# codes for some pictures [closed]

I'm writing a paper in mathematics which contains some pictures and diagrams. Since I am a beginner-user of LaTeX, maybe I can get direct help from experts here. I am not sure if you respect this way of asking, but I think it is a good way for me to learn things!

For example, the following picture was taken from page 111 in Homology Theory by James W. Vick:

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## closed as too localized by doncherry, Kurt, Speravir, Qrrbrbirlbel, WernerApr 1 '13 at 0:14

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What is the question? –  Nico Mar 31 '13 at 1:42
I need the code for this pic :) –  Rahman Mar 31 '13 at 1:48
On this site, questions that look like "Please do this complicated thing for me" tend to get closed because they are "too localized". Next time try to show some effort on your part in terms of attempting a solution, and make your question clear and simple by giving a minimal working example (MWE): You'll stand a greater chance of getting help. Also, please take a look at the How to Ask-page and try to improve your questions according to the guidance found there. (cont.) –  Speravir Mar 31 '13 at 22:53
(Cont.) If you have questions about what to do or if you don't quite understand what this means, please ask for clarification using the add comment function. –  Speravir Mar 31 '13 at 22:53

## 3 Answers

A possibility using TikZ.

In a case like this, with irregular shapes, I would consider using an external tool (inkscape and inkscape2tikz, for example) to alleviate the work.

Initially, I imported the original image into inkscape and then, using the option "Object to path", I distorted three circles until I got the irregular paths. Then I saved the paths as TikZ code (*.tex). This is what inkscape produced:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[y=0.80pt,x=0.80pt,yscale=-1, inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt]
\path[draw=black,thick] (457.1429,515.2193) .. controls (402.4772,580.5603) and (407.4258,577.4294) .. (318.5714,589.5050) .. controls (230.2170,601.5127) and (159.4945,516.4907) .. (188.5714,438.0764) .. controls (214.2857,368.7305) and (210.8684,318.6589) .. (318.5714,286.6479) .. controls (462.6395,243.8286) and (511.3212,450.4608) .. (457.1429,515.2193) -- cycle;\path (288.5714,540.9336)arc(-0.032:180.032:5.714286 and 125.714)arc(-180.032:0.032:5.714286 and 125.714) -- cycle;\path (294.2857,566.6479)arc(-0.083:180.083:1.428572 and 74.286)arc(-180.083:0.083:1.428572 and 74.286) -- cycle;\path (562.8571,490.9336)arc(-0.009:180.009:78.571426 and 67.143)arc(-180.009:0.009:78.571426 and 67.143) -- cycle;\path (540.0000,755.2193)arc(0.000:180.000:48.571430 and 37.143)arc(-180.000:0.000:48.571430 and 37.143) -- cycle;\path (500.0000,759.5051)arc(-0.000:180.000:58.571430 and 24.286)arc(-180.000:0.000:58.571430 and 24.286) -- cycle;\path (500.0000,760.9336)arc(0.000:180.000:112.857140 and 22.857)arc(-180.000:0.000:112.857140 and 22.857) -- cycle;\path (308.5714,769.5051)arc(-0.001:1.521:84.285713 and 180.000) -- (224.2858,769.5051) -- cycle;\path (417.1429,679.5051)arc(-0.001:358.327:140.000000 and 187.143);\path[miter limit=4.00,thick] (605.7143,592.3622)arc(-0.000:356.362:151.428570 and 165.714);\path[miter limit=4.00,thick] (542.8572,763.7908)arc(0.000:356.362:94.285713 and 48.571);
\path[draw=black,miter limit=4.00,thick] (566.6337,463.0661) .. controls (566.6337,580.4033) and (483.9700,588.3030) .. (409.0311,600.9337) .. controls (307.3211,618.0765) and (258.4203,498.8394) .. (291.4286,423.0661) .. controls (321.4797,354.0812) and (346.4143,319.4479) .. (451.8883,299.4842) .. controls (626.4874,266.4367) and (566.6337,374.3003) .. (566.6337,463.0661) -- cycle;
\path[draw=black,miter limit=4.00,line width=0.500pt] (462.8571,428.0765) .. controls (495.7835,431.6320) and (526.1145,517.8528) .. (480.8450,530.1033) .. controls (370.3986,559.9914) and (393.4636,569.1390) .. (341.4286,538.0765) .. controls (284.6129,504.1602) and (311.9087,520.6666) .. (303.6393,514.2165) .. controls (299.2618,510.8022) and (273.2117,513.6111) .. (242.8571,473.7908) .. controls (209.8031,430.4292) and (269.8988,368.1801) .. (302.8176,396.4594) .. controls (376.9162,460.1148) and (577.3715,370.4418) .. (475.7143,349.5050) .. controls (406.6638,335.2838) and (370.3789,418.0903) .. (462.8571,428.0765) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


