Replicating a chronodex in TikZ

Question

I've tried to make a chronodex in TikZ and I have a basic skeleton. I need to add a few more things to it (ticks, labels, nodes). Besides, the code itself could be optimised using loops but I'm still learning how to do it. Could anyone advise me on these issues so that I can arrive at the final concept?

The code for my chronodex is below:

\documentclass[border=0.5cm]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

% Grid

\foreach \i in {1,2,...,6}
{
\draw[lightgray!40, dotted] (0,0) circle(\i);
}

\foreach \i in {0,45,90,135,...,315}
{
\draw[lightgray!20, dotted] (0,0) -- (\i:7.2) node[pos=0.96,black,fill= white]{\i};
}


%--- Tried to write a formula for the arcs
%\foreach \i in {3,4,...,5}
%{
%   \foreach \j in {1,2,...,4}
%   {
%       \draw (90 - 30 * (\i - 3):\i) arc( : :\i);
%   }
%}

\begin{scope}[black, very thick, cap=round, rounded corners=1pt]

% ARCS

%--- Inner arc EH ---%
\draw[loosely dotted]  (180:2) arc(180:270:2);

%--- The full circle ---%
\draw  (0:3) arc(0:360:3);

%--- Arcs w/ rad = 4 ---%
\draw  (90:4) arc(90:60:4);
\draw  (330:4) arc(330:360:4);
\draw  (240:4) arc(240:270:4);
\draw  (150:4) arc(150:180:4);

%--- Arcs w/ rad = 5 ---%
\draw  (60:5) arc(60:30:5);
\draw  (300:5) arc(300:330:5);
\draw  (210:5) arc(210:240:5);
\draw  (120:5) arc(120:150:5);

%--- Arcs w/ rad = 6 ---%
\draw  (30:6) arc(30:0:6);
\draw  (270:6) arc(270:300:6);
\draw  (180:6) arc(180:210:6);
\draw  (90:6) arc(90:120:6);

%--- Outer arc LH ---%
\draw[loosely dotted]  (90:7) arc(90:180:7);


% LINES

\draw  (0:3) -- (0:6);
\draw  (30:3) -- (30:6);

\draw  (90:3) -- (90:6);
\draw  (120:3) -- (120:6);

\draw  (90:3) -- (90:6);
\draw  (120:3) -- (120:6);

\draw  (180:3) -- (180:6);
\draw  (210:3) -- (210:6);

\draw  (270:3) -- (270:6);
\draw  (300:3) -- (300:6);


\draw  (60:3) -- (60:5);
\draw  (150:3) -- (150:5);
\draw  (240:3) -- (240:5);
\draw  (330:3) -- (330:5);


\draw[loosely dotted]  (180:2) -- (180:3);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (210:2) -- (210:3);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (240:2) -- (240:3);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (270:2) -- (270:3);


\draw[loosely dotted]  (90:6) -- (90:7);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (180:6) -- (180:7);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (120:6) -- (120:7);
\draw[loosely dotted]  (150:5) -- (150:7);
\end{scope}

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Answer 1

Nice work so far. Please find below my refactored code, which replaces many draw statements by a handful of loops.

Refactoring is a nice thing to do. Whenever you finished some part, like a set of draw statements, review for common or more generic parts. Replace as needed, sometimes taking next steps into account. However, work with small steps rather than breakthrough-steps. // The way it's now might be further simplified, on the expense of code, which will be more difficult to read, introducing new sources errors. That's a matter of taste and experience.

Looks like you need only one more concept: how to obtain more than one value per iteration from a loop. Have a look here:

• I want two variables for the angles, say \v and \w
• Tikz allows me to separate them by a symbol I like; let's try / as separator
• so per iteration I need this pair of data \v/\w
• and for the set I specify in the same way {90/60, 330/360, 240/270, 150/180}
• all that's left is to feed the draw statement like so:
• \draw (\v:5) arc(\v:\w:5);
• that's it

    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 4 ---%
    \foreach \v/\w in {90/60, 330/360, 240/270, 150/180}
        \draw  ( \v:4) arc( \v: \w:4);

%\documentclass[border=0.5cm]{standalone}
\documentclass[10pt,border=5mm,tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

