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Triangle

Triangles in 3D space

PhilipRBrenan@yahoo.com, 2004, Perl License

Synopsis

Example t/triangle.t

 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Test 3d triangles    
 # philiprbrenan@yahoo.com, 2004, Perl License    
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 use Math::Zap::Vector;
 use Math::Zap::Vector2;
 use Math::Zap::Triangle;
 use Test::Simple tests=>25;
  
 $t = triangle
  (vector( 0,  0,  0), 
   vector( 0,  0,  4), 
   vector( 4,  0,  0),
  );
  
 $u = triangle
  (vector( 0,  0,  0), 
   vector( 0,  1,  4), 
   vector( 4,  1,  0),
  );
 
 $T = triangle
  (vector( 0,  1,  0), 
   vector( 0,  1,  1), 
   vector( 1,  1,  0),
  );
 
 $c = vector(1, 1, 1);
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Distance to plane
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 ok($t->distance($c)   == 1, 'Distance to plane');
 ok($T->distance($c)   == 0, 'Distance to plane');
 ok($t->distance(2*$c) == 2, 'Distance to plane');
 ok($t->distanceToPlaneAlongLine(vector(0,-1,0), vector(0,1,0)) == 1, 'Distance to plane towards a point');
 ok($T->distanceToPlaneAlongLine(vector(0,-1,0), vector(0,1,0)) == 2, 'Distance to plane towards a point');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Permute the points of a triangle
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 ok($t->permute                   == $t, 'Permute 1');
 ok($t->permute->permute          == $t, 'Permute 2');
 ok($t->permute->permute->permute == $t, 'Permute 3');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Intersection of a line with a plane defined by a triangle
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 #ok($t->intersection($c, vector(1,  -1,  1)) == vector(1, 0, 1), 'Intersection of line with plane');
 #ok($t->intersection($c, vector(-1, -1, -1)) == vector(0, 0, 0), 'Intersection of line with plane');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Test whether a point is in front or behind a plane relative to another
 # point
 #______________________________________________________________________
  
 ok($t->frontInBehind($c, vector(1,  0.5,  1)) == +1, 'Front');
 ok($t->frontInBehind($c, vector(1,    0,  1)) ==  0, 'In');
 ok($t->frontInBehind($c, vector(1, -0.5,  1)) == -1, 'Behind');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Parallel
 #______________________________________________________________________
  
 ok($t->parallel($T) == 1, 'Parallel');
 ok($t->parallel($u) == 0, 'Not Parallel');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Coplanar
 #______________________________________________________________________
  
 #ok($t->coplanar($t) == 1, 'Coplanar');
 #ok($t->coplanar($u) == 0, 'Not coplanar');
 #ok($t->coplanar($T) == 0, 'Not coplanar');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Project one triangle onto another
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 $p = vector(0, 2, 0);
 $s = $t->project($T, $p);
 
 ok($s == triangle
  (vector(0,   0,   2),
   vector(0.5, 0,   2),
   vector(0,   0.5, 2),
  ), 'Projection of corner 3');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Convert space to plane coordinates and vice versa
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 ok($t->convertSpaceToPlane(vector(2, 2, 2))   == vector(0.5,0.5,2), 'Space to Plane');
 ok($t->convertPlaneToSpace(vector2(0.5, 0.5)) == vector(2, 0, 2),   'Plane to Space');
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Divide 
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 $it = triangle          # Intersects t
  (vector(  0, -1,  2), 
   vector(  0,  2,  2), 
   vector(  3,  2,  2),
  );
 
 @d = $t->divide($it);
 
 ok($d[0] == triangle(vector(0, -1, 2), vector(0, 0, 2), vector(1, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[1] == triangle(vector(0,  2, 2), vector(0, 0, 2), vector(1, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[2] == triangle(vector(0,  2, 2), vector(1, 0, 2), vector(3, 2, 2)));
 
 $it = triangle          # Intersects t
  (vector(  3,  2,  2),
   vector(  0,  2,  2), 
   vector(  0, -1,  2), 
  );
 
 @d = $t->divide($it);
 
 ok($d[0] == triangle(vector(0, -1, 2), vector(0, 0, 2), vector(1, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[1] == triangle(vector(3,  2, 2), vector(1, 0, 2), vector(0, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[2] == triangle(vector(3,  2, 2), vector(0, 0, 2), vector(0, 2, 2)));
 
 $it = triangle          # Intersects t
  (vector(  3,  2,  2),
   vector(  0, -1,  2), 
   vector(  0,  2,  2), 
  );
 
