# D3DXVECTOR3

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Hello ppl, I am a lil bit confused about definition of D3DXVECTOR3 in directX 9. As far as I know a vector is a quantity, defined by both magnitude and direction. In directX 9 if you define a D3DXVECTOR3 type variable, your variable has 3 parameter which are x, y, z. These x, y, z is a point in space. So how come a point is defined as vector? I mean you need at least 2 points to define a vector right? So where's the second point? What am I missing here? How is the funcion D3DXVec3Normalize works wiht having 1 point paramaters in space? Is the second point (0,0,0) ?? Thank you...

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In 3D space, vectors are usually described as coordinates in the vector basis. That is:
(x,y,z) = x i + y j + z k

While points use the same notation, it's actually syntactic sugar: a point is said to have coordinates [x,y,z] when in fact it is the vector from the origin to that point that has coordinates (x,y,z).

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Quote:
 Original post by dehsethSo how come a point is defined as vector? I mean you need at least 2 points to define a vector right? So where's the second point? What am I missing here?

The (x, y, z) is the vector's end point. It's start point is assumed to be the origin.

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I know that to express a vector that has not got as start point the O point, you have just to make PointB-PointA.

But the new vector is not also a vector = (PointB-PointA) and O point?

I thought that all vector, in the end, are rapresented as a vector with O point as start point

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When you take a new vector PointB - PointA, that gives you a new vector from the origin O, which has the same magnitude and direction as the line from points A to B. ie the line from the origin is parallel to the line A to B and has the same size.

Remember, vectors don't have a position, only magnitude and direction. All vectors can be thought of as originating from the origin O.

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Don't confuse the mathematical definition of "vector" with D3DXVECTOR3.

Your understanding of the mathematical term "vector" is correct.

D3DXVECTOR3 is just a label for a C++ structure - that's all - it's just a name. It's a place to store 3 float values.

How you use those 3 values is what is important. If you want to store 3 values describing a point in space, that's fine. If you want to store 3 values you're going to use as a mathematical vector, that's fine, also.

The D3DXVECTOR3 structure could just as well have been named D3DXFloat3Structure and serve exactly the same purpose.

As a programmer, you have to know what you're storing in a D3DXVECTOR3 variable and choose and use the appropriate D3DXVec3 functions.

If you store a point position in the variable and call D3DXVec3Normalize(), you'll get bad results because that's a function that is to be used if you're using the variable as a normal vector (in the mathematical sense).

If you store a point position in the variable and call D3DXVec3TransformCoord(), that will give you predictable results because that's a function that is to be used if you're using the variable as a position in space.

EDIT: If you're familiar with the Standard Library and have used vector<structure> to store values, then you know that vector<> is an ordered array of values. It has nothing to do with "vectors in space." In the same sense, D3DXVECTOR3 is just an ordered array of 3 float values.

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Obiously all depends from HOW i'm using the structure, becouse it can be considered as a vector and as a point, ok it's fine.

Now, let's consider this case.
I've got 2 points, A(1,2,3) and B (5,6,4).

I want to make a D3DXVECTOR3 that describes the vector that it's passing in there 2 points.

Now i know (mabye THIS could be wrong) that we can found the vector that passes across this 2 point making B-A
So i will receive a C point (4,4,1) in a D3DXVECTOR3.

But, as i know and also the user said in previous post, all vectors consider their initial point as origin. So the C vector (that should be the vector that goes across points A and B) it's equal to the vector that goes across the origin and C, or not?

Something like this

If my reasoning it's wrong, so i apologize and i ask you:

Giving point A and point B, how to fill D3DXVECTOR3 to have got a vector that goes across the 2 points?

Thank you
Mmm, mabye it should go in Math and Theory section.

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Quote:
 how to fill D3DXVECTOR3 to have got a vector that goes across the 2 points?

You can't.

With 3 values, you can describe a position OR you can describe a direction, but you can't do both.

It's similar to creating lighted vertices for a mesh. You have a position and a normal. It needs 2 D3DXVECTOR3s.

As you know, XVincentX, you can combine the information you need in a matrix if you want, using D3DXMatrixRotation ( or ..YawPitchRoll ) to specify the direction, and D3DXMatrixTranslation() to specify the position. Then multiply the rotation matrix by the translation matrix to specify the position and direction both.

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Quote:
 But, as i know and also the user said in previous post, all vectors consider their initial point as origin. So the C vector (that should be the vector that goes across points A and B) it's equal to the vector that goes across the origin and C, or not?

The mathematical vector represents a displacement. When mathematical vectors are used as points, that displacement is assumed to be from the origin, but that is not true in the general case. A pure mathematical vector does not consider the concept of 'origin' -- it only describes the magntitude and direction of a displacement, an offset.

In other words, in your picture, the two blue lines represent the same vector; the origin of those lines is irrelevant, only the direction and magnitude matter.

Given two 'points' (or vectors interpreted as points) A and B, the operation B - A produces a vector representing the displacement of B relative to A.

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Quote:
Original post by Buckeye
Quote:
 how to fill D3DXVECTOR3 to have got a vector that goes across the 2 points?

You can't.

With 3 values, you can describe a position OR you can describe a direction, but you can't do both.

It's similar to creating lighted vertices for a mesh. You have a position and a normal. It needs 2 D3DXVECTOR3s.

As you know, XVincentX, you can combine the information you need in a matrix if you want, using D3DXMatrixRotation ( or ..YawPitchRoll ) to specify the direction, and D3DXMatrixTranslation() to specify the position. Then multiply the rotation matrix by the translation matrix to specify the position and direction both.

So, from the vector (B-A) rapresent a direction of all vector flush to the one that passes in A and B points, it's right?

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