% ~~~ refactored code ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\begin{tikzpicture}
    % Grid

    \foreach \i in {1,2,...,6}
        % ~~~ make it visible for me ~~~~
        \draw[lightgray!40!red, dotted] (0,0) circle(\i);

    
    \foreach \i in {0,45,90,135,...,315}
        \draw[lightgray!20!blue, dotted] (0,0) -- (\i:7.2)
            node[pos=0.96,black,fill= white]{\i};
        
  \begin{scope}[black, very thick, cap=round, rounded corners=1pt]
    
    % ARCS
    
    %--- Inner arc EH ---%
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (180:2) arc(180:270:2);
        
    %--- The full circle ---%
    \draw  (0:3) arc(0:360:3);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 4 ---%
    \foreach \v/\w in {90/60, 330/360, 240/270, 150/180}
        \draw  ( \v:4) arc( \v: \w:4);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 5 ---%
    \foreach \v/\w in {60/30, 300/330, 210/240, 120/150}
        \draw  ( \v:5) arc( \v: \w:5);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 6 ---%
    \foreach \v/\w in {30/0, 270/300, 180/210, 90/120}
        \draw  ( \v:6) arc( \v: \w:6);
    
    %--- Outer arc LH ---%
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (90:7) arc(90:180:7);
    
    
    % LINES
    \foreach \w in {0,30,90,120,90,120,180,210,270,300}
        \draw (\w:3) -- (\w:6);
    
    \foreach \w in {60,150,240,330}
        \draw (\w:3) -- (\w:5);
    
    \foreach \w in {180,210,240,270}
        \draw [loosely dotted] (\w:2) -- (\w:3);

    \foreach \w in {30,180,120}
        \draw [loosely dotted] (\w:6) -- (\w:7);

    \draw[loosely dotted]  (150:5) -- (150:7);
  \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}


% ~~~ original post ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\begin{tikzpicture}
    % Grid
    
    \foreach \i in {1,2,...,6}
    {
    \draw[lightgray!40, dotted] (0,0) circle(\i);
    }
    
    \foreach \i in {0,45,90,135,...,315}
    {
    \draw[lightgray!20, dotted] (0,0) -- (\i:7.2) node[pos=0.96,black,fill= white]{\i};
    }
    
    
    %--- Tried to write a formula for the arcs
    %\foreach \i in {3,4,...,5}
    %{
    %   \foreach \j in {1,2,...,4}
    %   {
    %       \draw (90 - 30 * (\i - 3):\i) arc( : :\i);
    %   }
    %}
    
    \begin{scope}[black, very thick, cap=round, rounded corners=1pt]
    
    % ARCS
    
    %--- Inner arc EH ---%
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (180:2) arc(180:270:2);
    
    %--- The full circle ---%
    \draw  (0:3) arc(0:360:3);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 4 ---%
    \draw  (90:4) arc(90:60:4);
    \draw  (330:4) arc(330:360:4);
    \draw  (240:4) arc(240:270:4);
    \draw  (150:4) arc(150:180:4);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 5 ---%
    \draw  (60:5) arc(60:30:5);
    \draw  (300:5) arc(300:330:5);
    \draw  (210:5) arc(210:240:5);
    \draw  (120:5) arc(120:150:5);
    
    %--- Arcs w/ rad = 6 ---%
    \draw  (30:6) arc(30:0:6);
    \draw  (270:6) arc(270:300:6);
    \draw  (180:6) arc(180:210:6);
    \draw  (90:6) arc(90:120:6);
    
    %--- Outer arc LH ---%
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (90:7) arc(90:180:7);
    
    
    % LINES
    
    \draw  (0:3) -- (0:6);
    \draw  (30:3) -- (30:6);
    
    \draw  (90:3) -- (90:6);
    \draw  (120:3) -- (120:6);
    
    \draw  (90:3) -- (90:6);
    \draw  (120:3) -- (120:6);
    
    \draw  (180:3) -- (180:6);
    \draw  (210:3) -- (210:6);
    
    \draw  (270:3) -- (270:6);
    \draw  (300:3) -- (300:6);
    
    
    \draw  (60:3) -- (60:5);
    \draw  (150:3) -- (150:5);
    \draw  (240:3) -- (240:5);
    \draw  (330:3) -- (330:5);
    
