4

This is not new here. But with the solutions in:

I couldn't put it to work.

Basically what I want is to define a command that will be a picture and can be used inside other picture as a node, similarly how the shape is defined. So that I can reuse the code because each picture has many elements. See the MWE:

\documentclass{standalone}

\usepackage{ellipsis}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathreplacing}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes.geometric}

\newcommand{\MUE}[1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[draw, shape = rectangle, minimum width=15mm, minimum height=7.5mm] (box) {#1};

\draw ($(box.south west)+(0.25,0)$) circle (4pt);
\draw ($(box.south east)-(0.25,0)$) circle (4pt);
\draw[fill=black] ($(box.south west)+(0.25,0)$) circle (1pt);
\draw[fill=black] ($(box.south east)-(0.25,0)$) circle (1pt);

\draw ($(box.north west)+(0.25,0)$) -- +(0,0.25) node[midway] (ant1) {};
\draw ($(box.north east)-(0.25,0)$) -- +(0,0.25) node[midway] (ant2) {};

\node at ($(ant1)!0.5!(ant2)$) {\dots};

\draw (ant1.north) -- +(135:0.25);
\draw (ant1.north) -- +(45:0.25);
\draw (ant2.north) -- +(135:0.25);
\draw (ant2.north) -- +(45:0.25);
\end{tikzpicture}
}
\newcommand{\MBS}[1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[draw, shape = dart, shape border rotate = 90, minimum width = 10mm, minimum height = 10mm] (base) {#1};

\draw[line join = round] (base.110) -- (base.70) -- (base.north west) -- (base.north east) -- cycle;

\draw ($(base.north)+(0.5,0)$) -- +(0,0.25) node[midway] (ant1) {};
\draw ($(base.north)-(0.5,0)$) -- +(0,0.25) node[midway] (ant2) {};
\draw[cap = rect, line join = round] (ant1.south) -- (ant2.south);

\node at ($(ant1)!0.5!(ant2)$) {\dots};

\draw (ant1.north) -- +(135:0.25);
\draw (ant1.north) -- +(45:0.25);
\draw (ant2.north) -- +(135:0.25);
\draw (ant2.north) -- +(45:0.25);
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = yellow!30] at (0,0) (test1) {\MBS{BS}};

\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = blue!30] at (3,3) (test2) {\MUE{UE1}};
\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = blue!30] at (3,-3) (test3) {\MUE{UE2}};

\draw[->] (test1) -- (test2);
\draw[->] (test1) -- (test3);

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

As it can be seen, the antennas in the picture are not correcly placed because I am using draw, shape = circle in the nodes of the second picture. Also, if I add inner sep = 0pt the result is even worst. How can I use such kind of nesting inside TikZ?

enter image description here

Community
  • 1
cacamailg
  • 8,405
  • I used the nodes to be easier to place the \dots. Can you provide the code? – cacamailg Apr 11 '13 at 16:09
  • 1
    I don't see a reason why you would use the ant nodes to add the last lines to the antenna, just use the last point on the line on which you place the (unnecessary) nodes. — You can also use the path picture key to place additional stuff inside a node (provided you know the size of the content before hand) or you place first the content and then fit the circle around it. – Qrrbrbirlbel Apr 11 '13 at 16:10
  • I would prefer the solution of adding the v at the very last point of the antenna. Using nodes helps me in keeping centered the \dots. Is there an automatic way to calculate the last point? – cacamailg Apr 11 '13 at 16:31
  • I’ve added an answer. Well, you already have a path to this last point, then you can also place a coordinate there and use this when you draw the v; or you do the same path again but without the--`. – Qrrbrbirlbel Apr 11 '13 at 16:38

1 Answers1

4

Don't use nodes here; neither to mark positions on the path (you can use a coordinate for that) nor to get back to the top point on that line, just use the path you already used there (you are allowed to use a path after node) or just re-calculate the coordinate or use move-tos to there (leave out the -- in your path).

I also provide an antenna insert path style that takes one argument, namely the number of the coordinate, the rest is a mix of relative (+) as well as relative and move-to (++) operators.

The same is valid for the \MBS macro. Here I have opted to draw the dart with an outer sep of zero, so that the anchors lie in the middle of line (which needs to go against with drawing the antenna part (notice the yshift=.8pt which comes from the line width used with the thick style).

I commented the original placement of the \dots and added another way to place the dots, namely with a label (\MUE) and a node on a path (\MBS).
Feel free to not use this.

Code

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathreplacing,decorations.markings,shapes.geometric}
\tikzset{antenna/.style={insert path={-- coordinate (ant#1)  ++(0,0.25) -- + (135:0.25) + (0,0) -- +(45:0.25)}}}
\newcommand{\MUE}[1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.append style={rectangle,minimum width=+0pt}]
\node[draw, shape = rectangle, minimum width=15mm, minimum height=7.5mm,label=\dots] (box) {#1};

\draw ([xshift=.25cm] box.south west) circle (4pt)
      ([xshift=-.25cm]box.south east) circle (4pt);
\fill ([xshift=.25cm] box.south west) circle (1pt)
      ([xshift=-.25cm]box.south east) circle (1pt);

\draw ([xshift=.25cm] box.north west) [antenna=1];
\draw ([xshift=-.25cm]box.north east) [antenna=2];

%\node at ($(ant1)!0.5!(ant2)$) {\dots};
\end{tikzpicture}}
\newcommand{\MBS}[1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[draw, shape = dart, shape border rotate = 90, minimum width = 10mm, minimum height = 10mm,outer sep=+0pt] (base) {#1};

\draw[line join = bevel] (base.110) -- (base.70) -- (base.north west) -- (base.north east) -- cycle;

\draw[line cap=rect] ([xshift=.5cm,yshift=.8pt] base.north) [antenna=1];
\draw[line cap=rect] ([yshift=.8pt]ant1 |- base.north) -- node[above,shape=rectangle]{\dots} ([xshift=-.5cm,yshift=.8pt]base.north) [antenna=2];

%\node at ($(ant1)!0.5!(ant2)$) {\dots};
\end{tikzpicture}}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = yellow!30] at (0,0) (test1) {\MBS{BS}};

\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = blue!30] at (3,3) (test2) {\MUE{UE1}};
\node[draw, shape = circle, fill = blue!30] at (3,-3) (test3) {\MUE{UE2}};

\draw[->] (test1) -- (test2);
\draw[->] (test1) -- (test3);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Output

enter image description here

Community
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Qrrbrbirlbel
  • 119,821
  • The only problem with your solution is with placing the \dots when I try to use inner sep = 0pt in the main nodes, e.g., \node[inner sep = 0pt]{\UE{UE1}}. I would use the label as you did, but using \node at ($(ant1)!0.5!(ant2)$) {\dots}; doesn't have that problem. – cacamailg Apr 11 '13 at 16:57
  • 1
    @cacamailg Yes, as you place a TikZ picture inside another TikZ picture, all styles are inherited. This is also true for your node but as it uses the .center anchor for placement (and you don't draw it or add something dependent on it you don't see the result). If you want to use my approach you can re-set inner ysep=+.3333em (the default if I recall correctly) or even adjust it slightly to place dots better; you can also use the above key with a negative/positive distance for vertical placements. – Qrrbrbirlbel Apr 11 '13 at 17:08
  • Yes you are right. I will try it later. Thank you very much. – cacamailg Apr 11 '13 at 17:19