Now one could still distort some other shapes to produce the other paths, but this can now be easily done using the intersections library (and where would all the fun be?); placing the labels is also a trivial matter:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{intersections}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[y=0.80pt,x=0.80pt,yscale=-1, inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt,every label/.style={font=\tiny}]
% A helping visual grid
\draw[gray!30] (100,200) grid (650,650);

% The irregular path to the left
\path[draw=red,thick] (457.1429,515.2193) .. controls (402.4772,580.5603) and (407.4258,577.4294) .. (318.5714,589.5050) .. controls (230.2170,601.5127) and (159.4945,516.4907) .. (188.5714,438.0764) .. controls (214.2857,368.7305) and (210.8684,318.6589) .. (318.5714,286.6479) .. controls (462.6395,243.8286) and (511.3212,450.4608) .. (457.1429,515.2193) -- cycle;\path (288.5714,540.9336)arc(-0.032:180.032:5.714286 and 125.714)arc(-180.032:0.032:5.714286 and 125.714) -- cycle;\path (294.2857,566.6479)arc(-0.083:180.083:1.428572 and 74.286)arc(-180.083:0.083:1.428572 and 74.286) -- cycle;\path (562.8571,490.9336)arc(-0.009:180.009:78.571426 and 67.143)arc(-180.009:0.009:78.571426 and 67.143) -- cycle;\path (540.0000,755.2193)arc(0.000:180.000:48.571430 and 37.143)arc(-180.000:0.000:48.571430 and 37.143) -- cycle;\path (500.0000,759.5051)arc(-0.000:180.000:58.571430 and 24.286)arc(-180.000:0.000:58.571430 and 24.286) -- cycle;\path (500.0000,760.9336)arc(0.000:180.000:112.857140 and 22.857)arc(-180.000:0.000:112.857140 and 22.857) -- cycle;\path (308.5714,769.5051)arc(-0.001:1.521:84.285713 and 180.000) -- (224.2858,769.5051) -- cycle;\path (417.1429,679.5051)arc(-0.001:358.327:140.000000 and 187.143);\path[miter limit=4.00,thick] (605.7143,592.3622)arc(-0.000:356.362:151.428570 and 165.714);\path[miter limit=4.00,thick] (542.8572,763.7908)arc(0.000:356.362:94.285713 and 48.571);

% The irregular path to the right
\path[draw=black,miter limit=4.00,thick,blue] (566.6337,463.0661) .. controls (566.6337,580.4033) and (483.9700,588.3030) .. (409.0311,600.9337) .. controls (307.3211,618.0765) and (258.4203,498.8394) .. (291.4286,423.0661) .. controls (321.4797,354.0812) and (346.4143,319.4479) .. (451.8883,299.4842) .. controls (626.4874,266.4367) and (566.6337,374.3003) .. (566.6337,463.0661) -- cycle;\node[circle,fill=black,inner sep=1.5pt,label={[yshift=-5pt,xshift=-10pt]below:{$y_4=x_0=y_0$}}] at (380,558) (ori) {};

% The irregular inner path
\path[draw=black,miter limit=4.00,line width=0.500pt,green,name path=inner curve] (462.8571,428.0765) .. controls (495.7835,431.6320) and (526.1145,517.8528) .. node[label={[xshift=14pt,yshift=-6pt,black]left:$\tau_2$}] {} (480.8450,530.1033) .. controls (370.3986,559.9914) and (393.4636,569.1390) ..  (341.4286,538.0765) .. controls (284.6129,504.1602) and (311.9087,520.6666) .. (303.6393,514.2165) .. controls (299.2618,510.8022) and (273.2117,513.6111) ..  (242.8571,473.7908) .. controls (209.8031,430.4292) and (269.8988,368.1801) .. node[label={[xshift=-6pt,black]left:$\tau_4$}] {} (302.8176,396.4594) .. controls (376.9162,460.1148) and (577.3715,370.4418) .. (475.7143,349.5050) .. controls (406.6638,335.2838) and (370.3789,418.0903) .. node[label={[xshift=-12pt,yshift=-26pt,black]left:$\tau_1$}] {} (462.8571,428.0765) -- cycle;

