"""

Using a text path to position other primitives.

In addition to using the text() command to draw type immediately, you

can call textpath() to trace the text's outline into a Bezier path (without

adding it to the canvas). The Bezier can be manipulated or, as demonstrated

# here, queried using its .contains() method.

"""

size(550, 140)

background('#ca0')

fill('#223', .75)

# Set the font and create a text path.

font("Verdana", 100)

align(CENTER)

tp = textpath("PlotDevice", WIDTH/2, 100)

# plot(tp) # Draws the underlying path

# Here are the variables that influence the composition:

resx = 100 # The horizontal resolution

resy = 100 # The vertical resolution

rx = 5.0 # The horizontal randomness each point has

ry = 5.0 # The vertical randomness each point has

dotsize = 3.0 # The maximum size of one dot.

dx = WIDTH / float(resx) # The width each dot covers

dy = HEIGHT / float(resy) # The height each dot covers

# We create a grid of the specified resolution. For each x,y

# coordinate in the space, we first check whether it lies within

# one of the letterforms, then (if so) draw a random square.

for x, y in grid(resx, resy):

sz = random(dotsize)

# Create the point that will be checked

x = x*dx-sz

y = y*dy-sz

# Only do something if the point falls within the path bounds.

# You could add an "else" statement, that draws something in the

# empty positions.

if tp.contains(x, y):

# Change the color for each point -- try it out!

# fill(random(), 0,0, random())

poly(x+random(-rx, rx),

y+random(-ry, ry),

sz)

# else:

# with fill('white',.2):

# arc(x,y,sz)