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Lsystem_editor

Website:

https://github.com/Heziode/lsystem-editor

Author:
  • Heziode
Maintainer:
  • Heziode <heziode@protonmail.com>
License:

MIT

Version:

1.0.0

Alire CI:

Dependencies: Dependents:

No dependents.

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L-Systems editor in Ada

#gtk #gtk3 #ada #l-systems #gtkada #l-system #editor #gui

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L-System Editor

License

A comprehensive graphical and command-line editor for creating, manipulating, and visualizing Lindenmayer systems (L-systems).

This project was initially developed as part of a university project.

What are L-Systems?

L-systems (Lindenmayer systems) are a type of formal grammar introduced by biologist Aristid Lindenmayer in 1968. They are particularly useful for modeling plant growth and generating fractals. An L-system consists of:

  • An alphabet of symbols that can be used to make strings
  • An axiom (initial string) to start with
  • A set of production rules that expand each symbol into a larger string of symbols

Through recursive application of these rules, complex structures can be generated from simple initial conditions.

Features

  • Interactive GUI for creating and editing L-systems
  • Command-line interface for batch processing and automated workflows
  • Real-time visualization of the L-system at different development levels
  • Export capabilities to PS (PostScript) format for now
  • Customizable rendering with adjustable parameters (colors, margins, dimensions)
  • Save and load L-system definitions using .ls files

Installation

alr install lsystem_editor

From Source

  1. Ensure you have Ada and GtkAda installed. This project depends on GNAT Lib.
  2. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/Heziode/lsystem-editor.git
  3. Build with Alire: alr build or manually with make

Usage

GUI Mode

Launch the graphical interface:

./bin/lsystem_editor
# Or
alr run

The GUI offers:

  • A text editor area for defining L-system rules
  • Controls to adjust the development level
  • Real-time visualization of the L-system
  • Export options
  • Customization of colors and rendering parameters

Command-Line Mode

For automated processing or batch operations:

lsystem_editor --no-gui [OPTIONS]

Command-Line Options

Option Long Form Description
-i --input=FILE Input file containing an L-system definition
-o --output=FILE Output file to store an L-system definition
-e --export=FORMAT Export format for the L-system representation
-p --export-file=FILE Output file for the exported representation
-d --develop=N Number of development steps to apply
-w --width=N Width of the output representation
-h --height=N Height of the output representation
-b --background-color=COLOR Background color in hex format (e.g., #AABBCC)
-f --foreground-color=COLOR Foreground color in hex format (e.g., #AABBCC)
-mt --margin-top=N Top margin for rendering
-mr --margin-right=N Right margin for rendering
-mb --margin-bottom=N Bottom margin for rendering
-ml --margin-left=N Left margin for rendering

L-System File Format

L-system definitions are stored in .ls files with the following syntax:

<angle> [angle in degrees]
<axiom> [initial string]
<rules>
[symbol] [replacement string]
[symbol] [replacement string]
...
</rules>

Example L-System: Koch Curve

60.0
-F++F++F
F F-F++F-F

Where:

  • F means “draw forward”
  • + means “turn left by angle”
  • - means “turn right by angle”

Controls in GUI Mode

  • Text Editor: Define and edit your L-system
  • Validate Button: Check if your L-system definition is valid
  • Level Spinner: Adjust the development level
  • Color Controls: Change foreground and background colors
  • Export Options: Save visualizations

License

L-System Editor is distributed under the MIT License.

Copyright (c) 2018 Quentin Dauprat (Heziode)

See the LICENSE file for full details.