hi all,

does some one know of a simple and efficient algorithm to draw a circular
curve in the xy plane given the start- and end point of this curve and the
radius:

can any one provide me with some pointers or suggestions or (even better)
sample code? please reply also to my email address

thanx in advance

Hans van Lint

__________________________________________________

ir. J.W.C. van Lint

Transportation Planning and
Traffic Engineering Department
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences
Delft University of Technology
Stevinweg 1, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA Delft
(phone) +31 (0) 15 278.50.61
(mobile) +31 (0) 6 26.25.26.39
(email) H.vanL...@citg.tudelft.nl
__________________________________________________

There is one problem: There are two such curves if you don't have any
additional parameter. Start- and end point have the same distance to the
center (distance = radius), so yo search a point that's on a line
exactly between start- and end point.

       C1
       |
S------X------E
       |
       C2

To do so first search point X with
X.x := (S.x + E.x) / 2
X.y := (S.y + E.y) / 2

With pythagoras you know:
Sqr(S-X) + Sqr(X-C) = Sqr(S-C) where S-C = Radius

You also know that X-C is 90 degrees to S-X, so
C.x := X.x + f*(X.y-S.y)
C.y := X.y + f*(X.x-S.x)

Now what is f? A factor that makes C-X the right length (with the
pythagoras formula above).
sx = Sqrt(Sqr(S.x-X.x)+Sqr(S.y-X.y)) // distance between S and X
f = Sqrt(Sqr(Radius)-Sqr(sx))/sx // divide by sx because in the formula
above you have a multiplication by something like "sx" again (just
another direction but same length)

Okay, now take +f and -f and you have both centers that are possible. I
think that's all information you need to draw the curve. Right? (not
quite sure)

Well, that's just what came to my mind, not sure about all of it.

Jens