Difference between revisions of "Asymptote: Macros and Packages"
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'''Note:''' A sequence of variables without type declarations indicates that they are the same type as the variable preceding it. For example, the notation <tt>concurrent(pair A, B, C, D, E, F)</tt> indicates that all of the variables should have type pair. | '''Note:''' A sequence of variables without type declarations indicates that they are the same type as the variable preceding it. For example, the notation <tt>concurrent(pair A, B, C, D, E, F)</tt> indicates that all of the variables should have type pair. | ||
− | These boolean functions test for equality within <math>10^{-5}</math> ps points in order to avoid approximation errors. | + | * These boolean functions test for equality within <math>10^{-5}</math> ps points in order to avoid approximation errors. |
Revision as of 11:19, 23 January 2007
Definitions
You can define your own functions in Asymptote as well. As an example, let's say you wanted to make a function called newfunction that takes a pair and a real value
as input, and returns the pair
. In addition, you want it to simply return the pair
if no value of
is specified, so you want
to default to
. The code would be as follows:
pair newfunction(pair z, real r=0) { real a,b; a=z.x; b=z.y; return (a+r,b+r); }
Put this definition in an asymptote document and then test it using some command like
draw(newfunction((20,30))--newfunction((20,30),30)--(0,0)--cycle);
See if it works!
Notice that the function must be declared a pair since it returns a pair, and each of the variables must be declared some data type too. The default value of was set to
by
, and the actual function procedure goes in between {}. This is the general format for a function definition.
Packages
Asymptote comes with several packages that contain useful functions for various purposes. For example, the package graph.asy contains the function
Circle(pair p, real r, int n=400);
which is a more accurate circle (having 400 nodes by default) than the built-in circle command. To use this function and others in graph.asy, simply put the command
include graph;
at the top of your Asymptote document.
You can create your own package by simply creating a new .asy file (say MyMacros.asy) with your own definitions in it, and saving it in the directory in which Asymptote is installed (C:\Program Files\Asymptote by default). Then include MyMacros; in your document, and you'll be set!
The Olympiad Package
We have created an Olympiad package for Asymptote which includes macros for all the constructions that come up most often in Olympiad geometry problems! You can obtain the package olympiad.asy by clicking [here], and saving the page as "olympiad.asy" in your Asymptote directory (C:\Program Files\Asymptote by default).
This package includes the following definitions:
Note: A sequence of variables without type declarations indicates that they are the same type as the variable preceding it. For example, the notation concurrent(pair A, B, C, D, E, F) indicates that all of the variables should have type pair.
- These boolean functions test for equality within
ps points in order to avoid approximation errors.