attach_arrow()

Arrows are often used to visualize vectors such as the velocity of a moving object, or the force acting on the object. attach_arrow allows automatic updating of the position, direction, and size of the arrow as the object moves.

_images/attach_arrow.png

An arrow representing velocity is attached to a bouncing ball.

Caveats:

  • The quantity to be visualized must be a vector attribute of the moving object.

  • The value of the quantity must be updated by the code as the object moves.

  • To keep the cross section of the arrow constant, set shaftwidth.

attach_arrow(ball, "velocity", color=color.green, scale=10, shaftwidth=ball.radius/3)
Parameters:

  • firstargument (object) – Object to which to attach the arrow (ball in example above).

  • secondargument (string) – Name of vector attribute to be represented by the arrow (“velocity” in example above).

  • scale (scalar) – Quantity by which to multiply the attribute in order to adjust the magnitude of the axis of the arrow.

  • color (vector) – Default is the color of the object to which the arrow is attached.

  • shaftwidth – Cross section of the tail of the arrow.

Turning attach_arrow off and on

To start and stop displaying the arrow:

ball = sphere(color=color.yellow, velocity=vec(0,0,0) )
myarrow = attach_arrow( ball, "velocity", scale=2.0)
...
myarrow.stop()  # stops arrow display
...
myarrow.start() # restarts arrow display

See also

arrow