Algorithm animation by demonstration

Author

Debra Lynn Jones

Date of Award

8-1994

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Computer Science

Major Professor

Bradley Vander Zander

Committee Members

DJ, Jens

Abstract

The growing trend towards graphical user interfaces and graphical representations for computer applications has created an interest in the animation of algorithms. Many environments provide the means for the creation of graphical data structures through the use of an interface or through procedure calls to graphical functions. Animation is then possible by manipulating the positions of these objects. This can be a time-consuming process involving a great amount of work to produce the animation. This project attempts to alleviate the burden of manipulating the objects in the graphical environment by providing a graphical interface to create the necessary elements for an animation, as well as the resulting animation. Through the creation of these elements, usually a data structure and transitional paths for its elements to follow, a generic animator is produced. The animator encapsulates the behavior demonstrated by the creation of the animation sequence, for example, the swapping of two objects. An algorithm can therefore be represented graphically by defining the data structure and the transitions that its elements make. These transitions are specified through the creation of visual paths which designate an object's starting and ending positions. Since an animator can handle the movement of several objects at once, the swapping of two objects is possible. Because an algorithm often performs the same types of actions on objects repeatedly, the same animator can be used to perform these actions by merely changing the objects that the animator is to move.

The methodology used for creating this animation package includes descriptions of the creation of data structures, their transitional paths, and how they are tied into one object, the animator.

Recommended Citation

Jones, Debra Lynn, "Algorithm animation by demonstration. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1994.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/11570