> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://manimvtk.mathify.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Mobjects > Understanding and working with Manim objects (Mobjects) ## What are Mobjects? **Mobjects** (Manim Objects) are the visual elements in your scenes - everything you see in a ManimVTK animation is a mobject: * Geometric shapes (circles, squares, polygons) * 3D objects (spheres, cubes, surfaces) * Text and mathematical equations * Graphs, plots, and coordinate systems * Custom drawn paths Mobjects are the building blocks of ManimVTK - understanding them is key to creating great animations ## Mobject Hierarchy ``` Mobject (base class) ├── VMobject (vectorized 2D shapes) │ ├── Circle, Square, Triangle │ ├── Line, Arrow, Vector │ ├── Text, Tex, MathTex │ └── Polygon, Rectangle ├── ThreeDMobject (3D objects) │ ├── Sphere, Cube, Cone │ ├── Surface, ParametricSurface │ └── Prism, Cylinder, Torus └── VGroup (container for grouping) ``` ## Creating Mobjects ### Basic 2D Shapes ```python theme={null} from manimvtk import * class BasicShapes(Scene): def construct(self): # Circle circle = Circle(radius=1, color=BLUE) # Square square = Square(side_length=2, color=RED) # Triangle triangle = Triangle(color=GREEN) # Rectangle rectangle = Rectangle(width=3, height=1.5, color=YELLOW) # Arrange and display shapes = VGroup(circle, square, triangle, rectangle) shapes.arrange(RIGHT, buff=0.5) self.play(Create(shapes)) self.wait() ``` ### Basic 3D Objects ```python theme={null} from manimvtk import * class Basic3DObjects(ThreeDScene): def construct(self): # Sphere sphere = Sphere(radius=1, color=BLUE) # Cube cube = Cube(side_length=1.5, color=RED) # Cone cone = Cone(base_radius=0.5, height=1, color=GREEN) # Arrange objects = VGroup(sphere, cube, cone) objects.arrange(RIGHT, buff=1.5) self.set_camera_orientation(phi=60 * DEGREES, theta=30 * DEGREES) self.play(Create(objects)) self.wait() ``` ### Text and Math ```python theme={null} from manimvtk import * class TextAndMath(Scene): def construct(self): # Regular text text = Text("Hello, ManimVTK!", font_size=48) # Mathematical equation equation = MathTex(r"E = mc^2") # Arrange vertically VGroup(text, equation).arrange(DOWN, buff=1) self.play(Write(text)) self.play(Write(equation)) self.wait() ``` ## Mobject Properties ### Color ```python theme={null} # Set color at creation circle = Circle(color=BLUE) # Set color after creation circle.set_color(RED) # Gradient color square = Square() square.set_color_by_gradient(BLUE, RED) # RGB values circle.set_color(rgb_to_color([0.5, 0.7, 0.9])) ``` ### Opacity ```python theme={null} # Stroke opacity (outline) circle.set_stroke(opacity=0.8) # Fill opacity (interior) circle.set_fill(opacity=0.5) # Overall opacity circle.set_opacity(0.7) ``` ### Size ```python theme={null} # Scale circle.scale(2) # 2x larger circle.scale(0.5) # Half size # Set specific dimensions rectangle.width = 3 rectangle.height = 2 # Stretch in one direction square.stretch(2, 0) # Stretch horizontally ``` ### Position ```python theme={null} # Shift (relative movement) circle.shift(RIGHT * 2) circle.shift(UP + LEFT) # Move to absolute position circle.move_to(ORIGIN) circle.move_to([1, 2, 0]) # Align circle.to_edge(LEFT) circle.to_corner(UR) # Upper right ``` ### Rotation ```python theme={null} # Rotate around center square.rotate(PI / 4) # 45 degrees # Rotate around a point square.rotate(PI / 4, about_point=ORIGIN) # Rotate around axis (3D) cube.rotate(PI / 2, axis=UP) ``` ## Styling Mobjects ### Stroke (Outline) ```python theme={null} circle = Circle() # Stroke color circle.set_stroke(color=BLUE) # Stroke width circle.set_stroke(width=5) # Combine circle.set_stroke(color=BLUE, width=3, opacity=0.8) ``` ### Fill (Interior) ```python theme={null} square = Square() # Fill color square.set_fill(color=RED) # Fill opacity square.set_fill(opacity=0.5) # Combine square.set_fill(color=RED, opacity=0.7) ``` ### Combining Stroke and Fill ```python theme={null} # Circle with blue fill and red outline circle = Circle() circle.set_fill(BLUE, opacity=0.5) circle.set_stroke(RED, width=3) ``` ## Grouping Mobjects ### VGroup Group multiple