Movie-like Animation with Excel’s Single Step Iteration Exemplified by Lissajous Figures

• Main Author: Wilfried A.L. Wischniewsky
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bond University
• Series: Spreadsheets in Education
• Online Access: http://sie.scholasticahq.com/article/4553-movie-like-animation-with-excel-s-single-step-iteration-exemplified-by-lissajous-figures.pdf

This paper presents a new interactive spreadsheet graphics animation technique which uses the spreadsheet engine’s intrinsic single step iteration capability. The well-known Lissajous figures exemplify a time variant process demonstrating the virtually unlimited movie-like animation. At any time the visible motion may be interrupted, parameters may be modified, and then the calculation can be continued. First, this paper describes a simple example without VBA and then demonstrates the method’s capability by a second more sophisticated Lissajous figures example using VBA. The downloadable workbook uses object blocks and comprises a pedagogically elaborated graphical user interface. It shows that the technique is applicable for both the unskilled student as well as the advanced programmer. This graphics animation method has the potential to revolutionize the spreadsheet usage for dynamical process simulations.