The Bubble Diagram in Processing

Being fairly new to programming, which seems similar to learning any spoken language, requires to understand the basics of the 'grammar' of the language.

Below is the screen shot of a 5 program (LR, K, DR, BD, BA) bubble created in processing.

In this output the user is able to move all the five bubbles in any direction. Also the logic of spatial connection ( in this case BD and BA are always adjacent to each other. LR is connected to K and DR. DR and K are connected to each other) can be easily implemented in processing than it could in GH.

Similar to GH, spring systems is used in processing too. Each of the line drawn is a spring and helps enhance the user interaction.

In processing user interaction can go to a higher level, where users can add more bubbles with a right click and create a spring connection. 

Switching to Processing

The bubble diagram is just a small means to understand the potential of using programming language contrary to any visual medium as an aid for an architect to design.

GrassHopper is definitely a visual form of programming with ready to pull and plug in icons, but it can lack the flexibility of actually writing a programme code to perform a desired output.

Processing is an open source programming language meant for graphics and visual outputs.

The aim to use Processing as a language to programme the bubble diagram, is mainly to understand this flexibility that writing a programme provides and to see whether the issue of anchor points can be resolved with processing.

Final output in GH

A bubble diagram in GH is deterministic on the anchor points.As mentioned earlier, multiple anchor points can be assigned in GH, but assigning a point as an anchor point restricts the spring motion/ rest lengths we can assign to it. This means that a bubble that has its centrepoint as an anchor point can be moved as per the user's but will act as an independent bubble from the spring system.

Below is a bubble diagram for a  simple 2 bedroom residence.

In this bubble diagram, the anchor points are assigned to LR (Living Room), BD1 (Bedroom 1), and BD2 (Bedroom 2). The K (Kitchen), and DR (Dining Room) are assigned to the LR, with rest lengths zero, indicating they need to be adjacent to to the living room. The user can move the LR in any direction or distance and the K and DR would move long with it. 

Similarly BD1 and BD2 are also assigned anchor points and the user is able to move them both in space. In this case the T1 and T2 are given rest lengths zero and would move alongside BD1 and BD2. 

The bubble diagram works well in this system, as it is less complex. In cases for example where we would have to move K or DR the problem becomes complicated. Assigning K or DR with anchor points would make it act independent to LR.