[Visualpython-users] using angle brackets for vectors

[Joe H. <hea...@ct...>]

I'm running VPython 3.0 with Python 2.3.4 under Mac OS X 10.3.x. I just 
noticed that this version of VPython uses angle brackets when printing 
out the components of vectors, e.g. <1,2,3>. Previous versions used 
square brackets. Since the M&I textbook uses angle brackets, I was 
wondering whether it would be possible, or even worthwhile, to change 
the VPython syntax to use angle brackets to define the numerical 
components of vectors. For example, instead of writing cart.pos = 
vector(2,0,0)
we could write cart.pos = <2,0,0> or instead of writing Earth = 
sphere(pos=vector(1e11,0,0)) we could write Earth = 
sphere(pos=<1e11,0,0>). Basically any time the components of a vector 
quantity are given as a triplet of numbers the angle brackets could be 
used.

Pedagogically, I think this would make VPython syntax "look" more like 
the notation in the textbook. While the "vector" preceding the 
components in the pos attribute above is optional, I tell my students 
to include it. I think using angle brackets would reduce the list of 
things to remember by one and still immediately draw attention to 
vectors in VPython code.

Cheers,
Joe Heafner -- Astronomy/Physics Instructor (by some definitions)