Standard Draw 3D
Complete Reference Manual
Hayk Martirosyan
Introduction
Standard Draw 3D is a Java library with the express goal of making it simple to create three-dimensional models, simulations, and games. If you have not used StdDraw3D before, make sure to go through the basic tutorial before coming here.
This document is the official reference manual for Standard Draw 3D. Listed below is every method in the library, categorized by functionality. Most of the library is in the form of static methods, but there are also nested classes that are crucial to the way StdDraw3D works.
If you would prefer to see this document in PDF form, go here.
Many interesting example programs for StdDraw3D are provided in the archive demos.zip.
Each section of the table of contents is hyperlinked to the corresponding section of the manual.
Canvas Size
Scale
Perspective
Mesh Control
Info Display
Anti-Aliasing
Pen Color
Pen Radius
Pen Font
Solid Color
Image
Spherical Panorama
Sphere
Cube
Box
Cone
Cylinder
Ellipsoid
3D Text
Tubes
External Model
Showing
Clearing
Camera Position and Orientation
Camera Direction
Mode Descriptions
Setting the Camera Mode
Orbit Center
Points
Lines
Polygons
Triangles
Image File
3D Scene
Light Utilities
Ambient Light
Point Light
Directional Light
Fog
Sound Utilities
Ambient Sound
Point Sound
Mouse Buttons
Mouse Position
Key Pressed
Key Stack
Circle
Square
Rectangle
Ellipse
Pixel
Point
Line
Arc
Polygon
Text
Picture
Color
Vector Direction
Combine
Copy
Move Absolute
Move Relative
Set Position
Rotate Absolute
Rotate Relative
Set Orientation
Rotate about Axis
Look At
Set Direction
Pair
Rotate FPS
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Magnitude
Direction
Distance
Dot Product
Cross Product
Angle
Projection
Reflection
To String
Draw
These static functions are called by prefixing the method name with “StdDraw3D.”. For example, to draw a sphere, call StdDraw3D.sphere(x, y, z, r). Nested classes of StdDraw3D are documented below this section.
Global settings of StdDraw3D are included here, and control various aspects of the drawing window and rendering process. Canvas size and scale should be defined at the start of each project.
Canvas Size
Sets the drawing window size to (w, h) pixels. Can also set the drawing window to fullscreen, which makes it as large as possible to fit the displaying monitor.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | w | width |
| double | h | height |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setCanvasSize | (w, h) |
| void | fullscreen | () |
Scale
The “scale” of the drawing window is important to the way StdDraw3D works. In general, it is the coordinate range which you are likely to be drawing in (for all three dimensions). In your drawing window, is by default placed such that you can see the working volume specified by the setScale() function. Of course you can move the camera as desired, but navigation speed is also calibrated based on the scale, so it is useful to set a good scale. Calling setScale() without arguments reverts to the default scale of (0, 1).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | minimum | the minimum x,y,and z coordinate of your working volume |
| double | maximum | the maximum x,y,and z coordinate of your working volume |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setScale | (minimum, maximum) |
| void | setScale | () |
Perspective
The perspective of a 3D scene is the way it is projected onto a 2D computer monitor to create the appearance of three-dimensional depth. Objects that are closer appear larger in real life, and this is how they are drawn in StdDraw3D. This is called perspective projection, and the amount to which closer objects appear larger is proportional to the field of view. You can specify the field of view with the setPerspectiveProjection() function, or revert to the default of 0.9. A large field of view looks like a fisheye, while a small field of view is like looking through a telescope. Reasonable values of fov range from 0.5 to 3.0. Zero perspective can be set with setParallelProjection(), and is how all CAD programs display 3D objects.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | fov | field of view of perspective projection |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setPerspectiveProjection | (fov) |
| void | setPerspectiveProjection | () |
| void | setParallelProjection | () |
Mesh Control
Sets the number of trianglular divisions of curved shapes like spheres and cylinders. The default is 100 divisons. Decrease this number to increase performance. Can also get the current value.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| int | N | number of triangular divisions |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setNumDivisions | (N) |
| int | getNumDivisions | () |
Info Display
Toggles the information display in the upper-left corner.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| boolean | enabled | state of the info display |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setInfoDisplay | (enabled) |
Anti-Aliasing
Toggles simple anti-aliasing. Anti-aliasing makes graphics look much smoother, but is very resource heavy. It is good for saving images that look professional. The default is off. Currently not supported for OS-X, and only works with some PCs. Can also get the current state.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| boolean | enabled | state of anti-aliasing |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setAntiAliasing | (enabled) |
| boolean | getAntiAliasing | () |
These functions change the propreties of the drawing pen, which influences the properties of things you draw. For example, a drawn sphere will be the pen color, a drawn line will have the pen radius, and drawn text will have the pen font.