 @d = $t->divide($it);
 
 ok($d[0] == triangle(vector(0, -1, 2), vector(1, 0, 2), vector(0, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[1] == triangle(vector(3,  2, 2), vector(1, 0, 2), vector(0, 0, 2)));
 ok($d[2] == triangle(vector(3,  2, 2), vector(0, 0, 2), vector(0, 2, 2)));

Description

Triangles in 3D space

Definitions:

Space coordinates = 3d space

Plane coordinates = a triangle in 3d space defines a 2d plane with a natural coordinate system: the origin is the first point of the triangle, the (x,y) units of this plane are the sides from the triangles first point to its other points.

 package Math::Zap::Triangle;
 $VERSION=1.07;
 use Math::Zap::Line2;
 use Math::Zap::Unique;
 use Math::Zap::Vector2 check=>'vector2Check';
 use Math::Zap::Vector  check=>'vectorCheck';
 use Math::Zap::Matrix  new3v=>'matrixNew3v';
 use Carp qw(cluck confess);
 use constant debug => 0; # Debugging level
 
 

Constructors

new

Create a triangle from 3 vectors specifying the coordinates of each corner in space coordinates.

 sub new($$$)
  {my ($a, $b, $c) = vectorCheck(@_);
   my $t = bless {a=>$a, b=>$b, c=>$c};
   narrow($t, 1);
   $t; 
  }
 
 

triangle

Create a triangle from 3 vectors specifying the coordinates of each corner in space coordinates - synonym for "new".

 sub triangle($$$) {new($_[0],$_[1],$_[2])};
 
 

Methods

narrow

Narrow (colinear) triangle?

 sub narrow($$)
  {my $t = shift;  # Triangle
   my $a = 1e-2;   # Accuracy
   my $A = shift;  # Action 0: return indicator, 1: confess 
   
   my $n = (($t->b-$t->a) x ($t->c-$t->a))->length < $a;
   
   confess "Narrow triangle" if $n and $A;
   $n;      
  }
 
 

check

Check its a triangle

 sub check(@)
  {if (debug)
    {for my $t(@_)
      {confess "$t is not a triangle" unless ref($t) eq __PACKAGE__;
      }
    } 
   return (@_)
  }
 
 

is

Test its a triangle

 sub is(@)
  {for my $t(@_)
    {return 0 unless ref($t) eq __PACKAGE__;
    }
   'triangle';
  }
 
 

components

Components of a triangle

 sub a($)   {check(@_) if debug; $_[0]->{a}}
 sub b($)   {check(@_) if debug; $_[0]->{b}}
 sub c($)   {check(@_) if debug; $_[0]->{c}}
 
 sub ab($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{b}-$_[0]->{a})}
 sub ac($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{c}-$_[0]->{a})}
 sub ba($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{a}-$_[0]->{b})}
 sub bc($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{c}-$_[0]->{b})}
 sub ca($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{a}-$_[0]->{c})}
 sub cb($)  {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{b}-$_[0]->{c})}
 
 sub abc($) {check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->{a}, $_[0]->{b}, $_[0]->{c})}
 sub area($){check(@_) if debug; ($_[0]->ab x $_[0]->ac)->length}
 
 

clone

Create a triangle from another triangle

 sub clone($)
  {my ($t) = check(@_); # Triangle   
   bless {a=>$t->a, b=>$t->b, c=>$t->c};
  }
 
 

permute

Cyclically permute the points of a triangle

 sub permute($)
  {my ($t) = check(@_); # Triangle   
   bless {a=>$t->b, b=>$t->c, c=>$t->a};
  }
 
 

center

Center

 sub center($)
  {my ($t) = check(@_); # Triangle   
   ($t->a + $t->b + $t->c) / 3;
  }
 
 

add

Add a vector to a triangle

 sub add($$)
  {my ($t) =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle   
   my ($v) = vectorCheck(@_[1..1]); # Vector     
   new($t->a+$v, $t->b+$v, $t->c+$v);                         
  }
 
 

subtract

Subtract a vector from a triangle

 sub subtract($$)
  {my ($t) =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle   
   my ($v) = vectorCheck(@_[1..1]); # Vector     
   new($t->a-$v, $t->b-$v, $t->c-$v);                         
  }
 
 

print

Print triangle

 sub print($)
  {my ($t) = check(@_); # Triangle   
   my ($a, $b, $c) = ($t->a, $t->b, $t->c);
   "triangle($a, $b, $c)";
  }
 
