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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>"Catenary playground</title>
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://vielzutun.ch/favicon.ico" />
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta property="og:description" content="This is my catenary playground. It displays a catenary between two suspension points having a given length. It has drag controls for position manipulation (height, distance) of suspension points as well as sliders for position components and chain length." />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://vielzutun.ch/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Catenary_playground.png" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, user-scalable=no, minimum-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0">
<noscript>********* Benötigt Javascript *********</noscript>
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="main.css">
</head>
<body>
<div id="info">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary" target="_blank" rel="Danni">Catenary</a> Playground by <a href="https://vielzutun.ch" target="_blank" rel="vielzutun.ch">vielzutun.ch</a>, powered by <a href="https://threejs.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three.js</a> <br />
</div>
<script type="importmap">
{
"imports": {
"three": "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/three@0.174.0/build/three.module.js",
"three/addons/": "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/three@0.174.0/examples/jsm/"
}
}
</script>
<script type="module" src="./Main.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
body {
margin: 0;
background-color: #000;
color: #fff;
font-family: Monospace;
font-size: 13px;
line-height: 24px;
overscroll-behavior: none;
}
a {
color: #ff0;
text-decoration: none;
}
#info {
position: absolute;
top: 0px;
width: 100%;
padding: 10px;
box-sizing: border-box;
text-align: center;
-moz-user-select: none;
-webkit-user-select: none;
-ms-user-select: none;
user-select: none;
pointer-events: none;
z-index: 1; /* TODO Solve this in HTML */
}
import * as THREE from "three";
import { OrbitControls } from "three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js";
import { TransformControls } from 'three/addons/controls/TransformControls.js';
import { GUI } from 'three/addons/libs/lil-gui.module.min.js';
let container;
THREE.Cache.enabled = true;
let camera, cameraTarget, orbit, control, control2, scene, grid, renderer;
let curView, cameraFOV;
curView = 5; // default orthographic view is 'Right'
cameraFOV = 50; // default vertical FOV in [°]
let saveMatrix = new THREE.Matrix4();
let Achsen_Group;
let catGeometry;
let catPositions;
let catPositionAttribute;
let catMaterial;
let drawCount;
let catLine;
// ******************************** Basic constants ***************************************************
let P1x = -200;
let P1y = 0;
let P2x = 100;
let P2y = 0;
let guiP1x;
let guiP1y;
let guiP2x;
let guiP2y;
let catLength;
let L = 350.0;
let dx = 0;
let dy = 0;
let startP1x = P1x;
let startP1y = P1y;
let startP2x = P2x;
let startP2y = P2y;
// *****************************************************************************************************
let axesHelper = false;
let gui;
let helperFolder, positionFolder, lengthFolder;
const points = [];
init();
buildGUI();
// no animation loop - purely on-demand rendering once, on any change
function init() {
let mesh;
renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer( { antialias: true, alpha: true } );
renderer.setPixelRatio( window.devicePixelRatio );
renderer.setSize( window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight );
renderer.toneMapping = THREE.LinearToneMapping;
container = document.createElement( 'div' );
document.body.appendChild( container );
container.appendChild( renderer.domElement );
scene = new THREE.Scene();
scene.background = new THREE.Color( 0x191919 );
grid = new THREE.GridHelper( 1000, 10, 0xAAAAAA, 0x444444 ); // 100 units wide, 10 subdivisions
grid.rotation.x = Math.PI / 2;
scene.add( grid );
camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(cameraFOV, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 1, 2000 );
camera.position.set( 0, 0, 1100 );
scene.add( camera );
Achsen_Group = new THREE.Group(); Achsen_Group.name = "Achsen";
scene.add( Achsen_Group );
/*********************** allocate BufferGeometry for chain line (catenary) **********************/
const MAX_POINTS = 1000;
catGeometry = new THREE.BufferGeometry();
catPositions = new Float32Array( MAX_POINTS * 3 ); // 3 floats (x, y and z) per point
catGeometry.setAttribute( 'position', new THREE.BufferAttribute( catPositions, 3 ) );
catMaterial = new THREE.LineBasicMaterial( { color: 0xff0000 } );
catLine = new THREE.Line( catGeometry, catMaterial );
catLine.name = 'Catenary';
scene.add( catLine );
/*********************** end of BufferGeometry for chain line (catenary) **********************/
/******************************* Orbit- / Transform Controls **********************************/
orbit = new OrbitControls( camera, renderer.domElement );
orbit.addEventListener( 'change', render );
orbit.minDistance = 10;
orbit.maxDistance = 1500;
orbit.enablePan = true;
orbit.target = new THREE.Vector3( 0, 0, 0 );
orbit.update();
control = new TransformControls( camera, renderer.domElement );
control.setSize( 0.3 );
control.addEventListener( 'change', function ( event ) {
let rmax = L; // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
let P1_x = startP1x + event.target._offset.x; // current (dragged) point's x-coordinate
let P1_y = startP1y + event.target._offset.y; // current (dragged) point's y-coordinate
let dx = P1_x - P2x; // should be always negative, because P1 always left of P2
let dy = P1_y - P2y; // negative for P1_y < P2y, positive otherwise
if ( Math.sqrt( dx * dx + dy * dy ) < L ) { // current (dragged) point is NOT too far out
P1x = startP1x + event.target._offset.x;
P1y = startP1y + event.target._offset.y;
control.minX = -Infinity;
control.maxX = P2x; // P1 must always stay always left of P2
control.minY = -Infinity;
control.maxY = Infinity;
} else { // prospective point P1_x, P1_y would fall beyond allowed radius
/*
We can't blame solely x- or y- for this but must share the burden of correction in a fair way.