Pen Color
Sets the pen to the given color. Can specify either a color, a color and a transparency, RGB components, or nothing (reverts to the default pen color). Can also get the current pen color.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | col | desired color |
| int | alpha | optional transparency of color (0-255) |
| int | r | red component of an RGB color |
| int | g | green component of an RGB color |
| int | b | blue component of an RGB color |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setPenColor | (col) |
| void | setPenColor | (col, alpha) |
| void | setPenColor | (r,g,b) |
| void | setPenColor | () |
| Color | getPenColor | () |
Pen Radius
Sets the pen stroke to the given radius, or reverts to the default of 0.002 if no arguments are given. Can also get the current radius.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | r | desired pen radius |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setPenRadius | (r) |
| void | setPenRadius | () |
| float | getPenRadius | () |
Pen Font
Sets the pen to the given Font object, or reverts to the default if no arguments are given. Can also get the current font.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Font | f | desired pen font |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setFont | (f) |
| void | setFont | () |
| Font | getFont | () |
The background of the drawing window is by black by default, but can be easily changed as needed. There are three options for specifying a background: you can set a solid color, a background image, or an image wrapped around a 3D background sphere.
Solid Color
Sets the background to a solid color.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | color | desired color |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setBackground | (color) |
Image
Sets the background to a specified image, which is scaled to fit the window.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of desired background image |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setBackground | (imageURL) |
Spherical Panorama
Sets the background to a specified image, wrapped around as a spherical skybox.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of desired background image |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setBackgroundSphere | (imageURL) |
There are six basic three-dimensional shapes in StdDraw3D: spheres, cubes, boxes, cones, cylinders, and ellipsoids. Each primitive shape has a set of five drawing functions, depending on whether you want to specify rotation, texture, or wireframe properties. Sphere and cube are specific cases of ellipsoid and box, but are included for convenience. Every drawing function returns a Shape object, which can be moved, rotated, and scaled dynamically using the methods of the Shape class.
Sphere
Draws a sphere at (x, y, z) with radius r. Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | r | radius |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | sphere | (x,y,z,r) |
| Shape | sphere | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireSphere | (x,y,z,r) |
| Shape | wireSphere | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | sphere | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
Cube
Draws a cube at (x, y, z) with radius r. Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | r | radius (half of side length) |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cube | (x,y,z,r) |
| Shape | cube | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireCube | (x,y,z,r) |
| Shape | wireCube | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cube | (x,y,z,r,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
Box
Draws a box at (x, y, z) with dimensions (w, h, d). Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | w | width |
| double | h | height |
| double | d | depth |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | box | (x,y,z,w,h,d) |
| Shape | box | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireBox | (x,y,z,w,h,d) |
| Shape | wireBox | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | box | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
Cone
Draws a cone at (x,y,z) with radius r and height h. Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | r | radius |
| double | h | height |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cone | (x,y,z,r,h) |
| Shape | cone | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireCone | (x,y,z,r,h) |
| Shape | wireCone | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cone | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
Cylinder
Draws a cylinder at (x,y,z) with radius r and height h. Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | r | radius |
| double | h | height |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cylinder | (x,y,z,r,h) |
| Shape | cylinder | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireCylinder | (x,y,z,r,h) |
| Shape | wireCylinder | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | cylinder | (x,y,z,r,h,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
Ellipsoid
Draws an ellipsoid at (x, y, z) with dimensions (w, h, d). Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Can be solid, wireframe, or textured.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| double | w | width |
| double | h | height |
| double | d | depth |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| String | imageURL | filename or URL of wraparound texture |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Solid
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | ellipsoid | (x,y,z,w,h,d) |
| Shape | ellipsoid | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA) |
Wireframe
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireEllipsoid | (x,y,z,w,h,d) |
| Shape | wireEllipsoid | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA) |
Textured
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | ellipsoid | (x,y,z,w,h,d,xA,yA,zA,imageURL) |
These more complicated 3D objects are useful in many cases. Every drawing function returns a Shape object, which can be moved, rotated, and scaled dynamically using the methods of the Shape class.
3D Text
Draws 3D text of the given string at (x, y, z) with the pen font. Can specify Euler rotation angles (xA, yA, zA). Uses the pen font, color, and transparency.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the center |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the center |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the center |
| String | text | the text to be shown |
| double | xA | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yA | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zA | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | text3D | (x,y,z,text) |
| Shape | text3D | (x,y,z,text,xA,yA,zA) |
Tubes
Draws a solid 3D cylindrical tube or a set of tubes with the given start and end coordinates and radius. Drawing a set of tubes is not much more efficient than drawing individual tubes, but will compact code. Can specify a set of colors for the set of tubes.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x1 | x-coordinate of the start point |
| double | y1 | y-coordinate of the start point |
| double | z1 | z-coordinate of the start point |
| double | x2 | x-coordinate of the end point |
| double | y2 | y-coordinate of the end point |
| double | z2 | z-coordinate of the end point |
| double[] | x | set of x-coordinates of the tube vertices |
| double[] | y | set of y-coordinates of the tube vertices |
| double[] | z | set of z-coordinates of the tube vertices |
| double | r | radius of the tube |
| Color[] | colors | set of colors that correspond to the set of tubes |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Single Tube
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | tube | (x1,y1,z1,x2,y2,z2,r) |
Set of Tubes
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | tubes | (x,y,z,r) |
| Shape | tubes | (x,y,z,r,colors) |
External Model
You can easily import .OBJ (preferred) or .PLY models into your scene as Shape objects. It takes some time to create a mesh for larger models with millions of triangles. Colors and textures of an OBJ file can be imported by including the .mtl material template library. Can also import the model as a Shape with a single color (the pen color), and change the color using the Shape class. Imported OBJ models can be automatically scaled to have an average radius of 1, or keep their original size (default).