 

accuracy

# Get/Set accuracy for comparisons

 my $accuracy = 1e-10;
 
 sub accuracy
  {return $accuracy unless scalar(@_);
   $accuracy = shift();
  }
 
 

distance

Shortest distance from plane defined by triangle t to point p

 sub distance($$)
  {my ($t) =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle  
   my ($p) = vectorCheck(@_[1..1]); # Vector
   my  $n  = $t->ab x $t->ac;         # Plane normal
   my ($a, $b) = ($p, $p+$n);
    
   my $s = matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $a-$b)/($a-$t->a);
 
   ($n*$s->z)->length;
  }
 
 

intersectionInPlane

Intersect line between two points with plane defined by triangle and return the intersection in plane coordinates. Identical logic as per intersection(). Note: no checks (yet) for line parallel to plane.

 sub intersectionInPlane($$$)
  {my ($t)     =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle  
   my ($a, $b) = vectorCheck(@_[1..2]); # Vectors
    
   matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $a-$b)/($a-$t->a);
  }
 
 

distanceToPlaneAlongLine

Distance to plane defined by triangle t going from a to b, or undef if the line is parallel to the plane

 sub distanceToPlaneAlongLine($$$)
  {my ($t)     =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle  
   my ($a, $b) = vectorCheck(@_[1..2]); # Vectors
 
   return undef if abs(($t->ab x $t->ac) * ($b - $a)) < $accuracy;
    
   my $i = matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $a-$b)/($a-$t->a);
   $i->z * ($a-$b)->length;
  }
 
 

convertSpaceToPlane

Convert space to plane coordinates

 sub convertSpaceToPlane($$)
  {my ($t) =         check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle  
   my ($p) = vectorCheck(@_[1..1]); # Vector
    
   my $q = $p-$t->a;
 
   vector
    ($q * $t->ab / ($t->ab * $t->ab),
     $q * $t->ac / ($t->ac * $t->ac),
     $q * ($t->ab x $t->ac)->norm
    );
  }
 
 

convertPlaneToSpace

Convert splane to space coordinates

 sub convertPlaneToSpace($$)
  {my ($t, $p) = @_;
          check(@_[0..0]) if debug; # Triangle  
   vector2Check(@_[1..1]) if debug; # Vector in plane
    
   $t->a + ($p->x * $t->ab) + ($p->y * $t->ac);
  }
 
 

frontInBehind

Determine whether a test point b as viewed from a view point a is in front of(1), in(0), or behind(-1) a plane defined by a triangle t. Identical logic as per intersection(), except this time we use the z component to determine the relative position of the point b. Note: no checks (yet) for line parallel to plane.

 sub frontInBehind($$$)
  {my ($t, $a, $b) = @_;
           check(@_[0..0]) if debug; # Triangle  
   vectorCheck(@_[1..2]) if debug; # Vectors
   return 1 if abs(($t->ab x $t->ac) * ($a-$b)) < $accuracy; # Parallel
   $s = matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $a-$b)/($a-$t->a);
   $s->z <=> 1;
  }
 
 

frontInBehindZ

Determine whether a test point b as viewed from a view point a is in front of(1), in(0), or behind(-1) a plane defined by a triangle t. Identical logic as per intersection(), except this time we use the z component to determine the relative position of the point b. Note: no checks (yet) for line parallel to plane.

 sub frontInBehindZ($$$)
  {my ($t, $a, $b) = @_;
           check(@_[0..0]) if debug; # Triangle  
   vectorCheck(@_[1..2]) if debug; # Vectors
   return undef if abs(($t->ab x $t->ac) * ($a-$b)) < $accuracy;  # Parallel
   $s = matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $a-$b)/($a-$t->a);
   $s->z;
  }
 
 

parallel

Are two triangle parallel? I.e. do they define planes that are parallel? If they are parallel, their normals will have zero cross product

 sub parallel($$)
  {my ($a, $b) = check(@_); # Triangles
   !(($a->ab x $a->ac) x ($b->ab x $b->ac))->length;
  }
 
 

divide

Divide triangle b by a: split b into triangles each of which is not intersected by a. Triangles are easy to draw in 3d except when they intersect: If they do not intersect, we can always draw one on top of the other and obtain the correct result; If they do intersect, they have to be split along the line of intersection into a sub triangle and a quadralateral: which can be be split again to obtain a result consisting of only triangles. The splitting can be done once: Each new view point only requires the correct ordering of the non intersecting triangles.

