basics - vector

This libary provides 3D Vector in js including support for + - * / operator handling.

Normally vector implementations in javascript handle arithmetic operation by functions aVec.multiply(bVec).substract(dVec). Other languages provide operator overloading, that coders can create Vector class which can handle operation similar to number handling aVec * bVec - dVec.

This libary gives javascript coders a way to handle operators with a single statement () => aVec * bVec - dVec. The calculation can be combined with numbers () => aVec * bVec * 4 - dVec - 1.5. Vector objects can be create with number new Vector(5, 6, 7) or directly with assigned statement new Vector(() => 5 * 30 + 2).

Implementation details

// typical implementation of vector in js
const vec = aVec.multiply(bVec).multiply(4).substract(dVec).substract(1.5);

                    ⇓

// better readable, but much more complicated
const vec = new Vec(aVec.x * bVec.x * 4 - dVec.x - 1.5,
                    aVec.y * bVec.y * 4 - dVec.y - 1.5,
                    aVec.z * bVec.z * 4 - dVec.z - 1.5);

                    ⇓

// inspired by smart array handling
// first version of calling assigned function three times
const vec = oldCalc(  aVec, bVec, dVec,
                    ( aVec, bVec, dVec) =>
                      aVec * bVec * 4 - dVec - 1.5
                   );

                    ⇓

// final version with overwritten valueOf() function
const vec = calc(() => aVec * bVec * 4 - dVec - 1.5);

Javascript has this one peculiarity called valueOf() this function is designed for primitive handling (numbers and strings) when handling arithmetic operations. Every class can overwrite this function to give it special behavior. This Vector class calls the assigned statement three times for x, y and z. Comparable to trigger arithmetic operation manually for every axis.

Internally the valueOf() implementation returns x in first call, y in second call and z in last call, these results are put into an new Vector object and can be reused further.

Usage

API Reference

load via hmtl

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://unpkg.com/@js-basics/vector/lib/bundle.min.js"></script>

const { vector, victor, point, ipoint, calc } = basics;

load via npm

npm i @js-basics/vector

import { vector, victor, point, ipoint, calc } from '@js-basics/vector';

working with Vector classes

create vector by numbers

create vector by calculating other vectors and number

compare lengths

calculate cross product

directly normalize the cross product

cross product handling works also with operator handling

normalize only with arithmetic

mutable 3D vector called Vector

immutable 3D vector called Victor

behaves exactly like Vector but code cant change its x, y and z axes.

mutable 2D vector called Point

immutable 2D vector called IPoint

behaves exactly like Point but code cant change its x and y axes.

creating vector inside calculation

works fine thanks to caching in factory function.

mixing 2D and 3D space

working with Operator class

override valueOf in own class

write own factory function