# Tikz coordinates relative to a node, and outside it

Given a rectangular node X I have access to the coordinates (X.north), (X.east) and the like. However, I want to be able to draw two sides of a right-angled triangle on top of the node. For example, if the node's top left and top right coordinates were (0,3) and (2,3) then I want to draw (0,3) -- (1,4) -- (2,3).

In other words:

\draw (X.north west) -- <what goes here?> -- (X.north east);


How do I obtain my middle point using only the node itself? The best I can do is

\draw (X.north west) -- ([shift={(X.north)}] X.north)-- (X.north east);


but that seems a little clumsy.

-

That's what the calc library is for:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node [draw] (X) {X node};
\draw (X.north west) -- ($(X.north west)!cos(45)!45:(X.north east)$) -- (X.north east);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


The syntax is as follows:

($(A)!<fraction>!(B)$) referst to the point that lies <fraction> of the way along the line from (A) to (B). ($(A)!0.5!(B)$) would refer to the midpoint of the connecting line, ($(A)!0!(B)$) refers to (A), and ($(A)!1!(B)$) refers to (B). If the number is greater than 1 or less than 0, the path is extrapolated.

The syntax ($(A)!<fraction>!<angle>:(B)$) refers to the point that lies <fraction> of the way along the line from (A) to (B) after that line has been rotated around (A) by <angle> degrees.

For a right-angled triangle, we know that if the angle between the hypotenuse and the adjacent side is 45°, the length of the adjacent side is cos(45)*h.

Similarly for other angles:

\documentclass[border=5mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node [draw, outer sep=0pt] (X) {X node};
\foreach \angle in {15,30,...,75}{
\draw [red!\angle!blue] (X.north west) -- ($(X.north west)!cos(\angle)!\angle:(X.north east)$) -- (X.north east);
}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


-
Thank you very much - I think this answer will suit my needs best. –  Alasdair Jun 21 '13 at 3:48

Use the fact that a rectangle triangle having the hypotenuse as diameter of a circle has its other vertex on the circle, and use the intersections library:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,intersections}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[draw,rectangle,minimum size=2cm] (X) {};
\begin{pgfinterruptboundingbox}
\path[name path=circle] let \p1=(X.north west), \p2=(X.north east) in
(X.north) circle (0.5*\x2-0.5*\x1);
\path[name path=line] (X.north) -- (60:3cm);
\draw[name intersections={of=circle and line,by={a}}] (X.north west) -- (a) -- (X.north east);
\end{pgfinterruptboundingbox}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}


\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,intersections}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[draw,rectangle,minimum size=2cm] (X) {};
\begin{pgfinterruptboundingbox}
\path[name path=circle] let \p1=(X.north west), \p2=(X.north east) in
(X.north) circle (0.5*\x2-0.5*\x1);
\foreach \i/\colo in {40/green,60/red,90/cyan,120/magenta}
{
\path[name path=line\i] (X.north) -- (\i:3cm);
\draw[name intersections={of=circle and line\i,by={a\i}},draw=\colo] (X.north west) -- (a\i) -- (X.north east);
}
\end{pgfinterruptboundingbox}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}


-
Very clever - and a nice illustration of some Euclidean geometry! However, I think Jake's answer below will be my preferred option. But thank you for your time and trouble! –  Alasdair Jun 21 '13 at 3:49
@Jake good suggestion. I've added the environments to my answer. Thanks! –  Gonzalo Medina Jun 21 '13 at 3:57