So I take the ray from P2x,y to the prospective P1_x,y and scale that down to be slightly shorter than "L"
*/
let shrinkFac = L / Math.sqrt( dx * dx + dy * dy );
dx *= shrinkFac;
dy *= shrinkFac;
P1x = Math.floor( 10 * ( dx + P2x ) ) / 10; // round down to the next 1/10 unit
control.minX = P1x;
control.maxX = P1x;
if ( dy >= 0 ) { // if prospective P1_ is ABOVE P2 ...
P1y = Math.floor( 10 * ( dy + P2y ) ) / 10; // ... stay a little bit _below_ what was attempted
control.maxY = P1y;
} else { // if prospective P1_ is BELOW P2 ...
P1y = Math.ceil( 10 * ( dy + P2y ) ) / 10; // ... stay a little bit _above_ what was attempted
control.minY = P1y;
}
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1x = P1x;
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1y = P1y;
}
render();
} );
control.addEventListener( 'dragging-changed', function ( event ) {
orbit.enabled = ! event.value;
event.target._offset.x = 0; // workaround for suspected error in TransformControls.js
startP1x = P1x;
control.minX = P1x;
control.maxX = P1x;
event.target._offset.y = 0; // workaround for suspected error in TransformControls.js
startP1y = P1y;
control.minY = P1y;
control.maxY = P1y;
} );
control2 = new TransformControls( camera, renderer.domElement );
control2.setSize( 0.3 );
control2.addEventListener( 'change', function ( event ) {
let rmax = L; // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
let P2_x = startP2x + event.target._offset.x; // current (dragged) point's x-coordinate
let P2_y = startP2y + event.target._offset.y; // current (dragged) point's y-coordinate
let dx = P2_x - P1x; // should be always positive, because P2 always right of P1
let dy = P2_y - P1y; // negative for P2_y < P1y, positive otherwise
if ( Math.sqrt( dx * dx + dy * dy ) < L ) { // current (dragged) point is NOT too far out
P2x = startP2x + event.target._offset.x;
P2y = startP2y + event.target._offset.y;
control2.minX = P1x; // P2 must always stay always right of P1
control2.maxX = Infinity;
control2.minY = -Infinity;
control2.maxY = Infinity;
} else { // prospective point P2_x, P2_y would fall beyond allowed radius
/*
We can't blame solely x- or y- for this but must share the burden of correction in a fair way.
So I take the ray from P1x,y to the prospective P2_x,y and scale that down to be slightly shorter than "L"
*/
let shrinkFac = L / Math.sqrt( dx * dx + dy * dy );
dx *= shrinkFac;
dy *= shrinkFac;
P2x = Math.floor( 10 * ( dx + P1x ) ) / 10;
control2.minX = P2x;
control2.maxX = P2x;
if ( dy >= 0 ) { // if prospective P2_ is ABOVE P1 ...
P2y = Math.floor( 10 * ( dy + P1y ) ) / 10; // ... stay a little bit _below_ what was attempted
control2.maxY = P2y;
} else { // if prospective P2_ is BELOW P1 ...
