Displaying random shapes

Programming Questions

killksm

in Programming Questions • 9 months ago

Hi all.

So, I'm incredibly new to all this, so please forgive my mistakes/rampant ignorance.

Basically, I've got a set of 33 svg files, of which I'd like to display a random selection (1 - 5 svgs at a given time, say) for random periods of time - preferably faded in/out when they appear/disappear. A friend of mine suggested sticking all the filenames into an xml file and using that as an array of files, but beyond that I'm stuck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Replies(8)

el_dippo

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

Hi,

It's beter that you show your code what you all ready made so far. Also, this question have been asked many times in this forum, there are some threads that already contain a solution for your question.
But, where lies the problem? Is it the animation?

Greetings, Dippo

killksm

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

Hi el_dippo,

Thanks for your reply. I've been combing through the wiki and the forum, and didn't come across what I've described. I guess I might have overlooked it, and I apologise if this is well-trodden ground on the forum.

It's crappy, but this is what I've got so far:

PShape s1;
PShape s2;
float a = 0.0
int rand1;
int rand2;
void setup() {
size(1600, 1200);
rand1 = int(random(1,33));
rand2 = int(random(1,33));
s1 = loadShape (nf(rand1, 3) + ".svg");
s2 = loadShape (nf(rand2, 3) + ".svg");
}
void draw() {
background(0);
a += 0.0001;
if(a > TWO_PI) {
a = 0.0;
}
translate(width/2, height/2);
rotate(a);
fill(255);
shapeMode(CENTER);
shape(s1, 1, 1, 1296, 776);
rotate(a*1.01);
fill(255);
shapeMode(CENTER);
shape(s2, 1, 1, 1296, 776);
}

So, at the moment, I can load/display one or more random shapes, and rotate them. I'm stumped by:

1) Randomising the number of shapes loaded/displayed. I'm thinking of a crude workaround by padding the pool of svg files with a bunch of empty, transparent svgs.
2) How to specify an interval for loading/displaying new shapes
3) How to fade the shapes in and out

Thanks!

GoToLoop

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

Just an idea for loading/displaying interval:

if (frameCount % interval == 0)
create/display shape;

w/ interval = 5, a new shape is displayed at each 5 draw() calls!

And a tip:

since fill(255); and shapeMode(CENTER); don't change to other values,
transfer them inside setup() instead.

killksm

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

GoToLoop, thanks for the tip!

Anyway, I've decided to work with pngs instead of svgs, my understanding being that I can use tint() to fade images, but not shapes. I've also decided to work with a larger pool of images - 81, instead of 33.

So I made some changes to my code:

PImage[] images = new PImage[81];
float a = 0.0;
int rand1;
int rand2;
int rand3;
int rand4;
int randmaster;
void setup() {
size(displayWidth, displayHeight);
for (int i = 0; 1 < images.length; i++)
{
images[i] = loadImage(nf(i+1, 3) + ".png");
}
fill(255);
imageMode(CENTER);
}
void draw() {
background(0);
randmaster = int(random(1,200));
if (frameCount % (3*randmaster) == 0) {
rand1 = int(random(1, 81));
}
if (frameCount % (5*randmaster) == 0) {
rand2 = int(random(1, 81));
}
if (frameCount % (7*randmaster) == 0) {
rand3 = int(random(1, 81));
}
if (frameCount % (9*randmaster) == 0) {
rand4 = int(random(1, 81));
}
if (frameCount % (11*randmaster) == 0) {
rand5 = int(random(1, 81));
}
a += 0.0001;
if (a > TWO_PI) {
a = 0.0;
}
translate(width/2, height/2);
rotate(a);
image(images[rand1], 1, 1, 1296, 776);
rotate(a);
image(images[rand2], 1, 1, 1296, 776);
rotate(a);
image(images[rand3], 1, 1, 1296, 776);
rotate(a);
image(images[rand4], 1, 1, 1296, 776);
rotate(a);
image(images[rand5], 1, 1, 1296, 776);
}

And now I get an OutOfMemoryError when I try to run my sketch. It worked fine when a) I was using shapes, and b) there were 33 of them, so I'm kind of scratching my head here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

killksm

Re: Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

Oh - forgot to mention. I tried increasing the amount of memory available to the sketch in the Preferences menu (brought it up to 1024mb) and no dice. I also tried reducing the number of images to 33, and it's still giving me an OutOfMemoryError.

PhiLho

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

The out of memory error is related to the different image() calls, actually. That's a Processing bug with a workaround.

killksm

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

Thanks!

I had a look at the thread. So, to implement the workaround, I tried:

rotate(a);
image(images[rand1] 1, 1, 1296, 776);
g.removeCache(images);

and received the error "The method removeCache(PImage) in the type PGraphics is not applicable for the arguments (PImage[])". I'm guessing I screwed up somewhere.

PhiLho

Re: Displaying random shapes

9 months ago

g.removeCache(images[rand1]);

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