I have a JavaScript function which allows me to generate DOM elements and plot them on a circle with (good enough) even distribution around the circle. The code is as follows (I'm using jQuery):
function createFields(numberOfItems, className, radius) {
var container = $('#container');
for(var i = 0; i < +numberOfItems; i++) {
$('<div/>', {
'class': 'field ' + className,
'text': i + 1
}).appendTo(container);
}
var fields = $('.' + className),
container = $('#container'),
width = container.width(),
height = container.height(),
angle = 0,
step = (2*Math.PI) / fields.length;
fields.each(function() {
var x = Math.round(width/2 + radius * Math.cos(angle) - $(this).width()/2);
var y = Math.round(height/2 + radius * Math.sin(angle) - $(this).height()/2);
if(window.console) {
console.log($(this).text(), x, y);
}
$(this).css({
left: x + 'px',
top: y + 'px'
});
angle += step;
});
}
createFields(5, 'outer', 200);
createFields(4, 'inner', 120);
Fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/z79gj8a7/
You'll notice that the generated elements begin at 90 degrees to the vertical. I'd like to plot them so that they begin at 0 degrees. Essentially, if you imagine this as a clock, I want to plot all of the items 3hrs earlier. I've tried modifying the angle in the script to -90
and also subtracting 90 from the angle += step
line but it's not having the desired effect.
Could anyone who's better at maths than I suggest a way to get the elements to be plotted -90 degrees from where they are now? (I'm aware I could just rotate the #container
but that seems like a hack as I'd have to rotate the elements to compensate to keep their content in the correct orientation).
Many thanks.