%% some paths to intersect the inner curve; we find the intersections and name them
\path[name path=line1] (ori) -- (335,300);
\path[name path=line2] (ori) -- (550,200);
\path[name path=line3] (400,570) -- (485,480);
\path[name intersections={of=line1 and inner curve, by = {int1}}];
\path[name intersections={of=line2 and inner curve, by = {int2,int3,int4}}];
\path[name path=line4] (int2) -- (400,300);
\path[name intersections={of=line4 and inner curve, by = {int7,int8}}];
\path[name intersections={of=line3 and inner curve, by = {int5}}];

%% draw the dashed paths
\draw[dashed] (ori) .. controls (340,500) and (370,470) .. node[label={[xshift=-4pt]left:$\beta_1$}] {} (int1);
\draw[dashed] (ori) .. controls (395,500) and (450,460) .. node[label={[xshift=11pt]left:$\beta_2$}] {} (int4) .. controls (455,410) .. (int2) .. controls (450,380) .. (int8);
\draw[dashed] (ori) .. controls (402,570) and (408,550) .. (int5);

%% place some labels
\node[circle,fill=black,inner sep=1.5pt,label={[yshift=3pt]above:$y_1$}] at (int1) {};
\node[circle,fill=black,inner sep=1.5pt,label={[yshift=3pt]above:$y_2$}] at (int8) {};
\node[circle,fill=black,inner sep=1.5pt,label={[yshift=3pt]above:$y_3$}] at (int5) {};

\node at (260,370) {\footnotesize$X_1$};
\node at (550,370) {\footnotesize$X_2$};
\node at (390,345) {\footnotesize$X_3$};
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}


Thanks to Paulo Cereda who showed me the "Object to path" option in inkscape.

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Thank you very much,, this is very helpful :-) –  Rahman Apr 1 '13 at 13:14

This partial Asymptote code has all elements needed to finish it, such as:

• define an array of coordinates, pen color and size,
• setting of the dashed line intervals,
• drawing labels, dots,
• setting of a (La)Tex preamble,
• building curves from array of points,
• obtaining a subpath of a curve,
• calculating intersection points of curves,
• using a percentage of distance along a path to locate labels (\tau_i).

topo.asy:

size(400,400);

texpreamble("\usepackage{lmodern}");

pair[] leftPoints={
(109, 5),
(164, 25),
(181, 103),
(188, 152),
(174, 192),
(120, 191),
(80, 169),
(61, 113),
(53, 56),
(69, 18),
};

pair[] midPoints={
(83, 31),
(100, 49),
(119, 51),
(143, 53),
(155, 73),
(147, 98),
(119, 127),
(128, 148),
(141, 155),
(150, 147),
(152, 134),
(145, 127),
(113, 117),
(71, 127),
(53, 132),
(40, 127),
(31, 110),
(33, 87),
(45, 70),
(62, 58),
(76, 48),
(81, 41),
};

pair[] rightPoints={
(62, 8),
(94, 15),
(118, 38),
(132, 60),
(142, 114),
(139, 140),
(130, 175),
(102, 196),
(41, 183),
(10, 128),
(9, 73),
(28, 23),
};

pair[] leftDash={
(83, 31),
(81, 47),
(77, 62),
(73, 81),
(75, 95),
(73, 108),
(81, 134),
};

pair[] midDash={
(83, 31),
(89, 50),
(97, 62),
(107, 79),
(121, 97),
(123, 110),
(130, 118),
(131, 132),
(129, 142),
(124, 160),
};

pair[] rightDash={
(83, 31),
(89, 33),
(94, 37),
(97, 40),
(103, 42),
(109, 41),
(114, 44),
(124, 58),
};

guide buildCurve(pair[] p, bool cycled=true){
guide g=p[0];
for(int i=0;i<p.length;++i){
g=g..p[i];
}
if(cycled) g=g..cycle;
return g;
};

