TriangularLocations Command

This section assumes you are very familiar with the concepts, terms and ideas for protograf as presented in the Basic Concepts , that you understand all of the Additional Concepts and that you’ve created some basic scripts of your own using the Core Shapes.

This is part of the set of commands used for Layouts, that are used in conjunction with the Layout command.

Overview

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The TriangularLocations() command defines an ordered series of row and column locations that create a triangular pattern.

The x- and y-values of these rows and columns are then used to set the centres of the elements that can be placed there using the Layout() command.

Apart from the TriangularLocations() command described here, there are also these other commands which allow you to layout elements in a more repetitive or regular way within a page:

Usage

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The TriangularLocations() command accepts the following properties:

  • cols - this is the number of locations in the horizontal direction; this defaults to 2

  • rows - this is the number of locations in the vertical direction; this defaults to 2

  • facing - this is the compass point of the line of travel used to define which direction the layout “points” at; the default is e(ast).

  • start - this is the initial corner, defined a secondary compass direction, from where the grid is initially drawn; values can be n, se, and sw (the default i.e. the lower-left corner)

Note

Bear in mind that the TriangularLocations() command is designed to work in conjunction with a Layout() command which accepts, as its first property, the name assigned to the grid.

Properties

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Many examples below make use of some common Circle shapes which are defined as:

circles = Common(
    x=0, y=0, diameter=1.0,
    label="{{sequence}}//{{col}}-{{row}}", label_size=6)
a_circle = circle(common=circles)
d_circle = circle(x=0, y=0, radius=0.33)

In these examples, the placeholder names {{sequence}}, {{col}} and {{row}} will be replaced, in the label for the Circle, by the values for the row and column in which that circle is placed, as well as by the sequence number (order) in which that Circle is drawn.

Example 1. Rows and Columns

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tl0

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations()
Layout(tri, shapes=[d_circle,], debug='cr')

Here, because there is only the default 2 rows and cols, located at x-position 1 cm and y-position 1 cm, the four Circle shapes that are drawn are all super-imposed.

Example 2. East - 2 Rows

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tl1

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='east', rows=2,
    x=4, y=3, side=0.66)
Layout(tri, shapes=[d_circle,], debug='cr')

Here, the layout starts on the mid-right side - because the facing is east the triangle extends leftwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 3. East - 6 Rows

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tl2

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='east', rows=6,
    x=4, y=3, side=0.66)
Layout(tri, shapes=[d_circle,], debug='cr')

Here, the layout starts on the mid-right side - because the facing is east the triangle extends leftwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 4. North - 2 Columns

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tl3

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='north', cols=2,
    y=1, x=2, side=0.66)
Layout(tri, shapes=[d_circle,], debug='cr')

Here, the layout starts on the top-centre side - because the facing is north the triangle extends downwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 5. North - 6 Columns

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tl4

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='north', cols=6,
    y=1, x=2, side=0.66)
Layout(tri, shapes=[d_circle,], debug='cr')

Here, the layout starts on the top-centre side - because the facing is north the triangle extends downwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 6. West - 3 Rows

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tl5

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing="west", rows=3,
    x=1, y=3, side=1.0)
Layout(tri, shapes=[a_circle,])

Here, the layout starts on the left-centre side - because the facing is west the triangle extends rightwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 7. South - 3 Columns

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tl6

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    cols=3, facing="south",
    x=2, y=4, side=1.0)
Layout(tri, shapes=[a_circle,])

Here, the layout starts in the mid-centre side - because the facing is south the triangle extends upwards into the interior of the drawing.

The debug value shows the column and row values (in that order).

Example 8. Mixed Styles

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tl7

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='east', rows=3,
    y=1.5, x=1.5, side=0.8)
Layout(
    tri, shapes=[circle(
        common=small_circle, label="E"),])

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='west', rows=3,
    y=1.5, x=2.5, side=0.8)
Layout(
    tri, shapes=[circle(
        common=small_circle, label="W"),])

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='south', cols=3,
    y=5, x=1, side=0.8)
Layout(
    tri, shapes=[circle(
        common=small_circle, label="N"),])

tri = TriangularLocations(
    facing='north', cols=3,
    y=4, x=3, side=0.8)
Layout(
    tri, shapes=[circle(
        common=small_circle, label="S"),])

These layouts are similar to other examples.

The circles, in each case, now show fixed text.

Example 9. Gridlines - Direction

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tl8

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

small_circle = circle(
  radius=0.15,
  fill="tomato")
tri = TriangularLocations(
  facing='north',
  y=1, x=2,
  side=.66, cols=6)
Layout(
  tri,
  gridlines='ne e',
  gridlines_stroke="gold",
  gridlines_stroke_width=2,
  shapes=[small_circle])

Here, the grid itself is displayed — it is always drawn first before any shapes.

The outline of the grid is always drawn.

The key prefix is gridlines and the value assigned to it will determine in which direction, or directions, the gridlines are drawn; in this case, east and north-east.

The usual customisation settings are possible for the gridlines; color, thickness, etc.

Example 10. Gridlines - Fill

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tl9

This example shows the shape constructed using differing values for its properties.

small_circle = circle(
  radius=0.15,
  fill="tomato")
tri = TriangularLocations(
  facing='north',
  y=1, x=2,
  side=.66, cols=6)
Layout(
  tri,
  gridlines='ne e',
  gridlines_fill="aqua",
  gridlines_stroke="gold",
  gridlines_stroke_width=2,
  shapes=[small_circle])

Here, the grid itself is displayed — it is always drawn first before any shapes.

The outline of the grid is always drawn. If the gridlines_fill property is assigned a color, then the grid will be filled with that color before any gridlines are drawn.

The key prefix is gridlines and the value assigned to it will determine in which direction, or directions, the gridlines are drawn; in this case, east and north-east.

The usual customisation settings are possible for the gridlines; color, thickness, etc.