Mathematica 9 is now available
SEARCH MATHEMATICA 8 DOCUMENTATION
THIS IS DOCUMENTATION FOR AN OBSOLETE PRODUCT.
SEE THE DOCUMENTATION CENTER FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
Mathematica > Visualization and Graphics > Symbolic Graphics Language > Graphics Objects >
Built-in Mathematica SymbolSee Also »|More About »

Arrow

Updated In 7 Graphic
Arrow[{pt1, pt2}]
is a graphics primitive which represents an arrow from pt1 to pt2.
Arrow[{pt1, pt2}, s]
represents an arrow with its ends set back from pt1 and pt2 by a distance s.
Arrow[{pt1, pt2}, {s1, s2}]
sets back by s1 from pt1 and s2 from pt2.
  • Arrow[{pt1, pt2, ...}] represents an arrow whose shaft passes through the sequence of points pti.
  • The positions of points can be specified either in ordinary coordinates as {x, y}, or in scaled coordinates as Scaled[{x, y}], or using ImageScaled or Offset.  »
  • The shaft of the arrow consists of a sequence of straight segments joining the specified points.
  • Arrow[{pt1, pt2}] is drawn by default with its tail at pt1 and its head at pt2.
  • The form, orientation and position of arrowheads can be specified by an Arrowheads directive.  »
  • Graphics directives such as RGBColor or Thickness apply to both the shaft and arrowhead elements of an arrow.  »
  • You can prevent directives from applying to an arrowhead by including explicit directives within the graphic used to specify the arrowhead.
  • In Arrow[{pt1, pt2}, s] the setback distance s is measured in the ordinary coordinate system of the whole graphic, so that the arrow will just touch Disk[pti, s].  »
  • If the whole graphic does not have AspectRatio->Automatic, then a specified arrow setback may correspond to different distances in different directions in the graphic.
EXAMPLESCLOSE ALL
Basic Examples   (4)
A 2D arrow primitive:
A 3D arrow primitive:
A full 3D arrow primitive using tubes:
Double-headed arrows:
Differently styled 2D arrows:
Differently styled 3D arrows:
A 2D arrow primitive:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
A 3D arrow primitive:
In[2]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[2]=
A full 3D arrow primitive using tubes:
In[3]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[3]=
 
Double-headed arrows:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
 
Differently styled 2D arrows:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
In[2]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[2]=
 
Differently styled 3D arrows:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
In[2]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[2]=
Scope   (16)
Straight arrow:
Jagged arrow:
Line and tube arrows:
Specify the setback distance for 2D arrows:
Specify the setback distance for 3D arrows with line shaft:
Specify the setback distance for 3D arrows with tube shaft:
Arrows with different thicknesses:
Dashed arrows:
Colored arrows:
2D arrows with different sizes of arrowheads:
3D arrows with different sizes of arrowheads:
Graphics can be used as an arrowhead for 2D and 3D arrows:
Use Graphics3D to specify the arrowhead:
Use Scaled coordinates:
Use ImageScaled coordinates:
Use Offset coordinates:
Applications   (6)
Make programmatic annotations to plots:
A simple display of vector fields:
Define an annotated arrow primitive:
Parallel dimensioning:
Properties & Relations   (1)
Use Arrowheads to style the axes:
Neat Examples   (4)
A random collection of arrows:
An arrow wheel:
Tangent vectors along an elliptic curve:
A billboard tree using a projected arrowhead:
New in 6 | Last modified in 7
Ask a question about this page  |  Suggest an improvement  |  Leave a message for the team