turtle — Turtle graphics¶

Turtle methods¶

Turtle motion

Move and draw

forward() | fd()

backward() | bk() | back()

right() | rt()

left() | lt()

goto() | setpos() | setposition()

setx()

sety()

setheading() | seth()

home()

circle()

dot()

stamp()

clearstamp()

clearstamps()

undo()

speed()

Tell Turtle’s state

position() | pos()

towards()

xcor()

ycor()

heading()

distance()

Setting and measurement

degrees()

radians()

Pen control

Drawing state

pendown() | pd() | down()

penup() | pu() | up()

pensize() | width()

pen()

isdown()

Color control

color()

pencolor()

fillcolor()

Filling

filling()

begin_fill()

end_fill()

More drawing control

reset()

clear()

write()

Turtle state

Visibility

showturtle() | st()

hideturtle() | ht()

isvisible()

Appearance

shape()

resizemode()

shapesize() | turtlesize()

shearfactor()

settiltangle()

tiltangle()

tilt()

shapetransform()

get_shapepoly()

Using events

onclick()

onrelease()

ondrag()

Special Turtle methods

begin_poly()

end_poly()

get_poly()

clone()

getturtle() | getpen()

getscreen()

setundobuffer()

undobufferentries()

Methods of TurtleScreen/Screen¶

Window control

bgcolor()

bgpic()

clearscreen()

resetscreen()

screensize()

setworldcoordinates()

Animation control

delay()

tracer()

update()

Using screen events

listen()

onkey() | onkeyrelease()

onkeypress()

onclick() | onscreenclick()

ontimer()

mainloop() | done()

Settings and special methods

mode()

colormode()

getcanvas()

getshapes()

register_shape() | addshape()

turtles()

window_height()

window_width()

Input methods

textinput()

numinput()

Methods specific to Screen

bye()

exitonclick()

setup()

title()

Turtle motion¶

turtle.forward(distance)¶

turtle.fd(distance)¶

Parameters

distance – a number (integer or float)

Move the turtle forward by the specified distance, in the direction the turtle is headed.

>>>

>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.forward(25)
>>> turtle.position()
(25.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.forward(-75)
>>> turtle.position()
(-50.00,0.00)

turtle.back(distance)¶

turtle.bk(distance)¶

turtle.backward(distance)¶

Parameters

distance – a number

Move the turtle backward by distance, opposite to the direction the turtle is headed. Do not change the turtle’s heading.

>>>

>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.backward(30)
>>> turtle.position()
(-30.00,0.00)

turtle.right(angle)¶

turtle.rt(angle)¶

Parameters

angle – a number (integer or float)

Turn turtle right by angle units. (Units are by default degrees, but can be set via the degrees() and radians() functions.) Angle orientation depends on the turtle mode, see mode().

>>>

>>> turtle.heading()
22.0
>>> turtle.right(45)
>>> turtle.heading()
337.0

turtle.left(angle)¶

turtle.lt(angle)¶

Parameters

angle – a number (integer or float)

Turn turtle left by angle units. (Units are by default degrees, but can be set via the degrees() and radians() functions.) Angle orientation depends on the turtle mode, see mode().

>>>

>>> turtle.heading()
22.0
>>> turtle.left(45)
>>> turtle.heading()
67.0

turtle.goto(x, y=None)¶

turtle.setpos(x, y=None)¶

turtle.setposition(x, y=None)¶

Parameters

• x – a number or a pair/vector of numbers

• y – a number or None

If y is None, x must be a pair of coordinates or a Vec2D (e.g. as returned by pos()).

Move turtle to an absolute position. If the pen is down, draw line. Do not change the turtle’s orientation.

 >>> tp = turtle.pos()
 >>> tp
 (0.00,0.00)
 >>> turtle.setpos(60,30)
 >>> turtle.pos()
 (60.00,30.00)
 >>> turtle.setpos((20,80))
 >>> turtle.pos()
 (20.00,80.00)
 >>> turtle.setpos(tp)
 >>> turtle.pos()
 (0.00,0.00)

turtle.setx(x)¶

Parameters

x – a number (integer or float)

Set the turtle’s first coordinate to x, leave second coordinate unchanged.

