Integrating a constraint solver into a real-time animation environment

Investigates the integration of an interactive constraint solver into an existing 2D real-time animation environment in order to achieve a better observability, traceability and stability of the individual graphical objects. We present two approaches for assigning constraints to the objects. The first approach assigns constraints to the objects when they are created, keeping them stable during their entire life-time. The second approach dynamically changes constraints before the computation of each frame. The investigation is based on our practical experience with the complete visual programming language Pictorial Janus and the parallel constraint solver Parcon.