P2y = Math.ceil( 10 * ( dy + P1y ) ) / 10; // ... stay a little bit _above_ what was attempted
control2.minY = P2y;
}
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2x = P2x;
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2y = P2y;
}
render();
} );
control2.addEventListener( 'dragging-changed', function ( event ) {
orbit.enabled = ! event.value;
event.target._offset.x = 0; // workaround for suspected error in TransformControls.js
startP2x = P2x;
control.minX = P2x;
control.maxX = P2x;
event.target._offset.y = 0; // workaround for suspected error in TransformControls.js
startP2y = P2y;
control.minY = P2y;
control.maxY = P2y;
} );
/***************************** Axes Helper*********************************/
// my own Axes Helper; RGB are used for three.js' X-Y-Z directions, respectively
let headLength = 4;
let headWidth = 2;
let dir = new THREE.Vector3( 1, 0, 0 ); // my X-direction
let origin = new THREE.Vector3( -20, 0, 0 );
let length = 80;
let hex = 0xff0000;
let xHelper = new THREE.ArrowHelper( dir, origin, length, hex, headLength, headWidth );
Achsen_Group.add( xHelper );
dir = new THREE.Vector3( 0, 1, 0 ); // my Y-direction
origin.set( 0, -20, 0 );
length = 80;
hex = 0x00ff00;
let yHelper = new THREE.ArrowHelper( dir, origin, length, hex, headLength, headWidth );
Achsen_Group.add( yHelper );
dir = new THREE.Vector3( 0, 0, 1 ); // my Z-direction
origin.set( 0, 0, - 30 );
length = 80;
hex = 0x0000ff;
let zHelper = new THREE.ArrowHelper( dir, origin, length, hex, headLength, headWidth );
Achsen_Group.add( zHelper );
Achsen_Group.visible = axesHelper;
/***************************** end of my Axes Helper*********************************/
/***************************** visible markers + gizmos for P1, P2 ******************/
const geometry = new THREE.SphereGeometry( 5, 16, 8 );
const material = new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial( { color: 0xff0000, flatShading: true } );
const sphere1 = new THREE.Mesh( geometry, material );
sphere1.position.x = P1x;
sphere1.position.y = P1y;
sphere1.name = "P1";
scene.add( sphere1 );
control.attach( sphere1 );
const gizmo = control.getHelper();
scene.add( gizmo );
control.setMode( 'translate' );
control.showZ = false; // allow only movemnts along x- and y-axis
const geometry2 = new THREE.SphereGeometry( 5, 16, 8 );
const sphere2 = new THREE.Mesh( geometry2, material );
sphere2.position.x = P2x;
sphere2.position.y = P2y;
sphere2.name = "P2";
scene.add( sphere2 );
control2.attach( sphere2 );
const gizmo2 = control2.getHelper();
scene.add( gizmo2 );
control2.setMode( 'translate' );
control2.showZ = false; // allow only movemnts along x- and y-axis
/*********************** end of visible markers + gizmos for P1, P2 ******************/
// Lights
const light = new THREE.AmbientLight( 0xffffff, 0.3 );
camera.add( light );
const directionalLight = new THREE.DirectionalLight( 0xffffff, 2.5 );
directionalLight.position.set( 0.5, 0.0, 0.866 );
camera.add( directionalLight );
window.addEventListener( 'resize', onWindowResize, false );
render();
}
function onWindowResize() {
camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
orbit.update();
renderer.setSize( window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight );
render();
}
function recomputeCatenary() {
// shamelessly adapted from: https://trinket.io/glowscript/f938182b85
// who was inspired by this author: https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3557767/how-to-construct-a-catenary-of-a-specified-length-through-two-specified-points
dx = P2x - P1x;
let xb = ( P2x + P1x ) / 2;
dy = P2y - P1y;
let yb = ( P2y + P1y ) / 2;
let r = Math.sqrt( L * L - dy * dy ) / dx;
let A = 0.01;
let dA = 0.0001;
let left = r * A;
let right = Math.sinh( A );
while ( left > right ) {
left = r * A;
right = Math.sinh( A );
A = A + dA;
}
let a = dx / ( 2 * A );
let b = xb - a * Math.atanh( dy / L );
let c = P1y - a * Math.cosh( ( P1x - b ) / a );
catPositionAttribute = catLine.geometry.getAttribute( 'position' );
let i = 0;
let x = P1x;
let ddx = 1.0;
let y = 0.0;
while ( x < P2x ) {
y = a * Math.cosh( ( x - b ) / a ) + c;
catPositionAttribute.setXYZ( i, x, y, 0.0 );
x = x + ddx;
i++;
}
catLine.geometry.setDrawRange( 0, i );
