a point as a vector object). ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - the x, y, and z coordinates of a PVector

In brief:

Calculate the distance between two points

Usage:

web_application

dist

public static float dist(PVector v1,
                         PVector v2)

Parameters:

v1 - any variable of type PVector

v2 - any variable of type PVector

Returns:

the Euclidean distance between v1 and v2

dot

public float dot(PVector v)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_dot.xml ) Calculates the dot product of two vectors. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - any variable of type PVector

Returns:

the dot product

In brief:

Calculate the dot product of two vectors

Usage:

web_application

dot

public float dot(float x,
                 float y,
                 float z)

Parameters:

x - x component of the vector

y - y component of the vector

z - z component of the vector

dot

public static float dot(PVector v1,
                        PVector v2)

Parameters:

v1 - any variable of type PVector

v2 - any variable of type PVector

cross

public PVector cross(PVector v)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_cross.xml ) Calculates and returns a vector composed of the cross product between two vectors. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - the vector to calculate the cross product

In brief:

Calculate and return the cross product

cross

public PVector cross(PVector v,
                     PVector target)

Parameters:

v - any variable of type PVector

target - PVector to store the result

cross

public static PVector cross(PVector v1,
                            PVector v2,
                            PVector target)

Parameters:

v1 - any variable of type PVector

v2 - any variable of type PVector

target - PVector to store the result

normalize

public PVector normalize()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_normalize.xml ) Normalize the vector to length 1 (make it a unit vector). ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

Normalize the vector to a length of 1

Usage:

web_application

normalize

public PVector normalize(PVector target)

Parameters:

target - Set to null to create a new vector

Returns:

a new vector (if target was null), or target

limit

public PVector limit(float max)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_limit.xml ) Limit the magnitude of this vector to the value used for the max parameter. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

max - the maximum magnitude for the vector

In brief:

Limit the magnitude of the vector

Usage:

web_application

setMag

public PVector setMag(float len)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_setMag.xml ) Set the magnitude of this vector to the value used for the len parameter. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

len - the new length for this vector

In brief:

Set the magnitude of the vector

Usage:

web_application

setMag

public PVector setMag(PVector target,
                      float len)

Sets the magnitude of this vector, storing the result in another vector.

Parameters:

target - Set to null to create a new vector

len - the new length for the new vector

Returns:

a new vector (if target was null), or target

heading

public float heading()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_setMag.xml ) Calculate the angle of rotation for this vector (only 2D vectors) ( end auto-generated )

Returns:

the angle of rotation

In brief:

Calculate the angle of rotation for this vector

Usage:

web_application

heading2D

@Deprecated
public float heading2D()

Deprecated.

rotate

public PVector rotate(float theta)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_rotate.xml ) Rotate the vector by an angle (only 2D vectors), magnitude remains the same ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

theta - the angle of rotation

In brief:

Rotate the vector by an angle (2D only)

Usage:

web_application

lerp

public PVector lerp(PVector v,
                    float amt)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_rotate.xml ) Linear interpolate the vector to another vector ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v - the vector to lerp to

amt - The amount of interpolation; some value between 0.0 (old vector) and 1.0 (new vector). 0.1 is very near the old vector; 0.5 is halfway in between.

See Also:

PApplet.lerp(float, float, float)

In brief:

Linear interpolate the vector to another vector

Usage:

web_application

lerp

public static PVector lerp(PVector v1,
                           PVector v2,
                           float amt)

Linear interpolate between two vectors (returns a new PVector object)

Parameters:

v1 - the vector to start from

v2 - the vector to lerp to

lerp

public PVector lerp(float x,
                    float y,
                    float z,
                    float amt)

Linear interpolate the vector to x,y,z values

Parameters:

x - the x component to lerp to

y - the y component to lerp to

z - the z component to lerp to

angleBetween

public static float angleBetween(PVector v1,
                                 PVector v2)

( begin auto-generated from PVector_angleBetween.xml ) Calculates and returns the angle (in radians) between two vectors. ( end auto-generated )

Parameters:

v1 - the x, y, and z components of a PVector

v2 - the x, y, and z components of a PVector

In brief:

Calculate and return the angle between two vectors

Usage:

web_application

toString

public String toString()

Overrides:

toString in class Object

array

public float[] array()

( begin auto-generated from PVector_array.xml ) Return a representation of this vector as a float array. This is only for temporary use. If used in any other fashion, the contents should be copied by using the PVector.get() method to copy into your own array. ( end auto-generated )

In brief:

Return a representation of the vector as a float array

equals

public boolean equals(Object obj)

Overrides:

equals in class Object

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Overrides:

hashCode in class Object