Shortest distance between multiple points with a parameter off how many points

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

I'm working on a project where i need to connect multiple points and calculate the shortest distance. 

I have 29 points, who can only be connected with 8 points max and they have to reach a center point. So i have multiple strings. 

Is there a command or lisp what will do this automatic instead of trying all possible possibilities?

Many thanks. 

Grts,

Koen

[3wood]

Can you post an image to demonstrate? It is not clear why only 8 points out of 29 can be connected.

[Anonymous]

first thanks for the fast reply. 

The reason only 8 points max can be connected is that this represents a windfarm. The strings are cables. Only 8 turbines can be added on the same cable. 

Picture :  (not all points are being used ) 

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Anonymous wrote:

... i need to connect multiple points and calculate the shortest distance. 

.... 

Is there a command or lisp what will do this automatic instead of trying all possible possibilities?

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....

I have a feeling any automated approach would have to try "all possible possibilities" in any case, and would just spare you the trouble of doing it yourself.  But it's a hugely complex problem.  >This thread< is not  the same problem, but related in looking for the shortest total distance to connect multiple points, as a "Steiner tree" using the "Fermat point."  Its connection nodes do not  always fall on  the points [only in certain geometric relationships], but mostly out in the area between them, which is why it's not the same as your problem, and because of the 120-degree-angle relationship that results in the minimum-total-length Steiner tree, it goes about it in a way that wouldn't serve your purposes.  But it might give you some idea of the level of complexity.  It has a pretty reliable solution for three points, and one that works for four only within certain limits, but the complexity gets much greater very quickly with added numbers of points.

But I notice that the "strings" in your image are not  all limited to 8 points from the common connection point.  Am I missing something?  And would you actually want to do it with all the points, with the limited number just being for illustration, or would the User always be selecting a limited number of them?

[Anonymous]

Hey Kent, 

Thx for your reply. I understand this is a very complex problem, thats why i was hoping somebody already solved it. 

To give some more information. Not all locations (points) are being used, some points are just points for other layouts. Thats why i looks like a string has more then 8 points connected but the polyline only has max 8 vertex. 

Basicly i'm looking for something where i can selected the points i want to use, the center point, and set the max points in a string. This should then make the polylines with the shortest combined distance.

"I have a feeling any automated approach would have to try "all possible possibilities" in any case, and would just spare you the trouble of doing it yourself." => this is true but a computer would do it allot faster then me. 

Grts,

Koen