>>>

>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,240.00)
>>> turtle.setx(10)
>>> turtle.position()
(10.00,240.00)

turtle.sety(y)¶

Parameters

y – a number (integer or float)

Set the turtle’s second coordinate to y, leave first coordinate unchanged.

>>>

>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,40.00)
>>> turtle.sety(-10)
>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,-10.00)

turtle.setheading(to_angle)¶

turtle.seth(to_angle)¶

Parameters

to_angle – a number (integer or float)

Set the orientation of the turtle to to_angle. Here are some common directions in degrees:

standard mode	logo mode
0 - east	0 - north
90 - north	90 - east
180 - west	180 - south
270 - south	270 - west

>>>

>>> turtle.setheading(90)
>>> turtle.heading()
90.0

turtle.home()¶

Move turtle to the origin – coordinates (0,0) – and set its heading to its start-orientation (which depends on the mode, see mode()).

>>>

>>> turtle.heading()
90.0
>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,-10.00)
>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.heading()
0.0

turtle.circle(radius, extent=None, steps=None)¶

Parameters

• radius – a number

• extent – a number (or None)

• steps – an integer (or None)

Draw a circle with given radius. The center is radius units left of the turtle; extent – an angle – determines which part of the circle is drawn. If extent is not given, draw the entire circle. If extent is not a full circle, one endpoint of the arc is the current pen position. Draw the arc in counterclockwise direction if radius is positive, otherwise in clockwise direction. Finally the direction of the turtle is changed by the amount of extent.

As the circle is approximated by an inscribed regular polygon, steps determines the number of steps to use. If not given, it will be calculated automatically. May be used to draw regular polygons.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.heading()
0.0
>>> turtle.circle(50)
>>> turtle.position()
(-0.00,0.00)
>>> turtle.heading()
0.0
>>> turtle.circle(120, 180)  # draw a semicircle
>>> turtle.position()
(0.00,240.00)
>>> turtle.heading()
180.0

turtle.dot(size=None, *color)¶

Parameters

• size – an integer >= 1 (if given)

• color – a colorstring or a numeric color tuple

Draw a circular dot with diameter size, using color. If size is not given, the maximum of pensize+4 and 2*pensize is used.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.dot()
>>> turtle.fd(50); turtle.dot(20, "blue"); turtle.fd(50)
>>> turtle.position()
(100.00,-0.00)
>>> turtle.heading()
0.0

turtle.stamp()¶

Stamp a copy of the turtle shape onto the canvas at the current turtle position. Return a stamp_id for that stamp, which can be used to delete it by calling clearstamp(stamp_id).

>>>

>>> turtle.color("blue")
>>> turtle.stamp()
11
>>> turtle.fd(50)

turtle.clearstamp(stampid)¶

Parameters

stampid – an integer, must be return value of previous stamp() call

Delete stamp with given stampid.

>>>

>>> turtle.position()
(150.00,-0.00)
>>> turtle.color("blue")
>>> astamp = turtle.stamp()
>>> turtle.fd(50)
>>> turtle.position()
(200.00,-0.00)
>>> turtle.clearstamp(astamp)
>>> turtle.position()
(200.00,-0.00)

turtle.clearstamps(n=None)¶

Parameters

n – an integer (or None)

Delete all or first/last n of turtle’s stamps. If n is None, delete all stamps, if n > 0 delete first n stamps, else if n < 0 delete last n stamps.

>>>

>>> for i in range(8):
...     turtle.stamp(); turtle.fd(30)
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
>>> turtle.clearstamps(2)
>>> turtle.clearstamps(-2)
>>> turtle.clearstamps()

turtle.undo()¶

Undo (repeatedly) the last turtle action(s). Number of available undo actions is determined by the size of the undobuffer.

>>>

>>> for i in range(4):
...     turtle.fd(50); turtle.lt(80)
...
>>> for i in range(8):
...     turtle.undo()

turtle.speed(speed=None)¶

Parameters

speed – an integer in the range 0..10 or a speedstring (see below)

Set the turtle’s speed to an integer value in the range 0..10. If no argument is given, return current speed.