 sub divide($$)
  {my ($a, $b) = check(@_);         # Triangles  
 
   return ($b) if $a->parallel($b); # Parallel: no need to split
 
   my $A = $a->permute; $a = $A if $b->distance($A->a) > $b->distance($a->a);
      $A = $A->permute; $a = $A if $b->distance($A->a) > $b->distance($a->a);
  
   my $na = $a->ab x $a->ac;        # Normal to a
   my $nb = $b->ab x $b->ac;        # Normal to b
 
   my $aa = $a->a;
   my $ab = $a->b;
   my $ac = $a->c;
   my $bc = $a->bc;
 
 # Avoid using vectors in a that are parallel to b
   $ab += $bc/2 if ($a->ab->norm * $nb->norm) < 0.1;
   $ac += $bc/2 if ($a->ac->norm * $nb->norm) < 0.1;
 
 # Two points in both planes in b plane coordinates
   my $i = $b->intersectionInPlane($aa, $ab);
   my $j = $b->intersectionInPlane($aa, $ac);
 
 
 # Does the line between these points intersect the sides of triangle b?
   my $l = line2
    (vector2($i->x, $i->y), 
     vector2($j->x, $j->y),
    );
   return ($b) if ($l->b-$l->a)->length < $accuracy;
 
 # Triangle b has very simple sides in b plane coordinates
 
   my $l1 = line2(vector2(0, 0), vector2(1, 0)); # ab
   my $l2 = line2(vector2(0, 0), vector2(0, 1)); # ac
   my $l3 = line2(vector2(1, 0), vector2(0, 1)); # bc 
 
   my $i1 = ((!$l->parallel($l1)) and ($l->intersectWithin($l1)));
   my $i2 = ((!$l->parallel($l2)) and ($l->intersectWithin($l2)));
   my $i3 = ((!$l->parallel($l3)) and ($l->intersectWithin($l3)));
 
 # There should be either 0 or 2 intersections.
    {my $n = $i1+$i2+$i3;
     ($n == 1 or $n == 3) and  debug and warn "There should 0 or 2 intersections, not $n";
     return ($b) unless $n == 2; # No division required
    }
 
 # There are two intersections.
 # Make a copy of b called c, orientated so that the line of 
 # intersection crosses sides c->ab, c->ac           
   my $c;
   $c = $b                                 if $i1 and $i2;   
   $c = triangle($b->b, $b->a, $b->c) if $i1 and $i3;   
   $c = triangle($b->c, $b->a, $b->b) if $i2 and $i3;
 
 # Find intersection points in terms of reorientated triangle   
 
   unless ($i1 and $i2)
    {$i = $c->intersectionInPlane($aa, $ab);
     $j = $c->intersectionInPlane($aa, $ac);
     $l = line2
      (vector2($i->x, $i->y), 
       vector2($j->x, $j->y),
      );
    }
 
 # this time in plane coordinates
   $i1 = $l->intersect($l1);
   $i2 = $l->intersect($l2);
 
 # Convert to space coordinates
   my $s1 = $c->convertPlaneToSpace($i1);
   my $s2 = $c->convertPlaneToSpace($i2);
 
 # Vertices close to intersection points 
   my $a1 = ($c->a - $s1)->length < 1e-3; 
   my $a2 = ($c->a - $s2)->length < 1e-3; 
   my $b1 = ($c->b - $s1)->length < 1e-3; 
   my $b2 = ($c->b - $s2)->length < 1e-3; 
   my $c1 = ($c->c - $s1)->length < 1e-3; 
   my $c2 = ($c->c - $s2)->length < 1e-3;
 
   return ($b) if ($a1 or $b1 or $c1) and ($a2 or $b2 or $c2);
   
 # Divide b into 3 if the intersections points are far from the vertices
   return
    (triangle($c->a, $s1, $s2),
     triangle($c->b, $s1, $s2),
     triangle($c->b, $s2, $c->c),
    ) unless $a1 or $a2 or $b1 or $b2 or $c1 or $c2;
 
 # If only one intersection point is close to a vertex, make it s1.
   ($s1, $s2, $a1, $b1, $c1, $a2, $b2, $c2) =
   ($s2, $s1, $a2, $b2, $c2, $a1, $b1, $c1) if !($a1 or $b1 or $c1) and ($a2 or $b2 or $c2);
 