Note: The Java loader used to import OBJ files is based on old OBJ standards and often doesn’t work properly for textures and newer commands in the OBJ file.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | filename | filename of the model to import |
| boolean | resize | resizes the model if true |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | model | (filename) |
| Shape | model | (filename, resize) |
| Shape | coloredModel | (filename) |
| Shape | coloredModel | (filename, resize) |
The basic tools needed to display and animate a 3D scene are these functions for clearing or showing objects in the drawing window. If you are drawing a single scene without moving objects, just call finished() once after you are done drawing. If you are animating, call show() to display each frame with the desired framerate and clear() to clear the drawing window when desired. You can also clear just the 3D scene or just the 2D overlay, to enable independence between the two.
Showing
Show functions render everything to the drawing window, then pause for the given number of milliseconds. If no argument is provided, renders to the screen but does not pause. Methods are also provided to show just the 3D scene or to show just the 2D overlay. finished() is equivalent to show(infinity).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| int | time | pauses for this many milliseconds after displaying |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | finished | () |
| void | show | (time) |
| void | show | () |
| void | show3D | (time) |
| void | show3D | () |
| void | showOverlay | (time) |
| void | showOverlay | () |
Clearing
Clears the drawing window upon the next call of show. Methods are also provided to clear just the 3D scene or to clear just the 2D overlay.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | color | if provided,sets as the background color after clearing |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | clear | (color) |
| void | clear | () |
| void | clear3D | () |
| void | clearOverlay | () |
The simplest way to programmatically place the camera where you want is to use these static camera methods. For more advanced camera control, learn how to use and manipulate the Camera object.
Camera Position and Orientation
Sets the camera position and orientation. Orientation is represented by XYZ Euler rotation angles. These numbers correspond to those shown in the info display on the upper-left corner of the drawing window. Can specify scalar or vector input. Can also get the current position and orientation.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of camera position |
| double | y | y-coordinate of camera position |
| double | z | z-coordinate of camera position |
| Vector3D | position | position vector, represents {x,y,z} |
| double | xAngle | x component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | yAngle | y component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| double | zAngle | z component of XYZ Euler angle rotation |
| Vector3D | angles | orientation vector, represents {xAngle,yAngle,zAngle} |
Position
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setCameraPosition | (x,y,z) |
| void | setCameraPosition | (position) |
| Vector3D | getCameraPosition | () |
Orientation
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setCameraOrientation | (xAngle,yAngle,zAngle) |
| void | setCameraOrientation | (angles) |
| void | getCameraOrientation | () |
Both
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setCamera | (x,y,z,xAngle,yAngle,zAngle) |
| void | setCamera | (position,angles) |
Camera Direction
Instead of specifying orientation by Euler angles, it is easier in many cases to specify the vector direction in which the camera should point. For example, (0,1,0) would cause the camera to rotate such that it looks along the positive y-axis. Input is normalized. Can specify scalar or vector input. Can also get the current camera direction.
All Arguments
| Type | W | Forward |
| Left Arrow | A | Left |
| Down Arrow | S | Backward |
| Right Arrow | D | Right |
| Page Up | Q | Up |
| Page Down | E | Down |
| Mouse Drag | Look |
StdDraw3D.AIRPLANE_MODE
Similar to FPS_MODE, but the y-axis is not always upward, and can be rotated with Q and E.
| Primary | Secondary | Effect |
| Up Arrow | W | Forward |
| Left Arrow | A | Left |
| Down Arrow | S | Backward |
| Right Arrow | D | Right |
| Page Up | Q | Rotate CCW |
| Page Down | E | Rotate CW |
| Mouse Drag | Look |
StdDraw3D.LOOK_MODE
No interactive movement is allowed, but uses the mouse drag to look around.
| Primary | Secondary | Effect |
| Mouse Drag | Look |
StdDraw3D.FIXED_MODE
No interactive camera control is allowed. Use this if you want to only programmatically move your camera, or if you are defining your own set of navigation controls.
