CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonfractals
Cdsboy
Cdsboy

Reputation: 730

Implementing the Koch Curve?

I was looking at the wikipedia page for the Koch Snowflake (here) and was bothered by the all the examples all being in the logo/turtle style. So i set out to make my own that returned a list or coordinates.

My implementation is in python and i basically ripped off the python turtle implementation but replaced the turtle specific stuff with basic trig. It resulted in some ugly code. My challenge for you is to either improve my code or come up with a more elligant solution of your own. It can be in python, or your favorite language.

My Code:

from math import sin, cos, radians

def grow(steps, length = 200, startPos = (0,0)):
    angle = 0
    try:
        jump = float(length) / (3 ** steps)
    except:
        jump = length

    set="F"
    for i in xrange(steps): set=set.replace("F", "FLFRFLF")

    coords = [startPos]
    for move in set:
        if move is "F": 
            coords.append(
              (coords[-1][0] + jump * cos(angle),
               coords[-1][1] + jump * sin(angle)))
        if move is "L":
            angle += radians(60)
        if move is "R":
            angle -= radians(120)

    return coords

EDIT: due to lazy copying, i forgot the import

Upvotes: 3

Views: 6035

Answers (4)

cdlane
cdlane

Reputation: 41872

Something to consider, if not for your implementation then for testing your implementation, is that Python turtle can record what it's doing and give you back the coordinates. You use begin_poly() and end_poly() around the code you want to record and then use get_poly() afterwards to get the points.

In this example, I'll draw the snowflake based on code from this site then register those coordinates back as a new turtle shape that I'll randomly (and quickly) stamp about the screen:

import turtle
from random import random, randrange

def koch_curve(turtle, steps, length):
    if steps == 0:
        turtle.forward(length)
    else:
        for angle in [60, -120, 60, 0]:
            koch_curve(turtle, steps - 1, length / 3)
            turtle.left(angle)

def koch_snowflake(turtle, steps, length):
    turtle.begin_poly()

    for _ in range(3):
        koch_curve(turtle, steps, length)
        turtle.right(120)

    turtle.end_poly()

    return turtle.get_poly()

turtle.speed("fastest")

turtle.register_shape("snowflake", koch_snowflake(turtle.getturtle(), 3, 100))

turtle.reset()

turtle.penup()

turtle.shape("snowflake")

width, height = turtle.window_width() / 2, turtle.window_height() / 2

for _ in range(24):
    turtle.color((random(), random(), random()), (random(), random(), random()))
    turtle.goto(randrange(-width, width), randrange(-height, height))
    turtle.stamp()

turtle.done()

You can have the pen up and turtle hidden during polygon generation if you don't want this step to be seen by the user.

enter image description here

Upvotes: 0

heltonbiker
heltonbiker

Reputation: 27575

I liked your question so much that I posted an answer to it as a new question, so that other people could improve it:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7420248

I used no Logo/Turtle stuff, neither trigonometry.

Congrats for being the first one bringing this problem to StackOverflow!

Upvotes: 2

Per Alexandersson
Per Alexandersson

Reputation: 2523

Mathematica is superior when it comes to math stuff:

points = {{0.0, 1.0}};
koch[pts_] := Join[
    pts/3,
    (RotationMatrix[60 Degree].#/3 + {1/3, 0}) & /@ pts,
    (RotationMatrix[-60 Degree].#/3 + {1/2, 1/Sqrt[12]}) & /@ pts,
    (#/3 + {2/3, 0}) & /@ pts
];
Graphics[Line[Nest[koch, points, 5]], PlotRange -> {{0, 1}, {0, 0.3}}] //Print

Upvotes: 1

Alex Martelli
Alex Martelli

Reputation: 881575

I don't see it as particularly ugly and I'd only refactor it incrementally, e.g. as a first step (I've removed the try/except because I don't know what you're trying to ward against... if it needs to get back in it should be a bit more explicit, IMHO):

import math

angles = [math.radians(60*x) for x in range(6)]
sines = [math.sin(x) for x in angles]
cosin = [math.cos(x) for x in angles]

def L(angle, coords, jump):
    return (angle + 1) % 6
def R(angle, coords, jump):
    return (angle + 4) % 6
def F(angle, coords, jump):
    coords.append(
        (coords[-1][0] + jump * cosin[angle],
         coords[-1][1] + jump * sines[angle]))
    return angle

decode = dict(L=L, R=R, F=F)

def grow(steps, length=200, startPos=(0,0)):
    pathcodes="F"
    for i in xrange(steps):
        pathcodes = pathcodes.replace("F", "FLFRFLF")

    jump = float(length) / (3 ** steps)
    coords = [startPos]
    angle = 0

    for move in pathcodes:
        angle = decode[move](angle, coords, jump)

    return coords

If a second step was warranted I'd probably roll this functionality up into a class, but I'm not sure that would make things substantially better (or, better at all, in fact;-).

Upvotes: 7

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