Line Drawing Algorithms

Rasterization-Process of
determining which pixels give the
best approximation to a desired line
on the screen.
Scan Conversion-Digitizing a
picture definition given in an
application program into a set of
pixel intensity values for storage in
the frame buffer.

Output primitives -Basic geometric

structures.
A scene is described in such a way that
the graphics programming packages
provide functions to describe a scene in
terms of basic geometric structures called
output primitives and to group sets of o/p
primitives into more complex structures
Each output primitive is specified with the
input coordinate data and other
information about the way that object is to
be displayed.

Points- Point plotting is accomplished by

converting a single coordinate position in
an application program into appropriate
operations for the output device in use.
Line- Line drawing is accomplished by
calculating intermediate positions along the
line path between 2 specified end point
positions. The output device is directed to
fill these positions between the end points.

Scan Line
number

4
3
2
1
0
0

Pixel Column
number

Straight line segment with 5 sampling

positions along the x axis and y axis

y2

y1

x1

x2

 The Cartesian slope intercept eqn for

(1)
straight line is y = m x + b
(x1,y1) & (x2,y2) be the two endpoints
of the line, then m=(y2-y1)/(x2-x1)
b= y1- mx1
(2)
i.e
y1 = mx1 + b
(3)
y2 = mx2 + b
(3) (2)

( y2-y1) = m (x2 x1)

m=(y2-y1)/(x2-x1) ie y/ x

 For any given x interval x along a line,

compute the corresponding y interval
y as y = m x
Similarly the x interval is obtained as
x = y /m
The above eqns form the basis for
determining deflection voltages.

Lines with slope magnitude |m| <1, x is set

proportional to a small horizontal deflection
voltage and the corresponding vertical
deflection voltage y is y = m x

P2

x> y

P1

Lines with slope magnitude |m| >1, y is set

proportional to a small vertical deflection
voltage and the corresponding horizontal
deflection voltage is x = y /m
P2
y> x

Digital Differential Algorithm(DDA)

Scan conversion algorithm based on
calculating either x or y.
Sample the line at unit intervals in one
coordinate and determine the corresponding
integer values nearest the line path for the other
coordinate.
Case 1
Line with positive slope less than or equal to 1,
we sample at unit x intervals (x =1) and
determine the successive y value as

Yk+1= Yk + m

y=m x
Yk+1- Yk =m x
Yk+1- Yk =m (x =1)

 k takes integer values starting from 1 and

increases by 1 until the final point is reached.
m can be any number between 0 and 1.
Calculated y values must be rounded off to
the nearest integer.
For lines with positive slope greater than 1,
sample at unit y intervals (y = 1) and
calculate each successive x value as
xk+1= xk + 1/m
The above eqns are based on the assumption
that lines are processed from left to right. If
the processing is reversed then
x = -1 &
y = -1 &

yk+1 = yk m
xk+1= xk-1/m

Slope >1
Slope <1

Steps
P1 ( xa,ya) and P2 (xb,yb) are the two end points.
2. Horizontal and vertical differences between the
endpoint positions are computed & assigned to
two parameters namely dx and dy.
3. The difference with greater magnitude
determines the value of increments to be done.
That means the number of times sampling has to
be done. This value is assigned to a parameter
called steps.

4. Starting from the 1st pixel ,we determine the

offset needed at each step to generate the
next pixel position along the line path. Call
the offset value as xincrement and yincrement.
The starting points are xa and ya.
Assign x =xa and y=ya
x= x+ xincr & y= y+ yincr
5. Loop through the process steps times, till
the last point xb, yb is reached.

P1
(xa,ya)

P2
(xb,yb)

Steps for DDA Algorithm

Step 1: Accept as input the 2 end point

pixel position.
P1(xa,ya)

P2 (xb, yb)

Step 2: Horizontal and vertical

differences between the endpoint
positions are computed & assigned to
two parameters namely dx and dy.
dx= xb xa

dy = yb - ya

 Step 3: If abs(dx) >abs(dy)

steps =abs( dx)
else steps =abs( dy)
Step 4: xincr = dx/steps
(if steps = abs(dx) , xincr = 1)
yincr =dy/steps
(ie dy/dx = m)
Assign x= xa and y=ya
x= x+ xincr & y= y+ yincr
Step 5: Loop through the process steps
times.

Advantages
DDA algorithm is a faster method for
calculating the pixel positions than the direct
use of line equation.
It eliminates multiplication by making use of
raster characteristics.
Disadvantages
DDA algorithm runs slowly because it
requires real arithmetic (floating point
operations) and rounding operations.