need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
(OP)
I would like some suggestions as to which programming language to use for a simulation project.
I'm trying to simulate a new type of associative computer memory, which may or may not be implemented as a neural network. I want to be able to show simple geometrical objects moving around on the screen in simulation, like spots, lines, and squares, probably only in 2 dimensions, but I will need colors. I'm anticipating storing the points that describe these geometrical objects in arrays. The objects don't have to move particularly fast, but since I plan to film the results and post them on YouTube, they should be fast enough and solid to look visually interesting/convincing.
I am using Windows Vista. I know only the basics of Linux, but I suppose I could learn more Linux if necessary since there is no real deadline on this project. I have decades of programming experience and I know many languages like C++, Java, MATLAB, Scilab, CLIPS/JESS, Pascal, and BASIC.
One coworker told me that he would use MATLAB for such a project, when I told him what I was trying to do. I cannot afford MATLAB, but Scilab is free and almost the same, so that sounds like the best language for me at the moment, *if* his advice about MATLAB is good. However, as far as I know, such graphical simulation capability is not available in Scilab, despite some impressive videos on YouTube that do not describe how their Scilab programs are interfacing, or how they are working/plotting, so I am wary of starting a huge project in Scilab if I'm not sure it would do what I want.
Any suggestions?
I'm trying to simulate a new type of associative computer memory, which may or may not be implemented as a neural network. I want to be able to show simple geometrical objects moving around on the screen in simulation, like spots, lines, and squares, probably only in 2 dimensions, but I will need colors. I'm anticipating storing the points that describe these geometrical objects in arrays. The objects don't have to move particularly fast, but since I plan to film the results and post them on YouTube, they should be fast enough and solid to look visually interesting/convincing.
I am using Windows Vista. I know only the basics of Linux, but I suppose I could learn more Linux if necessary since there is no real deadline on this project. I have decades of programming experience and I know many languages like C++, Java, MATLAB, Scilab, CLIPS/JESS, Pascal, and BASIC.
One coworker told me that he would use MATLAB for such a project, when I told him what I was trying to do. I cannot afford MATLAB, but Scilab is free and almost the same, so that sounds like the best language for me at the moment, *if* his advice about MATLAB is good. However, as far as I know, such graphical simulation capability is not available in Scilab, despite some impressive videos on YouTube that do not describe how their Scilab programs are interfacing, or how they are working/plotting, so I am wary of starting a huge project in Scilab if I'm not sure it would do what I want.
Any suggestions?





RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
You might get more help for the latter two languages at http://www.tek-tips.com/index.cfm
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RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
In lieu of C++ you might look at Delphi... a Pascal like language.
Dik
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
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RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
A couple of years ago, I co-worker wanted to develop a little graphical program to coaching soccer...so, I found Visual Python
http://www.vpython.org/
and thanks to the ease of programming and the examples, I had something rather impressive just over a weekend.
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
Why "worst comes to worse"?
For someone familiar with Basic and wanting to do some simple graphics with minimum expenditure and hassle it seems the obvious choice.
Some examples of animations produced in Excel with little or no programming:
http://www
(download spreadsheet from http://c
http:/
h
http://
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
The only drawback is that it is a bit slow but given that you want to put it on the net, why not just write it for the net.
The nice thing about this is you don't need a compiler and you can run it on any OS as long as it has a browser that supports javascript. As for editors, any editor will do.
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
I have to question any serious engineering project that has the odd specs you're listing, as well as posting the results on YouTube...
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
Java is free, and there are several free development environments for it, including Eclipse.
Javascript is also free, and may well be the best option for what you want. This link:
http://
has a link to a Javascript file for animated pendulums, and also a link with a discussion on the source code. Might be a good place to start.
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
dev C++ with OpenCV is free.
Fe
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
Fe
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
Plenty of tutorials out there to get some simple animation happening and C# should be simple to pick up if you've used C++ and Java before.
Or, as gsal mentioned, Phython would be good fit for this type of thing.
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
My copy of Visual Studio C++, which I found out is too old to function on Vista despite online tips I found on how to get it to run on Vista, is ruled out now. I'm going to play with Visual Basic on that software tonight, but I expect the same incompatibility problems. I can't afford the $500+ for an upgrade to modern Visual Studio, and with so many problems with their software, I'm not sure I would pay Microsoft more money for that product even if I could afford it.
Another person I met suggested I could download JRE (Java environment) for free, and just use Notepad for writing the Java programs. That sounds like a decent solution.
PHP is impossible to develop on Vista, in my experience, despite some online claims to the contrary, whose online tips never worked for me. As far as I know, both PHP and JavaScript need to run from web pages, which is workable but a little weird.
I don't need any databases for this project.
It was a professor at UCSD who knew the particulars of my situation and of my intended project who recommended putting any of my simulation results online.
Thanks for the new suggestions, like OCTAVE and C#.
I'm also looking into a new consulting job, so all your suggestions might be good for that other project, especially if database-related, even if not good for this personal project of mine.
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
I hadn't used it before. But I recently installed it put it to the test. I must say that it is really good.
It is a higher level language than C and functions a little slower than Matlab/Octave but is free and works well.
Fe
RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
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RE: need a programming language for simple geometrical simulation
python for example (eclipse ide) with c++ for the computationally intensive parts.