Setting the Camera Mode
Sets the camera navigation mode. If no argument is specified, reverts to the default of ORBIT_MODE. Can also get the current mode.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| int | mode | one of the defined camera modes |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setCameraMode | (mode) |
| void | setCameraMode | () |
| int | getCameraMode | () |
Orbit Center
ORBIT_MODE is the default mode, in which dragging with the left mouse button orbits about a single point. This is the origin by default, but can be changed. Can specify scalar or vector input. Can also get the current orbit center.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of orbit center |
| double | y | y-component of orbit center |
| double | z | z-component of orbit center |
| Vector3D | v | orbit center, equivalent to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setOrbitCenter | (x,y,z) |
| void | setOrbitCenter | (v) |
| Vector3D | getOrbitCenter | () |
Besides solid three-dimensional objects, you can also draw lower-dimensional shapes like points, lines, and polygons. Colors and thicknesses are still governed by pen settings. Methods for drawing sets of objects rather than individual ones are much more efficient. Every drawing function returns a Shape object, which can be moved, rotated, and scaled dynamically using the methods of the Shape class.
Points
Draws a single point or a set of points with the given coordinates. Drawing a set of points is much more efficient than drawing individual points, and you can still specify individual colors for each point. For example, the first point is at (x[0], y[0], z[0]) with color colors[0].
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate |
| double | y | y-coordinate |
| double | z | z-coordinate |
| double[] | x | set of x-coordinates |
| double[] | y | set of y-coordinates |
| double[] | z | set of z-coordinates |
| Color[] | colors | set of colors that correspond to the set of points |
Set of Lines
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | lines | (x,y,z) |
| Shape | lines | (x,y,z,colors) |
Polygons
Draws a 2D polygon in 3D space with the given vertices. Vertices should be planar. Can specify filled or wireframe.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double[] | x | x-coordinates of each vertex |
| double[] | y | y-coordinates of each vertex |
| double[] | z | z-coordinates of each vertex |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Filled Polygon
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | polygon | (x,y,z) |
Wireframe Polygon
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wirePolygon | (x,y,z) |
Triangles
Draws a set of triangles which are defined by the given coordinates. Coordinates are provided in an N by 9 array, where N is the number of triangles to draw and points[i] = {x1, y1, z1, x2, y2, z2, x3, y3, z3}. Can be used to create custom 3D meshes. Can specify filled or wireframe.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double[][] | points | set of nine vertex coordinates for N triangles |
| Color[] | colors | set of colors that correspond to the set of triangles |
Return Value
Returns the drawn Shape object, which can be further manipulated.
Filled Triangles
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | triangles | (points) |
| Shape | triangles | (points, colors) |
Wireframe Triangles
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | wireTriangles | (points) |
| Shape | wireTriangles | (points, colors) |
You can save your current drawing window as an image file or a 3D scene. The 3D scene can be loaded later without having the original code that created it. You can also use the GUI toolbar menu of the drawing window or the keyboard shortcuts listed there.
Image File
Saves the current drawing window to a file. The specified file must have a .png or .jpg extension!
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | filename | name of the file to save to |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | save | (filename) |
3D Scene
There is experimental support for saving and loading a 3D scene as a file. When you save, the current 3D scene in the drawing window is written to a file which can be loaded back in. Some computers have been found to not load properly. The recommended extension for identification purposes is .3d.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | filename | name of the file to save or load |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | saveScene3D | (filename) |
| void | loadScene3D | (filename) |
Light in the 3D scene is what controls the way they appear, and it is fully controllable. Light in StdDraw3D behaves similarly to actual light. At the initialization of each 3D scene, setDefaultLight() is called, which places two white directional lights in the scene - this is why a sphere has two bright sides and a dark band in the middle. You can only see object colors that can be reflected by the light color. Thus, white light makes any color visible, but if you only have red light in the scene, you will only see the red component of object colors.
Light Utilities
The default lighting consists of two white directional lights. If you want to set up custom lighting, then clear the existing lights with clearLight() and add your own.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setDefaultLight | () |
| void | clearLight | () |
Ambient Light
Ambient light is light that is everywhere, regardless of position or orientation. If there is ambient light, every object is lit up equally by it. Usually you want to keep ambient light very low, so pick a dark color or a very transparent one.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | col | color of the light |
Return Value
Returns the rendered Light object, which can be further manipulated.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Light | ambientLight | (col) |
Point Light
Point lights emanate from a single point (x, y, z). They light up closer objects more than faraway objects. Can specify scalar or vector input. Can specify a power multiplier for the light, or go with a default of 1.0
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate of the light source |
| double | y | y-coordinate of the light source |
| double | z | z-coordinate of the light source |
| Vector3D | origin | origin of the light source, equal to {x,y,z} |
| Color | col | color of the light |
| double | power | power multiplier of the light |
Return Value
Returns the rendered Light object, which can be further manipulated.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Light | pointLight | (x,y,z,col,power) |
| Light | pointLight | (x,y,z,col) |
| Light | pointLight | (origin,col,power) |
| Light | pointLight | (origin,col) |
Directional Light
Directional lights shine in a single direction (x,y,z), but appear to come from far away. They will always light up exactly half of a sphere. Can specify scalar or vector input.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of the light direction |
| double | y | y-component of the light direction |
| double | z | z-component of the light direction |
| Vector3D | dir | direction of the light, equal to {x,y,z} |
| Color | col | color of the light |
Return Value
Returns the rendered Light object, which can be further manipulated.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Light | directionalLight | (x,y,z,col) |
| Light | directionalLight | (dir,col) |
Fog
Fog makes objects that are far harder to see. You can only see fog in front of an object, you can’t see fog obscuring empty space. You can control the strength and color of the fog.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | col | color of the fog |
| double | frontDistance | distance from the camera where fog becomes noticable |
| double | backDistance | distance from the camera where fog is 100% opaque |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | addFog | (col,frontDistance,backDistance) |
| void | clearFog | () |
Create simple and efficient sound effects for interactive games or simulations, as well as background music. Sounds play in separate threads, and do not need time for preloading.