    
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (180:2) -- (180:3);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (210:2) -- (210:3);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (240:2) -- (240:3);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (270:2) -- (270:3);
    
    
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (90:6) -- (90:7);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (180:6) -- (180:7);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (120:6) -- (120:7);
    \draw[loosely dotted]  (150:5) -- (150:7);
    \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Answer 2

I recreated everything from scratch and made it a \pic that is highly customizable and allows for 24-hours or am/pm format. It uses the calendar library which should make it easy to create a full calendar made of these \pics:

\documentclass[border=10pt, tikz]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{calendar} 

\newcount\chronodexcurrentdate
\newcount\chronodexcurrentweekday
\tikzset{
    pics/chronodex/.style={
        code={
            \tikzset{chronodex/.cd, #1}
            % inner segments
            \fill[chronodex/segment 6 to 7 am]
                (270:3) arc[start angle=270, end angle=240, radius=3] -- 
                (240:2) arc[start angle=240, end angle=270, radius=2] -- cycle;
            \fill[chronodex/segment 7 to 8 am]
                (240:3) arc[start angle=240, end angle=210, radius=3] -- 
                (210:2) arc[start angle=210, end angle=240, radius=2] -- cycle;
            \fill[chronodex/segment 8 to 9 am]
                (210:3) arc[start angle=210, end angle=180, radius=3] -- 
                (180:2) arc[start angle=180, end angle=210, radius=2] -- cycle;
            \draw[chronodex/inner ring] 
                (90:2) arc[start angle=90, end angle=-180, radius=2];
            \foreach \i [count=\a from 0] in {90,60,...,-180} {
                \draw[chronodex/inner line]
                    (\i:3) -- (\i:2);
                \pgfmathparse{int(\a > 0 && \a < 7 ? 1 : 0)}
                \ifnum\pgfmathresult=1\relax
                    \node[rotate={\i}, anchor=south east, chronodex/inner label] 
                        at (\i:3) {\a\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/am suffix}};
                \fi
                \pgfmathparse{int(\a > 6 && \a < 9 ? 1 : 0)}
                \ifnum\pgfmathresult=1\relax
                    \node[rotate={\i-180}, anchor=south west, chronodex/inner label]   
                        at (\i:3) {\a\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/am suffix}};
                \fi
            }
            % outer segments
            \fill[chronodex/segment 9 to 10 pm]
                (180:7) arc[start angle=180, end angle=150, radius=7] -- 
                (150:6) arc[start angle=150, end angle=180, radius=6] -- cycle;
            \fill[chronodex/segment 10 to 11 pm]
                (150:7) arc[start angle=150, end angle=120, radius=7] -- 
                (120:6) arc[start angle=120, end angle=150, radius=6] -- cycle;
            \fill[chronodex/segment 11 pm to 12 am]
                (120:7) arc[start angle=120, end angle=90, radius=7] -- 
                (90:6) arc[start angle=90, end angle=120, radius=6] -- cycle;
            \draw[chronodex/outer ring]
                (180:7) arc[start angle=180, end angle=90, radius=7]
                (90:6) arc[start angle=90, end angle=180, radius=6];
            \foreach \o [count=\p from 0] in {180,150,...,90} {
                \draw[chronodex/outer line]
                    (\o:7) -- (\o:6);
                \ifnum\p<3\relax
                    \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\p+9+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                    \node[rotate={\o-180}, anchor=south west, chronodex/outer label] 
                        at (\o:7) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                \fi
            }
            % base segments
            \foreach \b [count=\a from 0] in {180,90,...,-90} {
                \draw[chronodex/additional ring]
                    (\b:5) arc[start angle={\b}, end angle={\b-30}, radius=5]
                    (\b:6) arc[start angle={\b}, end angle={\b-60}, radius=6]
                    ({\b-30}:5) -- ({\b-30}:6);
                \fill[chronodex/base segments] 
                        (\b:4) arc[start angle={\b}, end angle={\b-30}, radius=4] -- 
                        ({\b-30}:5) arc[start angle={\b-30}, end angle={\b-60}, radius=5] -- 
                        ({\b-60}:6) arc[start angle={\b-60}, end angle={\b-90}, radius=6] -- 
                        ({\b-90}:3) arc[start angle={\b-90}, end angle={\b}, radius=3] -- (\b:3) -- cycle;
                \draw[chronodex/primary ring] 
                    (\b:3) -- (\b:4) 
