Skiance Applet

This works best in Netscape Navigator!

The applet below performs calculations of the skiance field associated with various shapes. You can draw a free-hand shape or choose a pre-programmed shape. The shape and its isoskiance curves are plotted in the upper left panel of the applet. Text output is shown in the lower panel, with units of length in pixels. Skiance profiles are plotted in the upper right panel.

Drag with the left mouse button to enter a free-hand shape. The shape will be closed automatically when you release the left mouse button. The shape is shown in white, with data points shown as 3-pixel dots. Isoskiance curves are plotted in colours varying from yellow to red.

After the shape is drawn, click the left mouse button to calculate the skiance at a point, or drag the mouse to define a line for a skiance profile. Click the right mouse button to reset the shape. Preprogrammed shapes and other options can be selected by keyboard input according to the following table.

Keystroke(s)Meaning
EscapeReset the shape
g, GToggle the grid on/off
c, CDraw a circle
s, SDraw a semi-circle
e, EDraw an ellipse
[, ]Draw a square
r, RDraw a rectangle
l, LDraw an L-shape (square missing a corner)

Non-applet code

Copyright © 2003 Ernst W. Grundke (http://www.cs.dal.ca/~grundke) All rights reserved.
Last updated June 8, 2003.