Helipad.spatial( bool square = None, int x = 10, int y = None, bool wrap = True, bool|float diag = False )

Sets up functions, properties, and methods for spatial models. This function should be run before the control panel is drawn.

The function does several things:

1. Creates a patch primitive to represent map coordinates. In addition to the usual agent methods, the patch primitive has the following methods:
   • patch.up(), patch.down(), patch.left(), and patch.right() — return the patch one over from the current patch in the specified direction.
   • patch.neighbors() — returns a list of the four (or eight, if diag==True) surrounding patches.
   • patch.agentsOn() — returns a list of all agents currently on the patch.
2. Creates a network named 'space' connecting each patch to its neighbors.
3. Adds a model.patches property, a dict of dicts by coordinates. A patch at coordinates (2,5) can be accessed using model.patches[2][5].
4. Adds movement methods and properties to agents of all primitives except patches, which cannot move.
   • agent.moveUp(), agent.moveDown(), agent.moveLeft(), and agent.moveRight() — move the agent one patch over starting from the current location.
   • agent.move(x, y) — moves the agent some number of patches over and some number of patches down.
   • agent.moveTo(x, y) — moves the agent to the patch located at (x,y)
   • agent.distanceFrom(agent) — calculates the spatial distance between the current agent and another.
   • agent.location — the current coordinates of the agent. (Patches also have patch.location, but it cannot be modified)
5. Creates a 'dimension' parameter or 'x' and 'y' parameters for the size of the map, depending on if the map is set to square or not.
6. Creates an agentPosition hook that takes an agent object and the model object, and returns x,y coordinates. If not specified, agents are randomly positioned when instantiated.

This function is in pre-alpha and is not API stable. Backward-compatibility according to the deprecation policy is not guaranteed until the feature is finalized.

Parameters

• square — bool, optional

  Whether to link the height and width of the map together. square will be inferred to be True if y is not explicitly set.

  Default value: None

• x — int, optional

  The default width of the map.

  Default value: 10

• y — int, optional

  The default height of the map. If y is not specified, square will be inferred to be True. If square is explicitly set to True, y will be ignored.

  Default value: None

• wrap — bool, optional

  Whether patches at the edges of the map should be connected to patches on the opposite edge.

  Default value: True

• diag — bool|float, optional

  Whether to connect patches to their diagonals, and if so, the weight of the connection (between 0 and 1).

  Default value: False