Sound Utilities
By default, StdDraw3D is silent. To stop a playing sound, clear the sound stack.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | clearSound | () |
Ambient Sound
Ambient sound is heard everywhere in the 3D scene, regardless of position or orientation. Sound starts playing as soon as the function is called, and runs in a separate thread. Can specify to loop the sound infinitely until cleared.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| String | filename | audio file of sound to play |
| boolean | loop | option to loop the sound until cleared |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | playAmbientSound | (filename) |
| void | playAmbientSound | (filename,loop) |
Point Sound
Point sound emanates from a single origin, and is louder if you are near it and pointing toward it.
Unfortunately, there are currently unexpected problems that don’t allow point sounds to work, so this feature is not supported. Any help would be appreciated.
These functions give the state of the mouse and keyboard in the drawing window. They will not work when focus is outside the drawing window. They can be used to create new navigation controls or to provide interactivity to simulations, games, and models.
Mouse Buttons
Is the given mouse button (1 = left, 2 = right, 3 = middle) currently pressed down? Also included is a function that returns true if any mouse button is pressed.
Return Value
Returns the state of the mouse button.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| boolean | mousePressed | () |
| boolean | mouse1Pressed | () |
| boolean | mouse2Pressed | () |
| boolean | mouse3Pressed | () |
Mouse Position
Return the current x and y position of the mouse, in terms of the coordinates defined by the scale (equal to the overlay drawing coordinates).
Return Value
Returns the x or y coordinate of the current mouse position.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| double | mouseX | () |
| double | mouseY | () |
Key Pressed
Is the given key currently pressed down? The keys correnspond to physical keys, not characters. For letters, use the uppercase character to refer to the key. For arrow keys and modifiers such as shift and ctrl, refer to the KeyEvent constants, such as KeyEvent.VK_SHIFT.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| int | key | the key of interest |
Return Value
True if the given physical key is pressed.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| boolean | isKeyPressed | (key) |
Key Stack
When a character is typed, it is added to the top of a character stack and kept track of. These methods let you find out when new keys have been typed and get those keys in the correct order. These typed values refer to characters, not to physical keys. For example, ‘6’ will be different from ‘^’.
Return Value
hasNextKeyTyped() returns true if the user has typed a new character, and nextKeyTyped() returns the typed character.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| boolean | hasNextKeyTyped | () |
| char | nextKeyTyped | () |
You can draw 2D overlays on top of the 3D drawing window, to act as a heads up display or present informational text. All drawing functions of the Standard Draw library are available in StdDraw3D under the prefix of “StdDraw3D.overlay”. For example, use StdDraw3D.overlayCircle(0, 0, 0.5) instead of StdDraw.circle(0,0,0.5). Overlay coordinates correspond to those set by StdDraw3D.setScale() but do not depend on the camera position or rotation.
Circle
Draws a circle of radius r, centered on (x, y). Can be an outline or filled.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinates of center |
| double | y | y-coordinates of center |
| double | r | radius |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayCircle | (x,y,r) |
| void | overlayFilledCircle | (x,y,r) |
Square
Draws a square of side length 2r, centered on (x, y). Can be an outline or filled.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinates of center |
| double | y | y-coordinates of center |
| double | r | radius |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlaySquare | (x,y,r) |
| void | overlayFilledSquare | (x,y,r) |
Rectangle
Draws a rectangle of given half-width and half-height centered on (x, y). Can be an outline or filled.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinates of center |
| double | y | y-coordinates of center |
| double | halfWidth | half of the rectangle width |
| double | halfHeight | half of the rectangle height |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayRectangle | (x,y,halfWidth,halfHeight) |
| void | overlayFilledRectangle | (x,y,halfWidth,halfHeight) |
Ellipse
Draws a filled ellipse with given semimajor and semiminor axes, centered on (x, y). Can be an outline or filled.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinates of center |
| double | y | y-coordinates of center |
| double | semiMajorAxis | ellipse semimajor axis |
| double | semiMinorAxis | ellipse semiminor axis |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayEllipse | (x,y,semiMajorAxis,semiMinorAxis) |
| void | overlayFilledEllipse | (x,y,semiMajorAxis,semiMinorAxis) |
Pixel
Draws a single pixel at (x, y).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate |
| double | y | y-coordinate |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayPixel | (x,y) |
Point
Draws a small point at (x, y).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate |
| double | y | y-coordinate |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayPoint | (x,y) |
Line
Draws a line from (x0, y0) to (x1, y1).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x0 | x-coordinate of the start point |
| double | y0 | y-coordinate of the start point |
| double | x1 | x-coordinate of the end point |
| double | y1 | y-coordinate of the end point |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayLine | (x0,y0,x1,y1) |
Arc
Draws an arc of radius r, centered on (x, y), from angle1 to angle2 (in degrees).
