How to plot an array of lines?

Question

I have the data stored in the textfile like this:

0.5 0.5 -0.7 -0.8

0.51 0.51 -0.75 -0.85

0.6 0.1 0.1 1.00

and so on

4 numbers in each row. Two first numbers means coordinates (x0,y0), two last - (x1,y1). This determines the coordinates of a line. So, the first row tells, that I have a line starting from (0.5, 0.5) and finishing in (-0.7, -0.8). The aim is to plot all of these lines. How can I do this? Explain it for beginner, please.

Answer 1

You can use "Table" to keep the structure of your data. And then you define a function Line[{{#1, #2}, {#3, #4}}]& to draw the Line by two points {#1,#2} and {#3,#4}.

0.5 0.5 -0.7 -0.8
0.51 0.51 -0.75 -0.85
0.6 0.1 0.1 1.00

data = Import["data.txt", "Table"]

(* {{0.5, 0.5, -0.7, -0.8}, {0.51, 0.51, -0.75, -0.85}, {0.6, 0.1, 0.1, 
  1.}} *)

Graphics[Line[{{#1, #2}, {#3, #4}}] & @@@ data]

Answer 2

data = Import["/Users/roberthanlon/Downloads/lines.txt", "Data"]

(* {{0.5, 0.5, -0.7, -0.8}, {0.51, 0.51, -0.75, -0.85}, {0.6, 0.1, 0.1, 1.}} *)

Graphics[Line /@ (Partition[#, 2] & /@ data), Axes -> True]

Highlight any function or operator and press F1 for help.

Answer 3

This is another way to do it:

data = ImportString[
   "0.5 0.5 -0.7 -0.8
0.51 0.51 -0.75 -0.85
0.6 0.1 0.1 1.00", "Table"]

Graphics[
 Table[
  Line[Partition[row, 2]],
  {row, data}
  ]
 ]

Try each piece of the code separately to see what it does (this applies to all situations when you are trying to understand some code). For example, try these and observe the output:

Partition[{0.5, 0.5, -0.7, -0.8}, 2]

Table[
 f[row],
 {row, data}
 ]

Table[
 Line[Partition[row, 2]],
 {row, data}
 ]