                        arc[start angle={\b}, end angle={\b-30}, radius=4] -- ({\b-30}:3);
                \draw[chronodex/primary ring] 
                    ({\b-30}:3) -- ({\b-30}:5) 
                        arc[start angle={\b-30}, end angle={\b-60}, radius=5] -- ({\b-60}:3);
                \draw[chronodex/secondary ring]
                    ({\b-30}:4) arc[start angle={\b-30}, end angle={\b-60}, radius=4];
                \draw[chronodex/primary ring] 
                    ({\b-60}:3) -- ({\b-60}:6) 
                        arc[start angle={\b-60}, end angle={\b-90}, radius=6] -- ({\b-90}:3);
                \draw[chronodex/secondary ring]
                    ({\b-60}:4) arc[start angle={\b-60}, end angle={\b-90}, radius=4]
                    ({\b-60}:5) arc[start angle={\b-60}, end angle={\b-90}, radius=5];
                \foreach \n in {7.5,15,22.5} {
                    \foreach \t/\a in {4/0, 5/30, 6/60} {
                        \tikzset{chronodex/tick bottom start={3}}
                        \draw[rotate={\b-\a-\n}, chronodex/primary tick] 
                            \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick bottom code};
                        \tikzset{chronodex/tick top start={\t}}
                        \draw[rotate={\b-\a-\n}, chronodex/primary tick] 
                            \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick top code};
                    }
                    \tikzset{chronodex/tick middle start={4}}
                    \draw[rotate={\b-30-\n}, chronodex/secondary tick] 
                        \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick middle code};
                    \draw[rotate={\b-60-\n}, chronodex/secondary tick] 
                        \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick middle code};
                    \tikzset{chronodex/tick middle start={5}}
                    \draw[rotate={\b-60-\n}, chronodex/secondary tick] 
                        \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick middle code};
                }
                \ifnum\a=0\relax
                    \node[rotate={\b-180}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                        at (\b:4) {9\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/am suffix}};
                    \node[rotate={\b-210}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                        at ({\b-30}:5) {10\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/am suffix}};
                    \node[rotate={\b-240}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                        at ({\b-60}:6) {11\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/am suffix}};
                    \node[rotate={\b-270}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                        at ({\b-90}:6) {12\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/noon suffix}};
                \else
                    \ifnum\a=3\relax
                        \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\a*3-2+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                        \node[rotate={\b-210}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                            at ({\b-30}:5) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                        \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\a*3-1+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                        \node[rotate={\b-240}, anchor=south west, chronodex/base label] 
                            at ({\b-60}:6) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                    \else
                        \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\a*3-2+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                        \node[rotate={\b-30}, anchor=south east, chronodex/base label] 
                            at ({\b-30}:4) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                        \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\a*3-1+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                        \node[rotate={\b-60}, anchor=south east, chronodex/base label] 
                            at ({\b-60}:5) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                        \pgfmathsetmacro{\h}{int(\a*3+\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/24 hours conversion})}
                        \node[rotate={\b-90}, anchor=south east, chronodex/base label] 
                            at ({\b-90}:6) {\h\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/pm suffix}};
                    \fi
                \fi
            }
            \draw[chronodex/base ring] 
                (0:0) circle[radius=3];
            % day and weekday
            \ifdefined\chronodexcurrentday