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinates of center |
| double | y | y-coordinates of center |
| double | r | radius |
| double | angle1 | starting arc angle |
| double | angle2 | ending arc angle |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayArc | (x,y,r,angle1,angle2) |
Polygon
Draws a polygon with the given vertex coordinates. Can be an outline or filled.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double[] | x | x-coordinates of vertices |
| double[] | y | y-coordinates of vertices |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayPolygon | (x,y) |
| void | overlayFilledPolygon | (x,y) |
Text
Writes the given text string in the pen font and size, aligned about the point (x, y). Can be rotated. Useful for titles and HUD-style text in the drawing window.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate |
| double | y | y-coordinate |
| String | text | text to draw |
| double | degrees | angle of rotation |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayText | (x,y,text) |
| void | overlayText | (x,y,text,degrees) |
| void | overlayTextLeft | (x,y,text) |
| void | overlayTextRight | (x,y,text) |
Picture
Draws a picture (gif, jpg, or png) centered on (x, y). Can rotated a given number of degrees, and rescaled to w-by-h.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-coordinate |
| double | y | y-coordinate |
| String | s | filename of image |
| double | w | width |
| double | h | height |
| double | degrees | angle of rotation |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | overlayPicture | (x,y,s) |
| void | overlayPicture | (x,y,s,degrees) |
| void | overlayPicture | (x,y,s, w, h) |
| void | overlayPicture | (x,y,s,w,h,degrees) |
For convenience, these methods which return commonly needed randomly generated parameters are included in the StdDraw3D library.
Color
Generates a random opaque color. Can choose either a fully random color or a random color on the rainbow.
Return Value
Returns a randomly generated color.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Color | randomColor | () |
| Color | randomRainbowColor | () |
Vector Direction
Returns a unit Vector3D in a random direction.
Return Value
Returns a random unit Vector3D.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | randomDirection | () |
Everything three-dimensional you draw in your scene from spheres to points to 3D text is actually a Shape object. When you call a drawing function, it always returns a Shape object. If you keep a reference to this object, you can manipulate the already drawn Shape instead of clearing and redrawing it, which is a much more powerful and more efficient method of animation.
The Shape Class is referenced as StdDraw3D.Shape. There are no direct constructors or public fields - every Shape is created through a static drawing function. Here is an example:
StdDraw3D.Shape ball = StdDraw3D.sphere(0,0,0,1);
ball.move(0.2,0,0); // Moves the sphere
These static functions are included in this section because they deal directly with Shape objects. They are powerful tools for creating efficient and advanced 3D scenes with StdDraw3D.
Combine
Combines any number of given Shape objects into one Shape object and returns it. Can input individual Shape objects separated by commas or an array of Shape objects. Useful for creating kinematic chains of relative motion
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Shape([]) | shapes | individual Shapes or an array of Shapes to copy |
Return Value
Returns the combined Shape object.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | combine | (...shapes) |
Copy
Returns an identical copy of a given Shape. The copy can be controlled independently. Much more efficient than redrawing a specific shape or model.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Shape | shape | 3D Shape to copy |
Return Value
Returns a copy of the given Shape.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Shape | copy | (shape) |
There are several ways to move a Shape object in 3D space. You can move it based on absolute coordinates or relative coordinates, or just set its position. For all methods, you can either specify scalar components of movement or a vector.
Move Absolute
Moves this Shape in absolute coordinates by the given vector.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of move vector |
| double | y | y-component of move vector |
| double | z | z-component of move vector |
| Vector3D | move | vector to move by, equal to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | move | (x,y,z) |
| void | move | (move) |
Move Relative
Moves this Shape in relative coordinates by the given vector, where (x, y, z) components correspond to (right, up, forward).
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | right | x-component of move vector |
| double | up | y-component of move vector |
| double | forward | z-component of move vector |
| Vector3D | move | vector to move by, equal to {right,up,forward} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | moveRelative | (right,up,forward) |
| void | moveRelative | (move) |
Set Position
Sets or gets the absolute position of this Shape.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of position vector |
| double | y | y-component of position vector |
| double | z | z-component of position vector |
| Vector3D | pos | new position vector, equal to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setPosition | (x,y,z) |
| void | setPosition | (pos) |
| Vector3D | getPosition | () |
There are many approaches to rotation in 3D space, and it is good to have options when orienting Shape objects. For example, you may want to rotate based on a relative or absolute frame, and you may prefer to use Euler angles, quaternions, axial rotations, or direction vectors. Each of these methods is useful in a different context, especially when making games. For most methods, you can either specify scalar components or a vector.