catPositionAttribute.needsUpdate = true;
}
function render() {
if ( positionFolder ) {
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1X = scene.children[4].position.x; // update the UI display to reflect the current value
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1Y = scene.children[4].position.y; // update the UI display to reflect the current value
guiP1x.updateDisplay();
guiP1y.updateDisplay();
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2X = scene.children[6].position.x; // update the UI display to reflect the current value
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2Y = scene.children[6].position.y; // update the UI display to reflect the current value
guiP2x.updateDisplay();
guiP2y.updateDisplay();
}
recomputeCatenary();
renderer.render( scene, camera );
}
function buildGUI() {
gui = new GUI( { width: 300 } );
let params = {
'Helpers': axesHelper,
'P1X': P1x,
'P1Y': P1y,
'P2X': P2x,
'P2Y': P2y,
'Length': L
};
helperFolder = gui.addFolder( 'Helper' );
helperFolder.add( params, 'Helpers' ).onChange( setupAxes );
function setupAxes( val ) {
axesHelper = true;
Achsen_Group.visible = val;
render();
}
positionFolder = gui.addFolder( 'Positions' );
guiP1x = positionFolder.add( params, 'P1X', -500, 0, 1 ).onChange( function ( val ) {
let dxmax = Math.sqrt( L * L - dy * dy ); // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
if ( val >= (P2x - dxmax) ) {
P1x = val;
} else {
P1x = Math.ceil( 10 * (P2x - dxmax)) / 10; // round down to next 1/10th unit to be "not too long"
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1x = P1x;
catLength.updateDisplay(); // update the UI display to reflect the current value
}
startP1x = P1x;
scene.children[4].position.x = P1x;
render();
} );
guiP1y = positionFolder.add( params, 'P1Y', -500, 500, 1 ).onChange( function ( val ) {
let dymax = Math.sqrt( L * L - dx * dx ); // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
if ( val >= ( P2y - dymax) &&
val <= ( P2y + dymax) ) {
P1y = val; // P1y manipulation is allowed within less than P2y ± dymax
} else {
if ( val < ( P2y - dymax ) ) {
P1y = Math.ceil( 10 * (P2y - dymax)) / 10;
} else if ( val > (P2y + dymax) ) {
P1y = Math.floor( 10 * (P2y + dymax)) / 10;
}
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P1y = P1y;
catLength.updateDisplay(); // update the UI display to reflect the current value
}
startP1y = P1y;
scene.children[4].position.y = P1y;
render();
} );
guiP2x = positionFolder.add( params, 'P2X', 0, 500, 1 ).onChange( function ( val ) {
let dxmax = Math.sqrt( L * L - dy * dy ); // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
if ( val <= ( P1x + dxmax ) ) {
P2x = val;
} else {
P2x = Math.floor( 10 * (P1x + dxmax)) / 10; // round down to next 1/10th unit to be "not too long"
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2x = P2x;
catLength.updateDisplay(); // update the UI display to reflect the current value
}
startP2x = P2x;
scene.children[6].position.x = P2x;
render();
} );
guiP2y = positionFolder.add( params, 'P2Y', -500, 500, 1 ).onChange( function ( val ) {
let dymax = Math.sqrt( L * L - dx * dx ); // max distance for straight line connection between P1 and P2
if ( val >= ( P1y - dymax) &&
val <= ( P1y + dymax) ) {
P2y = val; // P2y manipulation is allowed within less than P1y ± dymax
} else {
if ( val < ( P1y - dymax ) ) {
P2y = Math.ceil( 10 * (P1y - dymax)) / 10;
} else if ( val > (P1y + dymax) ) {
P2y = Math.floor( 10 * (P1y + dymax)) / 10;
}
positionFolder.controllers[0].object.P2y = P2y;
catLength.updateDisplay(); // update the UI display to reflect the current value
}
startP2y = P2y;
scene.children[6].position.y = P2y;
render();
} );
lengthFolder = gui.addFolder( 'Length' );
catLength = lengthFolder.add( params, 'Length', 1, 1500, 0.1 ).onChange( function ( val ) {
let Lmin = Math.sqrt( dx * dx + dy * dy ); // straight line connection between P1 and P2
if ( val >= Lmin ) {
L = val;
} else {
L = Math.ceil( 10 * Lmin) / 10; // round up to next 1/10th unit to be "long enough"
lengthFolder.controllers[0].object.Length = L;
catLength.updateDisplay(); // update the UI display to reflect the current value
}
render();
} );
helperFolder.close();
positionFolder.open();
gui.open();
}
Also see: Tab Triggers