Top (Sketch)

Sketch

This manual is for sketch, version 0.3 (build 7), Saturday, November 07, 2020, a program that converts descriptions of simple three-dimensional scenes into line drawings. This version generates PSTricks or PGF/TikZ code suitable for use with the TeX document processing system.

Sketch is free software. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.

Sketch is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with sketch; see the file COPYING.txt. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/copyleft.

• About sketch		Why sketch exists and what it does.
• Introduction by example		Most features shown as working code.
• Input language		Syntax and semantics of `sketch` commands.
• Building a drawing		How to use `sketch` productively.
• Command line		Options and their usage.
• Installing sketch		Building and installing from sources.
• Index of syntax
• Index

— The Detailed Node Listing — About sketch
• Reporting bugs		Let use know what’s wrong!
• Contributions		How you can help….
Introduction by example
• Hello world		Simplest possible `sketch` program.
• Drawing options		Controlling object appearance.
• Drawing a solid		Drawing an object with 3d appearance.
• Special objects		Laying TeX over, in, or under drawings.
• Object transforms		Rotate, translate, scale, and others.
• Repeated objects		Making transformed copies.
• Swept objects		Sweeping objects in space to make new shapes.
Swept objects
• Point sweeps		Swept points make lines and polygons.
• Polyline sweeps		Swept lines make surfaces.
• Nested sweeps		Swept sweeps are useful!
• Polygon sweeps		Swept polygons make solids...
• Polyline sweeps with closure		and so do closed polyline sweeps.
• Affine arithmetic		Sketch useful math expression.
• More to learn		Check out the Mobius strip!
Input language
• Language basics		Case, space, comments, include files.
• Drawables		Things that can be drawn.
• Definitions		Giving things names.
• Global environment		Affect the entire drawing.
Basics
• Identifiers		Names for things.
• Key and reserved words		Names you shouldn’t use.
• Literals		Constants and constructors.
• Arithmetic		Rules for expressions.
• Options		Modifying object appearance.
Literals
• Scalar literals		Just the numbers.
• Point and vector literals		3d quantities.
• Transform literals		Matrix form.
Arithmetic expressions
• Two-operand (binary) forms		A op B
• Unary forms		op A (and others)
Options
• PSTricks options		Options inherited from `PSTricks`.
• TikZ/PGF options		Options inherited from `TikZ/PGF`.
• Dots in TikZ/PGF		Sketch uses `TikZ/PGF` circles for dots.
• TikZ/PGF user-defined styles		Support for `TikZ/PGF` named, user-defined styles.
• Transparency		See-through polygons.
• Internal options		Options used by `sketch`.
Point lists
• Drawables		Things that are drawn.
• Definitions		Things with names.
Drawables
• Dots		Draw dots.
• Lines		Draw polylines.
• Curves		Draw curves.
• Polygons		Draw polygons.
• Specials		Embed raw LaTeX and `PSTricks`.
• Sweeps		Draw sweeps of dots and polylines.
• Blocks		Group other drawables.
• Repeats		Draw transformed copies of objects.
• Puts		Draw one object transformed.
Sweeps
• Swept points		Swept points make lines or polygons.
• Swept lines		Swept lines make open or closed surfaces.
• Swept polygons		Swept polygons make closed surfaces.
• Swept blocks		Swept block ≡ block of sweeps.
• Sweep face splitting		Fixing warped faces with triangles.
Definitions
• Forms of definitions		Different defs for different purposes.
• Forms of references		How references denote types.
Global environment
• Global options		Attributes of the entire drawing.
• Camera		A final camera transformation of the scene.
• Picture box		Setting the bounding box and 2d clipping.
• Frame		Adding a box around the drawing.
• Language		Setting the output language.
Building a drawing
• Overview		Building a substantial drawing.
• A technical drawing		An example with fine placement.
• A hierarchical model		An example with sweeps and puts.
• Caveats		Where trouble can occur.
Caveats
• Limits on error detection		What sketch doesn’t do.
• Clipping		No clipping at present.
• Hidden surface removal		Imperfections to fix.
Hidden surface removal and polygon splitting
• Statistics		Performance numbers on depth sort.
• Bugs and anomalies		Imperfections in this implementation.