Rotate Absolute
Rotates this Shape by the given Euler angles (in degrees) in the absolute frame.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | xAngle | Euler rotation angle about x-axis |
| double | yAngle | Euler rotation angle about y-axis |
| double | zAngle | Euler rotation angle about z-axis |
| Vector3D | angles | Euler rotation angles |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | rotate | (xAngle,yAngle,zAngle) |
| void | rotate | (angles) |
Rotate Relative
Rotates this Shape by the given Euler angles (in degrees) in the relative frame.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | pitch | pitch component of Euler rotation |
| double | yaw | yaw component of Euler rotation |
| double | roll | roll component of Euler rotation |
| Vector3D | angles | vector to rotate by, equal to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | rotateRelative | (pitch,yaw,roll) |
| void | rotateRelative | (angles) |
Set Orientation
Sets or gets the absolute orientation of this Shape by the given Euler angles (in degrees).
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | xAngle | Euler rotation angle about x-axis |
| double | yAngle | Euler rotation angle about y-axis |
| double | zAngle | Euler rotation angle about z-axis |
| Vector3D | angles | Euler rotation angles |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setOrientation | (xAngle,yAngle,zAngle) |
| void | setOrientation | (angles) |
| Vector3D | getOrientation | () |
Rotate about Axis
Rotates this Shape about a given rotation axis by a certain number of degrees.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | axis | vector that defines the axis of rotation |
| double | angle | angle of rotation (in degrees) |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | rotateAxis | (axis,angle) |
Look At
Sets this Shape to point toward a specific point in space. Can specify an up vector, or use the default of the positive y-axis. Useful for something like animating a pair of eyes that need to look at something else that is moving.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | center | point to look at |
| Vector3D | up | direction of up |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | lookAt | (center) |
| void | lookAt | (center, up) |
Set Direction
Sets or gets the vector direction that this Shape is currently pointing in. Can specify an up vector, or use the default of the positive y-axis. Useful for something like animating a cannon, which needs to point in a specific direction.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | direction | direction vector |
| Vector3D | up | direction of up |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setDirection | (direction) |
| void | setDirection | (direction, up) |
| Vector3D | getDirection | () |
Scales the size of this Shape relative to its current size. For example, a.scale(2) doubles the size of the Shape named a.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | scale | scale multiplier |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | scale | (scale) |
Sets the color of everything contained inside this Shape to the given color. The color change is recursive, and Shapes with multiple colors will become monotone. Can also specify transparency.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Color | c | new color |
| int | alpha | transparency (0-255) |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | setColor | (c) |
| void | setColor | (c,alpha) |
Matches the position and orientation of this Shape with that of a given Shape or that of the Camera object.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Shape | s | object of reference |
| Camera | c | object of reference |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | match | (s) |
| void | match | (c) |
Hiding a Shape disappears it from the drawing window. While hidden, you can still manipulate the Shape as always, but you cannot see it. You can bring back the Shape by unhiding it. The methods hide() and unhide() are similar to show() and clear() for a single Shape object. Hiding is also useful for preloading large OBJ models so there is no load time when using them later.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | hide | () |
| void | unhide | () |
The camera can be controlled with the static functions already listed in this reference. However, much more advanced control of the camera can be obtained by manipulating the Camera object. The Camera is basically equivalent to a Shape with a couple of extra functions, so it can be moved and rotated just like a Shape. This functionality works well with point-of-view simulations and games.
The Camera Class is referenced as StdDraw3D.Camera. There are no direct constructors or public fields - the only way to get the Camera is through the static function camera(). Here is an example:
StdDraw3D.Camera cam = StdDraw3D.camera();
cam.rotateRelative(0,10,0); // Rotates the view upward
This static function returns the Camera object, which represents the viewpoint of the drawing window. It can be manipulated in real time just like any other object in the 3D scene.
Return Value
Returns the Camera object.
Method
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Camera | camera | () |
The Camera class has kinematic methods equivalent to those of the Shape class. A few methods are not available to the Camera class, because the Camera cannot be scaled, colored, or hidden. The Camera class has the following methods of the Shape class:
move()
moveRelative()
setPosition()
getPosition()
rotate()
rotateRelative()
setOrientation()
getOrientation()
rotateAxis()
lookAt()
setDirection()
getDirection()
match()
These methods are specifically for the Camera, and are useful in some scenarios.
Pair
Pairs the camera’s position and orientation to those of a Shape, over time and motion. This is similar to calling match() for every frame of an animation, but may be less jumpy in some cases. Call unpair() to release the pairing.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Shape | s | object to pair with |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | pair | (s) |
| void | unpair | () |
Rotate FPS
Rotates the Camera by the given Euler angles (in degrees), but ensures that the positive y-axis is always in the upward direction and that the Camera does not point closer than 5 degrees from vertical. This is similar to the view control of most first person shooters.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | xAngle | rotation angle about x-axis |
| double | yAngle | rotation angle about y-axis |
| double | zAngle | rotation angle about z-axis |
| Vector3D | angles | rotation angles |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | rotateFPS | (xAngle,yAngle,zAngle) |
| void | rotateFPS | (angles) |
When you create a light in StdDraw3D, it returns a Light object. Light objects can be manipulated just like Shapes, and are useful if you want moving lights or lights that change color and brightness.
