Parse a text file to create PVectors

Bird

I am working on a project and I need some help to get it started. I want to create a program that will parse text from a text file and create an arrayList of PVector points from the file.

Here is an example of the text I will use as input:

...
LOAD/TOOL,1240,ADJUST,1240
PAINT/COLOR,186
RAPID
GOTO/50.9361188,22.1399311,66.0000000,0.0000000,0.0000000,1.0000000
PAINT/COLOR,211
RAPID
GOTO/50.9361188,22.1399311,44.8782394
PAINT/COLOR,6
FEDRAT/IPM,50.0000000

GOTO/50.9361188,22.1399311,41.8782394 // First point 

PAINT/COLOR,31
FEDRAT/100.000000  // This is an indicator line to start recording the following points

// I also want to use the point before the following as the first point

GOTO/135.032223,22.1399311,41.8782394
GOTO/135.643971,26.8821142,43.6767850
GOTO/135.655965,26.9743716,43.7117751
GOTO/135.668047,27.0666190,43.7467613
GOTO/135.681138,27.1656088,43.7843047
...

After I create the arrayList of 3D Vectors, I want to calculate the sum of the distances traveled from point to point in sequence.

There is a lot more I want to do with this after, but this will get me started.

Bird

I used one of the examples that came with Processing and came up with this so far:

String[] lines;
int index = 0;
ArrayList<PVector> pointList;

void setup() {
  size(200, 200);
  background(0);
  stroke(254);
  lines = loadStrings("file.txt");
  pointList = new ArrayList<PVector>();
}

void draw() {
  if (index < lines.length) {
    String[] pieces = splitTokens(lines[index], "/,");
    for (int i = 0; i<pieces.length; i=i+1) {
      if (pieces[i].equals("GOTO")) {
        println("X=",pieces[i+1],"Y=",pieces[i+2],"Z=",pieces[i+3]);
        pointList.add(new PVector(float(pieces[i+1]),float(pieces[i+2]),float(pieces[i+3])));
      }
    }
  }
  index = index + 1;
}

Now I just need to put some logic in there somewhere to select only the points I want, then calculate the sum of the distances, which will be easy with the PVectors.

Any refinements or pointers are welcome.

Chrisir

first I recommend to check pointList

e.g. use

println (pointList.size());

if the number of items is correct approx.

then you can println a few items / PVectors to see if they are as expected

then to add up dist use a for-loop i to size()-1 (or -2 ?)

and say

PVector currentPoint1 = pointList.get(i);

PVector currentPoint2 = pointList.get(i+1);

then say

myDist = myDist + currentPoint1.dist(currentPoint2);
println ( currentPoint1.dist(currentPoint2) ); 

Greetings, Chrisir

koogs

why does line 5 have 6 arguments when all the other GOTOs have 3?

Chrisir

well spotted!

also, why use a for-loop in line 16 of the code?

Just say

// first exclude line 5 of the text file 
if (pieces.length == 4) {
 // then check GOTO 
 if (pieces[0].equals("GOTO")) {
    int i=0; 
    println("X=",pieces[i+1],"Y=",pieces[i+2],"Z=",pieces[i+3]);
    pointList.add(new PVector(float(pieces[i+1]),float(pieces[i+2]),float(pieces[i+3])));
  } // if 
}  if 

Greetings, Chrisir

Chrisir

or

Just say

// first exclude line 5 of the text file 
if (pieces.length == 4) {
 // then check GOTO 
 if (pieces[0].equals("GOTO")) {
    println("X=",pieces[1],"Y=",pieces[2],"Z=",pieces[3]);
    pointList.add(new PVector(float(pieces[1]),float(pieces[2]),float(pieces[3])));
  } // if 
}  if 

Greetings, Chrisir

Bird

@Chrisir Thanks for all the points! I will go through and do some refactoring. That's the fun part. I don't think a for-loop is necessary. I'll make some changes.

@koogs This is code that is used to generate G Code for machine programming. The first 3 numbers are for X, Y, and Z position of the tool tip. The last 3 are I, J, and K, which indicate the tool's orientation. With 0,0,1, as above, the tool is oriented straight down. This is necessary info for 5 axis mills. If the orientation of the tool doesn't change, then the IJK numbers are dropped until (or if) they change.