mobjects together: ```python theme={null} # Create individual shapes c1 = Circle() c2 = Square() c3 = Triangle() # Group them group = VGroup(c1, c2, c3) # Operations on group affect all members group.arrange(RIGHT, buff=1) group.set_color(BLUE) group.scale(0.5) ``` ### Arrangement ```python theme={null} shapes = VGroup(*[Circle() for _ in range(6)]) # Arrange in a row shapes.arrange(RIGHT, buff=0.5) # Arrange in a column shapes.arrange(DOWN, buff=0.5) # Arrange in a grid shapes.arrange_in_grid(rows=2, cols=3, buff=0.5) # Arrange in a circle shapes.arrange_in_circle() ``` ## Copying Mobjects ```python theme={null} # Simple copy circle1 = Circle() circle2 = circle1.copy() # Copy and modify circle2.shift(RIGHT * 2) circle2.set_color(RED) # Deep copy (for complex objects) import copy complex_group = VGroup(...) copy_of_group = copy.deepcopy(complex_group) ``` ## Mobject Methods ### Common Methods Get the center point: ```python theme={null} center = circle.get_center() print(center) # [x, y, z] ``` Get dimensions: ```python theme={null} width = rectangle.get_width() height = rectangle.get_height() ``` Get current color: ```python theme={null} color = circle.get_color() ``` Rotate the mobject: ```python theme={null} square.rotate(PI / 4) ``` Scale the mobject: ```python theme={null} circle.scale(2) # Double size ``` Move relative to current position: ```python theme={null} circle.shift(RIGHT * 2 + UP) ``` ### Alignment Methods ```python theme={null} # Align to edges mobject.to_edge(UP) mobject.to_edge(LEFT) # Align to corners mobject.to_corner(UL) # Upper left mobject.to_corner(DR) # Down right # Align relative to other mobject circle.next_to(square, RIGHT) circle.next_to(square, DOWN, buff=0.5) # Move to specific position mobject.move_to(ORIGIN) mobject.move_to([1, 2, 0]) ``` ## Custom Mobjects ### Creating Custom Shapes ```python theme={null} from manimvtk import * class CustomStar(VMobject): def __init__(self, **kwargs): super().__init__(**kwargs) # Define your custom shape points = [...] # Define points self.set_points_as_corners(points) ``` ### Using Paths ```python theme={null} # Custom path path = VMobject() path.set_points_as_corners([ ORIGIN, UP, UP + RIGHT, RIGHT ]) path.set_stroke(BLUE, width=3) ``` ## Surfaces and Parametric Objects ### Parametric Surface ```python theme={null} from manimvtk import * import numpy as np class ParametricSurfaceExample(ThreeDScene): def construct(self): surface = Surface( lambda u, v: np.array([ u, v, np.sin(u) * np.cos(v) ]), u_range=[-2, 2], v_range=[-2, 2], resolution=(30, 30) ) surface.set_color_by_gradient(BLUE, GREEN, RED) self.set_camera_orientation(phi=60 * DEGREES) self.play(Create(surface)) self.wait() ``` ### Common Parametric Surfaces ```python theme={null} # Torus torus = Surface( lambda u, v: np.array([ (2 + np.cos(v)) * np.cos(u), (2 + np.cos(v)) * np.sin(u), np.sin(v) ]), u_range=[0, TAU], v_range=[0, TAU] ) # Sphere (parametric) sphere = Surface( lambda u, v: np.array([ np.cos(u) * np.cos(v), np.sin(u) * np.cos(v), np.sin(v) ]), u_range=[0, TAU], v_range=[-PI/2, PI/2] ) ``` ## Best Practices Set properties when creating: ```python theme={null} # Good circle = Circle(radius=2, color=BLUE, fill_opacity=0.5) # Less efficient circle = Circle() circle.scale(2) circle.set_color(BLUE) circle.set_fill(opacity=0.5) ``` ```python theme={null} # Good - reuse and transform circle = Circle() self.play(Create(circle)) self.play(circle.animate.shift(RIGHT)) # Avoid - creating new objects circle1 = Circle() self.play(Create(circle1)) circle2 = Circle().shift(RIGHT) self.play(Transform(circle1, circle2)) ``` ```python theme={null} # Organize related objects axes_group = VGroup(x_axis, y_axis, labels) data_group = VGroup(points, lines, curves) # Easy to manipulate together axes_group.shift(LEFT * 3) data_group.set_color(BLUE) ``` Define color schemes: ```python theme={null} PRIMARY = BLUE SECONDARY = RED ACCENT = YELLOW title = Text("Title", color=PRIMARY) shape = Circle(color=SECONDARY) highlight = Square(color=ACCENT) ``` ## Next Steps Learn how to animate mobjects Complete geometry API reference Complete 3D objects API See mobject examples