 # Divide b into 2 if one intersection point is close to a vertex
   return
    (triangle($c->a, $c->b, $s2),
     triangle($c->a, $c->c, $s2),
    ) if $a1;
   return
    (triangle($c->a, $c->b, $s2),
     triangle($c->c, $c->b, $s2),
    ) if $b1;
   return
    (triangle($c->a, $c->c, $s2),
     triangle($c->b, $c->c, $s2),
    ) if $c1;
   confess "Unable to divide triangle $a by $b\n"
  }
 
 

project

Project onto the plane defined by triangle t the image of a triangle triangle T as viewed from a view point p. Return the coordinates of the projection of T onto t using the plane coordinates induced by t. The projection coordinates are (of course) 2d in the projection plane, however they are returned as the x,y components of a 3d vector with the z component set to the multiple of the distance from the view point to the corresponding corner of T required to reach t. If z > 1, this corner of T is in front the plane of t, if z < 1 this corner of T is behind the plane of t. The logic is the same as intersection().

 sub project($$$)
  {my ($t, $T, $p) = @_;
           check(@_[0..1]) if debug; # Triangles 
   vectorCheck(@_[2..2]) if debug; # Vector
 
   new
    (matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $p-$T->a)/($p-$t->a),
     matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $p-$T->b)/($p-$t->a),
     matrixNew3v($t->ab, $t->ac, $p-$T->c)/($p-$t->a),
    );
  } 
 
 

split

Split a triangle into 4 sub triangles unless the sub triangles would be too small

 sub split($$)
  {my ($t) = check(@_[0..0]); # Triangles 
   my ($s) =      (@_[1..1]); # Minimum size 
 
   return () unless
     $t->ab->length > $s and
     $t->ac->length > $s and
     $t->bc->length > $s;
 
    (new($t->a, ($t->a+$t->b)/2, ($t->a+$t->c)/2),
     new($t->b, ($t->b+$t->a)/2, ($t->b+$t->c)/2),
     new($t->c, ($t->c+$t->a)/2, ($t->c+$t->b)/2),
     new(($t->a+$t->b)/2, ($t->a+$t->b)/2, ($t->b+$t->c)/2)
    )
  } 
 
 

triangulate

Triangulate

 sub triangulate($$)
  {my ($t)    = check(@_[0..0]); # Triangle
   my  $color =       @_[1..1];  # Color           
   my  $plane = unique();        # Plane           
    
   {triangle=>$t, color=>$color, plane=>$plane};
  }
 
 

equals

Compare two triangles for equality

 sub equals($$)
  {my ($a, $b) = check(@_); # Triangles
   my ($aa, $ab, $ac) = ($a->a, $a->b, $a->c);
   my ($ba, $bb, $bc) = ($b->a, $b->b, $b->c);
   my  $d             = $accuracy;  
 
   return 1 if 
 abs(($aa-$ba)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$bb)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$bc)->length) < $d or
 abs(($aa-$ba)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$bc)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$bb)->length) < $d or
 abs(($aa-$bb)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$bc)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$ba)->length) < $d or
 abs(($aa-$bb)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$ba)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$bc)->length) < $d or
 abs(($aa-$bc)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$ba)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$bb)->length) < $d or
 abs(($aa-$bc)->length) < $d and abs(($ab-$bb)->length) < $d and abs(($ac-$ba)->length) < $d;  
   0;
  } 
 
 

Operators

Operator overloads

 use overload
  '+',       => \&add3,      # Add a vector
  '-',       => \&sub3,      # Subtract a vector
  '=='       => \&equals3,   # Equals
  '""'       => \&print3,    # Print
  'fallback' => FALSE;
 
 

add

Add operator.

 sub add3
  {my ($a, $b, $c) = @_;
   return $a->add($b);
  }
 
 

subtract

Subtract operator.

 sub sub3
  {my ($a, $b, $c) = @_;
   return $a->subtract($b);
  }
 
 

equals

Equals operator.

 sub equals3
  {my ($a, $b, $c) = @_;
   return $a->equals($b);
  }
 
 

print

Print a triangle

 sub print3
  {my ($a) = @_;
   return $a->print;
  }
 
 

Exports

Export "triangle"

 use Math::Zap::Exports qw(
   triangle ($$$)
  );
 
 #_ Triangle ___________________________________________________________
 # Package loaded successfully
 #______________________________________________________________________
 
 1;
 
 
 

Credits

Author

philiprbrenan@yahoo.com

philiprbrenan@yahoo.com, 2004

License

Perl License.