pen dashed=linetype(new real[] {4,3});

pen penLeft,penRight,penMid;
pen dashLeft,dashRight,dashMid;

real lineWidth=1.2pt;

penLeft=red+lineWidth;
penRight=darkgreen+lineWidth;
penMid=blue+lineWidth;

dashLeft=dashed+orange+lineWidth;
dashRight=dashed+olive+lineWidth;
dashMid=dashed+lightblue+lineWidth;

guide leftCurve, rightCurve, midCurve;
guide leftDashCurve, rightDashCurve, midDashCurve;

leftCurve=buildCurve(leftPoints);
rightCurve=buildCurve(rightPoints);
midCurve=buildCurve(midPoints);

leftDashCurve=buildCurve(leftDash,cycled=false);
rightDashCurve=buildCurve(rightDash,cycled=false);
midDashCurve=buildCurve(midDash,cycled=false);

draw(leftCurve,penLeft);
draw(rightCurve,penRight);
draw(midCurve,penMid);

draw(leftDashCurve,dashLeft);
draw(rightDashCurve,dashRight);
draw(midDashCurve,dashMid);

struct Point{
pair p;
Label L;
void operator init(pair p=(0,0), Label L=Label("")){
this.p=p;
this.L=L;
};
};

void putdot(pair p){
dot(p,darkblue,UnFill);
}

Point y4x0y0=Point(midDash[0], Label("$y_4=x_0=y_0$",midDash[0],S));

putdot(y4x0y0.p);
label(y4x0y0.L);

pair[] X={
(101, 165),
(27, 140),
(171, 139),
};

for(int i=0;i<X.length;++i){
label("$X_"+format("%d",i)+"$",X[i]);
}

real[] tauArcLen={-1, // not used, for convenient indexing
0.07,
0.2,
0.6,
0.8
};

pair[] tauRelPos={(0,0), // not used
N, E, N, W
};

real midArcLen=arclength(midCurve);

pair[] tauPoint=new pair[tauRelPos.length];

for(int i=1;i<tauPoint.length;++i){
tauPoint[i]=arcpoint(midCurve, tauArcLen[i]*midArcLen);
label("$\tau_"+format("%d",i)+"$", tauPoint[i], tauRelPos[i]);
}

guide leftDashTail=subpath(leftDashCurve,2,size(leftDashCurve)-1);

pair Mid_x_leftDash;

Mid_x_leftDash=intersectionpoint(midCurve,leftDashTail);

putdot(Mid_x_leftDash);
label("$y_1$",Mid_x_leftDash,NE,UnFill);


A standalone pdf picture is obtained by asy -f pdf topo.asy

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Thanks a lot :) –  Rahman Apr 1 '13 at 13:12

With PSTricks but not completed... It just needs our patience and perseverance to find the critical points from which the smooth curves are drawn. Labeling, dashing, etc are easy once we have the critical points.

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-eucl}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\newsavebox\IBox
\savebox\IBox{\includegraphics{image}}
\def\Row{10}
\def\Col{10}

\psset
{
xunit=\dimexpr\wd\IBox/\Col,
yunit=\dimexpr\ht\IBox/\Row,
linecolor=red,
dotscale=0.5,
}

\addtopsstyle{gridstyle}
{
griddots=0,
gridcolor=magenta,
gridwidth=0.4pt,
subgridcolor=green,
subgridwidth=0.2pt,
subgriddiv=5,
}
\everypsbox{\color{red}}

\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}[showgrid=top](\Col,\Row)
\rput[bl](0,0){\usebox\IBox}
\pstGeonode%[CurveType=polyline]
(4.0,1.6){A}
(3.8,2.2){A2}
(3.4,2.6){B}
(2.8,3.0){C}
\pscurve(A)(A2)(B)(C)
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}

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Honestly, I have not been well trained in tracing a curve with minimal number of critical points. Please teach me if you have such a skill. –  cyanide-based food Mar 31 '13 at 4:58
You can digitize in Inkscape and export curve as PSTricks macro (.tex). –  g.kov Mar 31 '13 at 12:18
@g.kov: OK. Thanks. I will try it. –  cyanide-based food Mar 31 '13 at 12:21
Thank you so much –  Rahman Apr 1 '13 at 13:15