The Light Class is referenced as StdDraw3D.Light. There are no direct constructors or public fields - every Light is created through a static light function. Here is an example:
StdDraw3D.Light bulb = StdDraw3D.pointLight(2,1,3,StdDraw3D.RED);
bulb.setColor(StdDraw3D.BLUE); // Turns the red light blue
The Light class has kinematic methods equivalent to those of the Shape class. A light cannot be scaled, so scale() is not valid for Lights. The Light class has the following methods of the Shape class:
move()
moveRelative()
setPosition()
getPosition()
rotate()
rotateRelative()
setOrientation()
getOrientation()
rotateAxis()
lookAt()
setDirection()
getDirection()
setColor()
match()
hide()
unhide()
Note, the most important functions from these for a Light are setColor() and hide().
Point lights affect near objects more than faraway objects. The setPower() method allows control of the power of a point Light. Ambient and directional lights do not depend on distance, and their brightness is controlled by the light color only.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | power | power of the point light |
Method
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | scalePower | (power) |
Vector3D is an immutable three-dimensional vector class with useful vector operations like projection and reflection. It is used throughout StdDraw3D to deal with 3D points, vectors, and tuples. Technically, points are not be vectors and should have their own class, but they are represented with vectors in StdDraw3D for ease of use.
The Vector3D class is referenced as StdDraw3D.Vector3D. Here is an example of usage:
StdDraw3D.Vector3D p = new StdDraw3D.Vector3D (0,0.5,-2);
StdDraw3D.setCameraPosition (p);
Vector3D is composed of three double-precision components: x, y, and z. The values are immutable but directly accessible by calling the name of the vector followed by the field. For example:
StdDraw3D.Vector3D v = new StdDraw3D.Vector3D (1,2,3);
double xComp = v.x; // xComp now equals 1
Vector3D Fields
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of this vector |
| double | y | y-component of this vector |
| double | z | z-component of this vector |
Creates a Vector3D object from three components or an array of components. If no arguments are given, initializes to the zero vector.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of the vector |
| double | y | y-component of the vector |
| double | z | z-component of the vector |
| double[] | c | array of three vector components, equal to {x,y,z} |
Return Value
Newly created Vector3D.
Constructors
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | Vector3D | (x, y, z) |
| Vector3D | Vector3D | (c) |
| Vector3D | Vector3D | () |
Addition
Returns the sum of this vector and that vector. That vector can be either a Vector3D or three components.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of that vector |
| double | y | y-component of that vector |
| double | z | z-component of that vector |
| Vector3D | that | that vector, same as to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | plus | (that) |
| Vector3D | plus | (x, y, z) |
Subtraction
Returns the difference of this vector and that vector. That vector can be either a Vector3D or three components.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | x | x-component of that vector |
| double | y | y-component of that vector |
| double | z | z-component of that vector |
| Vector3D | that | that vector, same as to {x,y,z} |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | minus | (that) |
| Vector3D | minus | (x, y, z) |
Multiplication
Returns the product of this vector either uniformly with a single scalar or component-wise with three scalars.
All Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| double | a | scalar to multiply x-component by |
| double | b | scalar to multiply y-component by |
| double | c | scalar to multiply z-component by |
| double | k | scalar to multiply each component by (ie. a=b=c) |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | times | (k) |
| Vector3D | times | (a,b,c) |
Magnitude
Returns the magnitude of this vector.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| double | mag | () |
Direction
Returns the unit Vector3D in the direction of this vector.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | direction | () |
Distance
Returns the Euclidian distance between this vector and that vector.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | that | that vector |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| double | distanceTo | (that) |
Dot Product
Returns the dot product of this vector and that vector.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | that | that vector |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| double | dot | (that) |
Cross Product
Returns the cross product of this vector and that vector.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | that | that vector |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | cross | (that) |
Angle
Returns the smallest angle between this vector and that vector, in degrees.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | that | that vector |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| double | angle | (that) |
Projection
Returns the projection of this vector onto the line defined by the given vector.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | line | vector that defines the line of projection |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | proj | (line) |
Reflection
Returns the reflection of this vector across the line defined by the given vector.
Arguments
| Type | Name | Description |
| Vector3D | line | vector that defines the line of reflection |
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| Vector3D | reflect | (line) |
To String
Returns a formatted string representation of this vector “( this.x, this.y, this.z)”.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| String | toString | () |
Draw
Draws the tip of this vector from the origin as a sphere of radius 0.01.
Methods
| Return Type | Name | Arguments |
| void | draw | () |
This manual and StdDraw3D was written by Hayk Martirosyan in 2011. If you need help, found a bug, or have a question, feel free to email hmartiro@princeton.edu. If you have in interest in working on the project, let me know.