• About sketch

Why sketch exists and what it does.

• Introduction by example

Most features shown as working code.

• Input language

Syntax and semantics of sketch commands.

• Building a drawing

How to use sketch productively.

• Command line

Options and their usage.

• Installing sketch

Building and installing from sources.

• Index of syntax

• Index

 — The Detailed Node Listing —

About sketch

• Reporting bugs

Let use know what’s wrong!

• Contributions

How you can help….


Introduction by example

• Hello world

Simplest possible sketch program.

• Drawing options

Controlling object appearance.

• Drawing a solid

Drawing an object with 3d appearance.

• Special objects

Laying TeX over, in, or under drawings.

• Object transforms

Rotate, translate, scale, and others.

• Repeated objects

Making transformed copies.

• Swept objects

Sweeping objects in space to make new shapes.


Swept objects

• Point sweeps

Swept points make lines and polygons.

• Polyline sweeps

Swept lines make surfaces.

• Nested sweeps

Swept sweeps are useful!

• Polygon sweeps

Swept polygons make solids...

• Polyline sweeps with closure

and so do closed polyline sweeps.

• Affine arithmetic

Sketch useful math expression.

• More to learn

Check out the Mobius strip!


Input language

• Language basics

Case, space, comments, include files.

• Drawables

Things that can be drawn.

• Definitions

Giving things names.

• Global environment

Affect the entire drawing.


Basics

• Identifiers

Names for things.

• Key and reserved words

Names you shouldn’t use.

• Literals

Constants and constructors.

• Arithmetic

Rules for expressions.

• Options

Modifying object appearance.


Literals

• Scalar literals

Just the numbers.

• Point and vector literals

3d quantities.

• Transform literals

Matrix form.


Arithmetic expressions

• Two-operand (binary) forms

A op B

• Unary forms

op A (and others)


Options

• PSTricks options

Options inherited from PSTricks.

• TikZ/PGF options

Options inherited from TikZ/PGF.

• Dots in TikZ/PGF

Sketch uses TikZ/PGF circles for dots.

• TikZ/PGF user-defined styles

Support for TikZ/PGF named, user-defined styles.

• Transparency

See-through polygons.

• Internal options

Options used by sketch.


Point lists

• Drawables

Things that are drawn.

• Definitions

Things with names.


Drawables

• Dots

Draw dots.

• Lines

Draw polylines.

• Curves

Draw curves.

• Polygons

Draw polygons.

• Specials

Embed raw LaTeX and PSTricks.

• Sweeps

Draw sweeps of dots and polylines.

• Blocks

Group other drawables.

• Repeats

Draw transformed copies of objects.

• Puts

Draw one object transformed.


Sweeps

• Swept points

Swept points make lines or polygons.

• Swept lines

Swept lines make open or closed surfaces.

• Swept polygons

Swept polygons make closed surfaces.

• Swept blocks

Swept block ≡ block of sweeps.

• Sweep face splitting

Fixing warped faces with triangles.


Definitions

• Forms of definitions

Different defs for different purposes.

• Forms of references

How references denote types.


Global environment

• Global options

Attributes of the entire drawing.

• Camera

A final camera transformation of the scene.

• Picture box

Setting the bounding box and 2d clipping.

• Frame

Adding a box around the drawing.

• Language

Setting the output language.


Building a drawing

• Overview

Building a substantial drawing.

• A technical drawing

An example with fine placement.

• A hierarchical model

An example with sweeps and puts.

• Caveats

Where trouble can occur.


Caveats

• Limits on error detection

What sketch doesn’t do.

• Clipping

No clipping at present.

• Hidden surface removal

Imperfections to fix.


Hidden surface removal and polygon splitting

• Statistics

Performance numbers on depth sort.

• Bugs and anomalies

Imperfections in this implementation.

Sketch

Table of Contents

Sketch