Problems rendering a Polar Zonohedron in Processing - ruby

Question

I've recently been looking into Zonohedrons and Rob Bell made beautiful ones. I had a play with the free Polar Zonohedron Sketchup Plugin and thought about playing with the geometry using Processing. So far I've open up the plugin/Ruby script and tried to port it directly, but I am not experienced with Ruby and have been using the Sketchup Ruby API reference.
The geometry part of the code is mostly in the polar_zonohedron function:
def polar_zonohedron #frequency, pitch = atan(sqrt(2)/2), len = 1.0 # frequency,pitch,length
mo = Sketchup.active_model
mo.start_operation "polar_zonohedron"
prompts = ["Frequency", "Pitch in radians", "Length"]
values = [8, "atan( sqrt(2)/2 )", 12.inch]
results = inputbox prompts, values, "Polar Zonohedron"
return if not results # This means that the user canceld the operation
ents = mo.active_entities
grp = ents.add_group
ents = grp.entities
grp.frequency = results[0]
grp.pitch = eval( results[1] )
grp.length = results[2]
pts=[]
#we begin by setting pts[0] to the origin
pts[0] = Geom::Point3d.new(0,0,0)
vector = Geom::Vector3d.new(cos(grp.pitch),0,sin(grp.pitch) ) #tilt pitch vector up the xz plane
vector.length = grp.length
#Using the origin as the initial generator we iterate thru each zone of the zonohedron
#our first task is to define the four points of the base rhomb for this zone
#at the end the pts[3] becomes our new origin for the rhomb of the next zone
1.upto(grp.frequency-1){ |i|
p_rotate = Geom::Transformation.rotation( pts[0] , Geom::Vector3d.new(0,0,1), i*2*PI/grp.frequency )
#obtain the other three points of the rhomb face
pts[1] = pts[0].transform vector
pts[3] = pts[1].transform( p_rotate )
pts[2] = pts[3].transform( vector )
#we now have the 4 points which make this zone's base rhomb
#so we rotate around the origin frequency times making a star pattern of faces
0.upto(grp.frequency-1){ |j|
f_rotate = Geom::Transformation.rotation( Geom::Point3d.new(0,0,0) , Geom::Vector3d.new(0,0,1), j*2*PI/grp.frequency )
ents.add_face( pts.collect{|p| p.transform(f_rotate)} )
}
#set the origin for the rhomb of the next zone
pts[0] = pts[3]
}
mo.commit_operation
end
I've understood the loops but am slightly confused by transforms:
pts[1] = pts[0].transform vector
pts[3] = pts[1].transform( p_rotate )
pts[2] = pts[3].transform( vector )
As far as I can tell pts[1] is the vector addiction of pts[0] and vector,
and pts[3] is pts[1] multiplied by the p_rotate rotation matrix. Would pts[2] also be an addition (between pts[3] and vector )?
Here's what my attempt looks like so far:
//a port attempt of Rob Bell's polar_zonohedron.rb script - http://zomebuilder.com/
int frequency = 3;
float pitch = atan(sqrt(2)/2);
float length = 24;
ArrayList<Face> faces = new ArrayList<Face>();
void setup(){
size(400,400,P3D);
strokeWeight(3);
setupZome();
}
void setupZome(){
faces.clear();
PVector[] pts = new PVector[4];
pts[0] = new PVector();
PVector vector = new PVector(cos(pitch),0,sin(pitch));
vector.mult(length);
for(int i = 1 ; i < frequency; i++){
PMatrix3D p_rotate = new PMatrix3D();
p_rotate.rotate(i * TWO_PI / frequency, 0,0,1);
//PVector v = new PVector();
//p_rotate.mult(pts[0],v);
//pts[0] = v;
pts[1] = PVector.add(pts[0],vector);
pts[3] = new PVector();
p_rotate.mult(pts[1],pts[3]);
pts[2] = PVector.add(pts[3],vector);
for(int j = 0; j < frequency; j++){
PMatrix3D f_rotate = new PMatrix3D();
f_rotate.rotate(j*2*PI/frequency , 0,0,1);
Face f = new Face();
for(PVector pt : pts){
PVector p = new PVector();
f_rotate.mult(pt,p);
f.add(p.get());
}
faces.add(f);
}
pts[0] = pts[3];
}
}
void draw(){
background(255);
lights();
translate(width * .5, height * .5,0);
rotateY(map(mouseX,0,width,-PI,PI));
rotateX(map(mouseY,0,height,-PI,PI));
drawAxes(100);
pushMatrix();
translate(0,0,-frequency * length * .25);
for(Face f : faces){
beginShape(mousePressed ? QUADS : POINTS);
for(PVector p : f.pts) vertex(p.x,p.y,p.z);
endShape();
}
popMatrix();
}
void keyPressed(){
if(keyCode == UP && frequency < 32) frequency++;
if(keyCode == DOWN && frequency > 2) frequency--;
setupZome();
}
void drawAxes(int size){
stroke(192,0,0);
line(0,0,0,size,0,0);
stroke(0,192,0);
line(0,0,0,0,size,0);
stroke(0,0,192);
line(0,0,0,0,0,size);
}
class Face{
ArrayList<PVector> pts = new ArrayList<PVector>();
Face(){}
void add(PVector p){
if(pts.size() <= 4) pts.add(p);
}
}
I feel I'm close, but I'm getting the loop conditionals and vertex indices wrong.
Any tips on how to fix this?

