Mobjects¶

A mobject is anything that you can show in a video. This page shows the kinds of mobjects, and how to change their color, size and angle.

Shapes¶

import manimgx as m


class Shapes(m.Scene):
    def construct(self) -> None:
        circle = m.Circle(radius=1)
        square = m.Square(side_length=2)
        rectangle = m.Rectangle(width=3, height=2)
        triangle = m.Triangle()
        star = m.Star()
        shapes = m.VGroup(circle, square, rectangle, triangle, star)
        shapes.arrange(m.RIGHT, buff=0.6)
        self.add(shapes)

Each shape takes its size when you make it: a circle its radius, a square its side_length, a rectangle its width and height. Without them, a shape has a size of its own: a circle's radius is 1, and a square's side is 2.

To make a shape of your own, give m.Polygon its corners: m.Polygon([0, 0, 0], [3, 0, 0], [0, 2, 0]).

Lines, arrows and dots¶

A line goes from one point to another:

import manimgx as m


class Lines(m.Scene):
    def construct(self) -> None:
        line = m.Line([-5, 1, 0], [-1, 1, 0])
        arrow = m.Arrow([1, 1, 0], [5, 1, 0])
        dashed = m.DashedLine([-5, -1, 0], [-1, -1, 0])
        dot = m.Dot([3, -1, 0])
        self.add(line, arrow, dashed, dot)

An arrow stops a little before its points, so that it doesn't cover what it points at. To make it touch them, give buff=0. A dot is a small filled circle at a point.

Text and formulas¶

m.Text shows text, and m.MathTex shows a formula, written in LaTeX:

import manimgx as m


class TextAndFormula(m.Scene):
    def construct(self) -> None:
        text = m.Text("Hello, world")
        formula = m.MathTex(r"e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0")
        lines = m.VGroup(text, formula)
        lines.arrange(m.DOWN, buff=1)
        self.add(lines)

Write a formula in a raw string, r"...", so that Python keeps its backslashes. Text and math shows more.

Color¶

Give a mobject its color when you make it:

import manimgx as m


class Colors(m.Scene):
    def construct(self) -> None:
        outline = m.Circle(color=m.BLUE)
        filled = m.Circle(color=m.BLUE, fill_opacity=0.5)
        thick = m.Circle(color=m.YELLOW, stroke_width=12)
        circles = m.VGroup(outline, filled, thick)
        circles.arrange(m.RIGHT, buff=1)
        self.add(circles)

• color colors the outline and the inside.
• fill_opacity fills the inside: 0 is empty, 1 is solid. Most shapes are empty unless you fill them.
• stroke_width sets the width of the outline: 4 for most shapes, and 6 for an arrow, unless you give another.

manimgx has names for colors: m.WHITE, m.GREY, m.BLUE, m.TEAL, m.GREEN, m.YELLOW, m.GOLD, m.ORANGE, m.RED, m.PINK, m.PURPLE and more. Most of them also come in five shades: m.BLUE_A is the lightest blue, and m.BLUE_E the darkest. You can also give a color as a hex code, such as "#58C4DD".

To change a color later, use set_color, set_fill or set_stroke: circle.set_fill(m.RED, opacity=1).

Size and angle¶

scale multiplies the size of a mobject, and rotate turns it counterclockwise:

import manimgx as m


class SizeAndAngle(m.Scene):
    def construct(self) -> None:
        small = m.Square()
        small.scale(0.5)
        turned = m.Square()
        turned.rotate(45 * m.DEGREES)
        large = m.Square()
        large.scale(1.5)
        squares = m.VGroup(small, turned, large)
        squares.arrange(m.RIGHT, buff=1)
        self.add(squares)

scale(2) makes a mobject twice as large, and scale(0.5) half as large. Its center stays where it is. 45 * m.DEGREES is an angle of 45 degrees.

Groups¶

A group is a mobject made of other mobjects. When you move, scale, color or animate a group, you do it to every mobject in it. group[0] is the first one, group[1] the second.

shapes = m.VGroup(circle, square, triangle)
shapes.set_color(m.YELLOW)  # all three turn yellow
shapes[0].scale(2)  # the circle grows

What covers what¶

A mobject that you add later covers a mobject that you added before. To bring a mobject to the front, give it a higher z-index: circle.set_z_index(1).

The reference shows every kind of mobject.

Next¶

Your mobjects are in place. Animations shows how to move and change them.