DDA Line Algorithm
Dr. Snehlata Barde
Profesor & HoD, MSIT
MATS University,Raipur
DIGITAL DIFFERENTIAL ANALYZER (DDA) ALGORITHM.
In Computer Graphics the first basic line drawing
algorithm is Digital Differential Analyzer (DDA)
Algorithm.
A line connects two points. It is a basic element in
graphics. To draw a line, you need two points
between which you can draw a line.
In computer graphics, a digital differential analyzer
(DDA) is hardware or software used for
interpolation of variables over an interval between
start and end point. DDAs are used for rasterization
of lines, triangles and polygons.
COMPUTER HAS TO TAKE CARE OF 2 THINGS:
Pixels
- Which pixels to plot.
Computations
- Computations required to calculate pixel positions
SLOPE INTERCEPT LINE EQ:
y = mx + b
m = slope
b = is the y intercept, is called as “slope intercept line
equation.”
Therefore
Slope(m) = dy/dx
Slope(m) = - /-
(DDA) ALGORITHM
Step 1 Input the coordinates of the Two end
points A(x1, y1) and B(x2, y2) for the line AB
respectively. Note that points A and B are not
equal. (If they are equal, then it is a point. Plot
the point and return.)
Step 2: [Calculate dx and dy]
dx = (x2 — x1) and dy = (y2— y1)
Step 3: [Calculate the length L]
If (abs (x2 — x1) >abs (y2 — yl)) then
L = abs(x2 — x1)
Else L = abs (y2 — y1)
(DDA) ALGORITHM
Step 4: [Calculate the increment factor]
∆x = (x2— x1)/L and ∆y = (y2 — y1)/L
This step makes either ∆x or ∆y equal to 1, because L
is either |x2 - x1| or |y2 — y1| Therefore, a step
increment in x or y direction is equal to 1.
Step 5: [Initialize the initial point on the line and plot]
=x1 + 0.5 and = + 0.5
Plot (Integer (), Integer ())
The values are rounded using the factor of 0.5 rather
than truncating, so that the central pixel addressing is
handled correctly. Moreover, the sign function given
makes the algorithm work in all the quadrants.
(DDA) ALGORITHM
step 6: [Obtain the new pixel on the line and plot the
same]
Initialize i to 1
While (i<= L){
= + ∆ x
= + ∆ y
Plot (Integer(), Integer())
i = i + 1}
Step 7: Finish
ADVANTAGES
1. It is the simplest algorithm and it does not require
special skills for implementation.
2. It is a faster method for calculating pixel positions
than the direct use of equation y=mx + b. It
eliminates the multiplication in the equation by
making use of raster characteristics, so that
appropriate increments are applied in the x or y
direction to find the pixel positions along the line
path.
DISVANTANGES
1. Floating point arithmetic in DDA algorithm is still
time-consuming.
2. The algorithm is orientation dependent. Hence
end point accuracy is poor.