Answer 1

I was very close, but not paying attention to all the details.
Turns out I get the correct mesh if I don't increment the rotation on p_rotate:
p_rotate.rotate(TWO_PI / frequency, 0,0,1);
instead of
p_rotate.rotate(i * TWO_PI / frequency, 0,0,1);
Here is the full code listing:
//a port attempt of Rob Bell's polar_zonohedron.rb script - http://zomebuilder.com/
int frequency = 3;
float pitch = atan(sqrt(2)/2);
float length = 24;
ArrayList<Face> faces = new ArrayList<Face>();
void setup(){
size(400,400,P3D);
strokeWeight(3);
setupZome();
}
void setupZome(){
faces.clear();
PVector[] pts = new PVector[4];
pts[0] = new PVector();
PVector vector = new PVector(cos(pitch),0,sin(pitch));
vector.mult(length);
for(int i = 1 ; i < frequency-1; i++){
PMatrix3D p_rotate = new PMatrix3D();
p_rotate.rotate(TWO_PI / frequency, 0,0,1);
pts[1] = PVector.add(pts[0],vector);
pts[3] = new PVector();
p_rotate.mult(pts[1],pts[3]);
pts[2] = PVector.add(pts[3],vector);
for(int j = 0; j < frequency; j++){
PMatrix3D f_rotate = new PMatrix3D();
f_rotate.rotate(j*2*PI/frequency , 0,0,1);
Face f = new Face();
for(PVector pt : pts){
PVector p = new PVector();
f_rotate.mult(pt,p);
f.add(p.get());
}
faces.add(f);
}
pts[0] = pts[3];
}
}
void draw(){
background(255);
lights();
translate(width * .5, height * .5,0);
rotateY(map(mouseX,0,width,-PI,PI));
rotateX(map(mouseY,0,height,-PI,PI));
drawAxes(100);
pushMatrix();
translate(0,0,-frequency * length * .25);
for(Face f : faces){
beginShape(mousePressed ? QUADS : POINTS);
for(PVector p : f.pts) vertex(p.x,p.y,p.z);
endShape();
}
popMatrix();
}
void keyPressed(){
if(keyCode == UP && frequency < 32) frequency++;
if(keyCode == DOWN && frequency > 3) frequency--;
setupZome();
}
void drawAxes(int size){
stroke(192,0,0);
line(0,0,0,size,0,0);
stroke(0,192,0);
line(0,0,0,0,size,0);
stroke(0,0,192);
line(0,0,0,0,0,size);
}
class Face{
ArrayList<PVector> pts = new ArrayList<PVector>();
Face(){}
void add(PVector p){
if(pts.size() <= 4) pts.add(p);
}
}
And here a couple of screenshots: