TiKZ oriented graph

[dwsmith]

How can I draw a rectangle oriented clockwise on the complex plane with vertices on (0,0), (0,4), (10,4), and (10,0)?

I am guessing the tikz package needs to be used but I am not skilled in making pictures.

 

[Evgeny.Makarov]

If you say \usepackage{tikz}, then you can do

\tikz\draw (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;

or

\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}

What do you mean by a rectangle "oriented clockwise"?

I am sure you can easily do this using other LaTeX packages, but I don't know them very well.

 

[dwsmith]

Clockwise is the path you would take around the rectangle.

Ok so that worked but I also want the rectangle on the coordinate axis with arrows along the path and the axes labeled at at 0, 10 and 4. Is there a way to make the rectangle not as big on the pdf?

 

[Evgeny.Makarov]

Well, after a rectangle is finished being drawn, nobody can tell whether it was drawn clockwise or counterclockwise. So I don't see the meaning in stipulating that it is oriented clockwise.

 

[dwsmith]

Well, after a rectangle is finished being drawn, nobody can tell whether it was drawn clockwise or counterclockwise. So I don't see the meaning in stipulating that it is oriented clockwise.

I need arrows on the rectangle showing its orientation of clockwise.

 

[Chris L T521]

If you say \usepackage{tikz}, then you can do

\tikz\draw (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;

or

\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}

What do you mean by a rectangle "oriented clockwise"?

I am sure you can easily do this using other LaTeX packages, but I don't know them very well.

Although I've used Tikz for complicated diagrams and images before, I never knew about the cycle option. Thanks for posting that!

 

[Evgeny.Makarov]

Although I've used Tikz for complicated diagrams and images before, I never knew about the cycle option.

Yes, and besides shortening the notation, this option causes TikZ to create a proper join between the first and last segment. Here is a picture from TikZ manual.

Here is the code for a rectangle with arrows.

\usetikzlibrary{arrows}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=stealth',scale=.5]
\draw[->] (-1,0) -- (11,0);
\draw[->] (0,-1) -- (0,5);
\node[below left] at (0,0) {0};
\node[below] at (10,0) {10};
\node[left] at (0,4) {4};
\draw[thick,->] (0,0) -- (0,2);
\draw[thick,->] (0,2) -- (0,4) -- (5,4);
\draw[thick,->] (5,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,2);
\draw[thick,->] (10,2) -- (10,0) -- (5,0);
\draw[thick] (5,0) -- (0,0);
\end{tikzpicture}

This example uses the scale= option, which can be used in each \draw instruction individually or can apply to the whole picture if specified after \begin{tikzpicture}. It affects the specified coordinates, not the line lengths. The option -> adds the arrow tip only to the end of the path, so the rectangle has to consist of several paths.

A more sophisticated way is to use the decorations library.

\usetikzlibrary{arrows,decorations.markings}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=stealth',scale=.5]
\draw[->] (-1,0) -- (11,0);
\draw[->] (0,-1) -- (0,5);
\node[below left] at (0,0) {0};
\node[below] at (10,0) {10};
\node[left] at (0,4) {4};
\draw[
  thick,
  decoration={
    markings,
    mark=at position 1/14 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 9/28 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 4/7 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 23/28 with {\arrow{>}}},
  postaction={decorate}] (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}

One advantage is that this allows using the cycle construction, which, as said above, create the correct join at (0, 0). I agree that the syntax of the decorations is rather confusing.

 

[dwsmith]

Yes, and besides shortening the notation, this option causes TikZ to create a proper join between the first and last segment. Here is a picture from TikZ manual.

Here is the code for a rectangle with arrows.

\usetikzlibrary{arrows}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=stealth',scale=.5]
\draw[->] (-1,0) -- (11,0);
\draw[->] (0,-1) -- (0,5);
\node[below left] at (0,0) {0};
\node[below] at (10,0) {10};
\node[left] at (0,4) {4};
\draw[thick,->] (0,0) -- (0,2);
\draw[thick,->] (0,2) -- (0,4) -- (5,4);
\draw[thick,->] (5,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,2);
\draw[thick,->] (10,2) -- (10,0) -- (5,0);
\draw[thick] (5,0) -- (0,0);
\end{tikzpicture}

This example uses the scale= option, which can be used in each \draw instruction individually or can apply to the whole picture if specified after \begin{tikzpicture}. It affects the specified coordinates, not the line lengths. The option -> adds the arrow tip only to the end of the path, so the rectangle has to consist of several paths.

A more sophisticated way is to use the decorations library.

\usetikzlibrary{arrows,decorations.markings}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=stealth',scale=.5]
\draw[->] (-1,0) -- (11,0);
\draw[->] (0,-1) -- (0,5);
\node[below left] at (0,0) {0};
\node[below] at (10,0) {10};
\node[left] at (0,4) {4};
\draw[
  thick,
  decoration={
    markings,
    mark=at position 1/14 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 9/28 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 4/7 with {\arrow{>}},
    mark=at position 23/28 with {\arrow{>}}},
  postaction={decorate}] (0,0) -- (0,4) -- (10,4) -- (10,0) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}

One advantage is that this allows using the cycle construction, which, as said above, create the correct join at (0, 0). I agree that the syntax of the decorations is rather confusing.

You are great with the tikz stuff. On mhf, you would help with my commutative diagrams. Where do you get a manual for this?

 

[Chris L T521]

You are great with the tikz stuff. On mhf, you would help with my commutative diagrams. Where do you get a manual for this?

I have it somewhere, but it's available here.

EDIT: The most up-to-date one is this one: http://math.mit.edu/~dspivak/files/pgfmanual.pdf

 

[Evgeny.Makarov]

EDIT: The most up-to-date one is this one: http://math.mit.edu/~dspivak/files/pgfmanual.pdf

This is for version 2.0. Here is version 2.10 on CTAN. Besides, it is included in the distribution at doc/generic/pgf/pgfmanual.pdf.