Creating a 'turn' method

I have a project that calls for me to create a moving bug. It only needs to move as its called to in the code, no input is required. We're supposed to create a Bug class, then a turn, move, and getPosition method. I think I've pretty much got everything except for the turn part. I could create a method that defines which direction the "Bug" is set to move, but I don't know how to turn the "Bug" drawing around to face another direction. We're only moving horizontally.

Here's the problem:
Write a class Bug that models a bug moving along a horizontal line. The bug moves either to the right or left. Initially, the bug moves to the right, but it can turn to change its direction. In each move, its position changes by one unit in the current direction. Provide a constructor

Code:

public Bug(initialPosition)

and methods

Code:

public void turn() public void move() public int getPosition()

Sample usage:

Code:

Bug bugsy = new Bug(10); bugsy.move(); bugsy.turn(); bugsy.move();

What I have is incomplete (not sure if the parameters are right to draw the bug), but I think I can handle it once I figure out what to do for the "turn" method.

Suppose your bug is at position x; if it moves (horizontally) it moves to position x+dx; if it had moved in the opposite direction it had moved to position x+(-dx) == x-dx. So all you have to do is keep track of a position x and a direction dx; if the bug has to take a (180 degrees) turn simply set dx= -dx.

kind regarrds,

Jos

Thanks for your help, I guess I was overthinking it.

I'm still not able to get the 'Bug' to actually make a 180 degree turn and face the opposite direction. All I'm able to do is get it to move left or right (+(-dx) or +(dx)).

Right now I only have two files. A Bug.java source for the 'Bug' class, and a BugTester.java for main. I'm thinking that maybe I need a third file to handle the actual drawing of the bug? Whenever I multiply my X positions by negative 1 they disappear. When I subtract negative number from my X positions...they just move left, as if the bug is moving backwards. How do I get him to actually turn?

Here's my code so far:

Bug.java

Code:

import java.awt.*; import java.awt.geom.*; import javax.swing.*; //create Bug class public class Bug extends JComponent { //create Bug constructor public Bug(int initialPosition) { x2 = initialPosition; direction = 1; } //methods for Bug movement public void turn() //turn Bug around { switch (direction) { case 1: dx = 1; case 2: dx = -1; } switch (direction) { case 1: direction++; case 2: direction--; } } public void move() //move Bug horizontally { getPosition(); getDirection(); if(dx > 0) { x2++; //move Bug right } if(dx < 0) { x2--; //move Bug left } } public int getPosition() //return Bug position { return x2; } public int getDirection() { return dx; } public int x2; public int dx; public int direction; //create Bug public void paintComponent(Graphics g) { Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g; //create Bug body Ellipse2D.Double body = new Ellipse2D.Double(300+getPosition(),300,80,45); g2.draw(body); //draw Bug body g2.setColor(Color.GREEN); g2.fill(body); //color Bug body g2.setColor(Color.BLACK); //reset color //create Bug head Ellipse2D.Double head = new Ellipse2D.Double(380+getPosition(),312,25,20); g2.draw(head); //draw Bug head g2.setColor(Color.GREEN); g2.fill(head); //color Bug head g2.setColor(Color.BLACK); //reset color //create Bug legs //first set Line2D.Double leg1_1 = new Line2D.Double(365+getPosition(),295,365+getPosition(),304); g2.draw(leg1_1); Line2D.Double leg1_2 = new Line2D.Double(365+getPosition(),340,365+getPosition(),349); g2.draw(leg1_2); //second set Line2D.Double leg2_1 = new Line2D.Double(341+getPosition(),292,341+getPosition(),299); g2.draw(leg2_1); Line2D.Double leg2_2 = new Line2D.Double(341+getPosition(),345,341+getPosition(),352); g2.draw(leg2_2); //third set Line2D.Double leg3_1 = new Line2D.Double(320+getPosition(),295,320+getPosition(),303); g2.draw(leg3_1); Line2D.Double leg3_2 = new Line2D.Double(320+getPosition(),342,320+getPosition(),350); g2.draw(leg3_2); //create Bug antennae Line2D.Double antenna1 = new Line2D.Double(403+getPosition(),315,407+getPosition(),315); g2.draw(antenna1); Line2D.Double antenna2 = new Line2D.Double(403+getPosition(),329,407+getPosition(),329); g2.draw(antenna2); } }

BugTester.java

Code:

import java.awt.*; import javax.swing.*; public class BugTester { public static void main(String[] args) { JFrame frame = new JFrame(); frame.setSize(700, 700); frame.setTitle("P3.9"); frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); Bug bobthebug = new Bug(0); frame.add(bobthebug); frame.setVisible(true); } }

Ok, I got it to work but I really don't think this is the way it should be done. Here's what I have:

Code:

import java.awt.*; import java.awt.geom.*; import javax.swing.*; //create Bug class public class Bug extends JComponent { //create Bug constructor public Bug(int initialPosition) { x2 = initialPosition; direction = 1; } //methods for Bug movement public void turn() //turn Bug around { switch (direction) { case 1: dx = 0; case 2: dx = 1; } switch (direction) { case 1: direction++; case 2: direction--; } } public void move() //move Bug horizontally { getPosition(); getDirection(); if(dx == 0) { x2++; //move Bug right } if(dx == 1) { x2--; //move Bug left } } public int getPosition() //return Bug position { return x2; } public int getDirection() { return dx; } public int x2; public int dx; public int direction; //create Bug public void paintComponent(Graphics g) { Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g; //create Bug body Ellipse2D.Double body = new Ellipse2D.Double(300+getPosition(),300,80,45); g2.draw(body); //draw Bug body g2.setColor(Color.GREEN); g2.fill(body); //color Bug body g2.setColor(Color.BLACK); //reset color //create Bug head Ellipse2D.Double head = new Ellipse2D.Double(380-(dx*105)+getPosition(),312,25,20); g2.draw(head); //draw Bug head g2.setColor(Color.GREEN); g2.fill(head); //color Bug head g2.setColor(Color.BLACK); //reset color //create Bug legs //first set Line2D.Double leg1_1 = new Line2D.Double(365+getPosition(),295,365+getPosition(),304); g2.draw(leg1_1); Line2D.Double leg1_2 = new Line2D.Double(365+getPosition(),340,365+getPosition(),349); g2.draw(leg1_2); //second set Line2D.Double leg2_1 = new Line2D.Double(341+getPosition(),292,341+getPosition(),299); g2.draw(leg2_1); Line2D.Double leg2_2 = new Line2D.Double(341+getPosition(),345,341+getPosition(),352); g2.draw(leg2_2); //third set Line2D.Double leg3_1 = new Line2D.Double(320+getPosition(),295,320+getPosition(),303); g2.draw(leg3_1); Line2D.Double leg3_2 = new Line2D.Double(320+getPosition(),342,320+getPosition(),350); g2.draw(leg3_2); //create Bug antennae Line2D.Double antenna1 = new Line2D.Double(403-(dx*130)+getPosition(),315,407-(dx*130)+getPosition(),315); g2.draw(antenna1); Line2D.Double antenna2 = new Line2D.Double(403-(dx*130)+getPosition(),329,407-(dx*130)+getPosition(),329); g2.draw(antenna2); } }

Re: Creating a 'turn' method

Thanks JosAH