                \pgfmathtruncatemacro{\d}{\chronodexcurrentday.0}
                \node[chronodex/day] 
                    at (0,0) {\d};
                \node[chronodex/weekday] 
                    at (0,0) {\pgfcalendarweekdayname{\chronodexcurrentweekday}};
            \fi
        }
    },
    chronodex/date/.code={
        \pgfcalendardatetojulian{#1}{\chronodexcurrentdate}
        \pgfcalendarjuliantodate{\chronodexcurrentdate}{\chronodexcurrentyear}{\chronodexcurrentmonth}{\chronodexcurrentday}
        \pgfcalendarjuliantoweekday{\chronodexcurrentdate}{\chronodexcurrentweekday}
    },
    chronodex/date/.initial={},
    chronodex/am suffix/.initial={\,am},
    chronodex/pm suffix/.initial={\,pm},
    chronodex/noon suffix/.initial={\,noon},
    chronodex/24 hours conversion/.initial={0},
    chronodex/24 hours/.style={
        am suffix={:00},
        pm suffix={:00},
        noon suffix={:00},
        24 hours conversion={12},    
    },
    chronodex/minor tick length/.initial={5},
    chronodex/major tick length/.initial={7},
    chronodex/tick top start/.initial={0},
    chronodex/tick middle start/.initial={0},
    chronodex/tick bottom start/.initial={0},
    chronodex/tick top code/.initial={
        (0:\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick top start}) -- 
        ++(0:{(\n == 15 ? \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/major tick length} : \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/minor tick length})*-1pt})
    },
    chronodex/tick middle code/.initial={
        ([shift={(0:{(\n == 15 ? \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/major tick length} : \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/minor tick length})*-0.5pt})}]0:\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick middle start}) --
        ++(0:{(\n == 15 ? \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/major tick length} : \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/minor tick length})*1pt})
    },
    chronodex/tick bottom code/.initial={
        (0:\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick bottom start}) -- 
        ++(0:{(\n == 15 ? \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/major tick length} : \pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/minor tick length})*1pt})
    },
    chronodex/base ring/.style={
        thick,
    },
    chronodex/base segments/.style={
        white!0,
    },
    chronodex/primary ring/.style={
        thick,
    },
    chronodex/primary tick/.style={
    },
    chronodex/secondary ring/.style={
        gray,
    },
    chronodex/secondary tick/.style={
    },
    chronodex/inner ring/.style={
        gray,
        densely dashed,
    },
    chronodex/inner line/.style={
        gray,
    },
    chronodex/outer ring/.style={
        gray,
        densely dashed,
    },
    chronodex/additional ring/.style={
        gray,
        densely dotted,
    },
    chronodex/outer line/.style={
        gray,
    },
    chronodex/label/.style={
        font=\footnotesize,
    },
    chronodex/base label/.style={
        chronodex/label,
    },
    chronodex/inner label/.style={
        chronodex/label,
        gray,
    },
    chronodex/outer label/.style={
        chronodex/label,
        gray,
    },
    chronodex/segment 6 to 7 am/.style={
        gray!25,
    },
    chronodex/segment 7 to 8 am/.style={
        gray!15,
    },
    chronodex/segment 8 to 9 am/.style={
        gray!5,
    },
    chronodex/segment 9 to 10 pm/.style={
        white!0,
    },
    chronodex/segment 10 to 11 pm/.style={
        white!0,
    },
    chronodex/segment 11 pm to 12 am/.style={
        white!0,
    },
    chronodex/day/.style={
        anchor=south,
        font=\Huge,
    },
    chronodex/weekday/.style={
        anchor=north,
        font=\large,
    },
}

\begin{document} 
\begin{tikzpicture} 
    \pic {chronodex};
\end{tikzpicture} 

\begin{tikzpicture} 
    \pic {chronodex={date=2023-06-08}};
\end{tikzpicture} 

\begin{tikzpicture} 
    \pic {chronodex={24 hours, 
        tick middle code={
            (0:\pgfkeysvalueof{/tikz/chronodex/tick middle start}) node[circle, inner sep=1.25pt, fill=cyan] {}
        },
        base ring/.append style={cyan, very thick},
        base segments/.append style={cyan!10},
        primary ring/.append style={cyan, thick},
        primary tick/.append style={magenta!50},
        secondary tick/.append style={cyan},
        segment 6 to 7 am/.append style={magenta!25},
        segment 7 to 8 am/.append style={magenta!15},
        segment 8 to 9 am/.append style={magenta!5},
        segment 9 to 10 pm/.append style={magenta!25},
        segment 10 to 11 pm/.append style={magenta!15},
        segment 11 pm to 12 am/.append style={magenta!5},
        label/.append style={magenta, font=\sffamily}}};
\end{tikzpicture} 
\end{document}