DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

DDA Line Drawing Algorithm

By Thiyagaraaj M

Contents
1. Line Equation
2.DDA Line Algorithm
3.Advantage & Disadvantage
4.Algorithm : A naïve line-drawing algorithm
5. C Programming Code
6.Example
7. References

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DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

Line Equation
The Cartesian slop-intercept equation for a straight line is

y=mx+b ------ (1)

with
m->slope
b->y intercept

The 2 end points of a line segment are specified at a position(x1,y1)

Determine the values for the slope m and y intercept b with the following calculation.

here, slope m:
m = ( y2 - y1) / ( x2 - x1 )

m= Dy / Dx ------ (2)

y intercept b
b=y1-mx1 ------ (3)

• Algorithms for displaying straight line based on this equation

• y interval Dy from the equation

m= Dy / Dx
Dy= m. Dx ------ ( 4 )
Similarly x interval Dx from the equation

m = Dy / Dx
Dx = Dy /m ------- ( 5 )

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DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

Line DDA Algorithm:

• The digital differential analyzer(DDA) is a scan conversion line algorithm based on calculation
either Dy or Dx.
• The line at unit intervals is one coordinate and determine corresponding integer values nearest line for
the other coordinate.
• Consider first a line with positive slope.

Step : 1
If the slope is less than or equal to 1 ,the unit x intervals Dx=1 and compute each successive y values.
Dx=1

m = Dy / Dx
m = ( y2-y1 ) / 1
m = ( yk+1 – yk ) /1

yk+1 = yk + m -------- ( 6 )

• subscript k takes integer values starting from 1,for the first point and increment by 1 until the final
end point is reached.
• m->any real numbers between 0 and 1
• Calculate y values must be rounded to the nearest integer

Step : 2
If the slope is greater than 1 ,the roles of x any y at the unit y intervals Dy=1 and compute each
successive y values.
Dy=1

m= Dy / Dx
m= 1/ ( x2-x1 )
m = 1 / ( xk+1 – xk )

xk+1 = xk + ( 1 / m ) ------- ( 7 )

• Equation 6 and Equation 7 that the lines are to be processed from left end point to the right end point.

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DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

Step : 3
If the processing is reversed, the starting point at the right
Dx=-1

m= Dy / Dx
m = ( y2 – y1 ) / -1
yk+1 = yk - m -------- ( 8 )

Iintervals Dy=1 and compute each successive y values.

Step : 4
Here, Dy=-1

m= Dy / Dx
m = -1 / ( x2 – x1 )
m = -1 / ( xk+1 – xk )

xk+1 = xk + ( 1 / m ) -------- ( 9 )

Equation 6 and Equation 9 used to calculate pixel position along a line with –ve slope.

Advantage:
faster method for calculating pixel position then the equation of a pixel position.
Y=mx+b

Disadvantage:
The accumulation of round of error is successive addition of the floating point increments is used to
find the pixel position but it take lot of time to compute the pixel position.

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DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

Algorithm : A naïve line-drawing algorithm

dx = x2 - x1
dy = y2 - y1
for x from x1 to x2 {
y = y1 + (dy) * (x - x1)/(dx)
pixel(x, y)
}

C Programming
void linedda(int xa,int ya,int xb,int yb) {

int dx=xb-xa,dy=yb-ya,steps,k;
float xincrement,yincrement,x=xa,y=ya;

if(abs(dx)>abs(dy)) steps=abs(dx);
else steps=abs(dy);

xincrement=dx/(float)steps;
yincrement=dy/(float)steps;

putpixel(round(x),round(y),2)

for(k=0;k<steps;k++) {
x+=xincrement;
y+=yincrement;
putpixel(round(x),round(y),2);
}
}

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DDA Line-drawing Algorithm By Thiyagaraaj M

Example:
xa,ya=>(2,2)
xb,yb=>(8,10)
dx=6
dy=8

xincrement=6/8=0.75
yincrement=8/8=1

1) for(k=0;k<8;k++)
xincrement=0.75+0.75=1.50
yincrement=1+1=2
1=>(2,2)

2) for(k=1;k<8;k++)
xincrement=1.50+0.75=2.25
yincrement=2+1=3
2=>(3,3)

it will be incremented upto the final end point is reached.

References
References

1. little drops - Computer Graphics

http://i.thiyagaraaj.com/tutorials/computer-graphics
2. little drops - Computer Graphics Using C Programming
http://i.thiyagaraaj.com/tutorials/computer-graphics-programs-using-c-programming
3. little drops - DDA Line Algorithm
http://i.thiyagaraaj.com/articles/articles/dda-line-algorithm

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