If input is a number greater than 10 or smaller than 0.5, speed is set to 0. Speedstrings are mapped to speedvalues as follows:

• “fastest”: 0

• “fast”: 10

• “normal”: 6

• “slow”: 3

• “slowest”: 1

Speeds from 1 to 10 enforce increasingly faster animation of line drawing and turtle turning.

Attention: speed = 0 means that no animation takes place. forward/back makes turtle jump and likewise left/right make the turtle turn instantly.

>>>

>>> turtle.speed()
3
>>> turtle.speed('normal')
>>> turtle.speed()
6
>>> turtle.speed(9)
>>> turtle.speed()
9

Tell Turtle’s state¶

turtle.position()¶

turtle.pos()¶

Return the turtle’s current location (x,y) (as a Vec2D vector).

>>>

>>> turtle.pos()
(440.00,-0.00)

turtle.towards(x, y=None)¶

Parameters

• x – a number or a pair/vector of numbers or a turtle instance

• y – a number if x is a number, else None

Return the angle between the line from turtle position to position specified by (x,y), the vector or the other turtle. This depends on the turtle’s start orientation which depends on the mode - “standard”/”world” or “logo”.

>>>

>>> turtle.goto(10, 10)
>>> turtle.towards(0,0)
225.0

turtle.xcor()¶

Return the turtle’s x coordinate.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.left(50)
>>> turtle.forward(100)
>>> turtle.pos()
(64.28,76.60)
>>> print(round(turtle.xcor(), 5))
64.27876

turtle.ycor()¶

Return the turtle’s y coordinate.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.left(60)
>>> turtle.forward(100)
>>> print(turtle.pos())
(50.00,86.60)
>>> print(round(turtle.ycor(), 5))
86.60254

turtle.heading()¶

Return the turtle’s current heading (value depends on the turtle mode, see mode()).

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.left(67)
>>> turtle.heading()
67.0

turtle.distance(x, y=None)¶

Parameters

• x – a number or a pair/vector of numbers or a turtle instance

• y – a number if x is a number, else None

Return the distance from the turtle to (x,y), the given vector, or the given other turtle, in turtle step units.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.distance(30,40)
50.0
>>> turtle.distance((30,40))
50.0
>>> joe = Turtle()
>>> joe.forward(77)
>>> turtle.distance(joe)
77.0

Settings for measurement¶

turtle.degrees(fullcircle=360.0)¶

Parameters

fullcircle – a number

Set angle measurement units, i.e. set number of “degrees” for a full circle. Default value is 360 degrees.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.left(90)
>>> turtle.heading()
90.0

Change angle measurement unit to grad (also known as gon,
grade, or gradian and equals 1/100-th of the right angle.)
>>> turtle.degrees(400.0)
>>> turtle.heading()
100.0
>>> turtle.degrees(360)
>>> turtle.heading()
90.0

turtle.radians()¶

Set the angle measurement units to radians. Equivalent to degrees(2*math.pi).

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.left(90)
>>> turtle.heading()
90.0
>>> turtle.radians()
>>> turtle.heading()
1.5707963267948966

Pen control¶

Turtle state¶

Using events¶

turtle.onclick(fun, btn=1, add=None)

Parameters

• fun – a function with two arguments which will be called with the coordinates of the clicked point on the canvas

• btn – number of the mouse-button, defaults to 1 (left mouse button)

• add – True or False – if True, a new binding will be added, otherwise it will replace a former binding

Bind fun to mouse-click events on this turtle. If fun is None, existing bindings are removed. Example for the anonymous turtle, i.e. the procedural way:

>>>

>>> def turn(x, y):
...     left(180)
...
>>> onclick(turn)  # Now clicking into the turtle will turn it.
>>> onclick(None)  # event-binding will be removed

turtle.onrelease(fun, btn=1, add=None)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with two arguments which will be called with the coordinates of the clicked point on the canvas

• btn – number of the mouse-button, defaults to 1 (left mouse button)

• add – True or False – if True, a new binding will be added, otherwise it will replace a former binding

Bind fun to mouse-button-release events on this turtle. If fun is None, existing bindings are removed.

>>>

>>> class MyTurtle(Turtle):
...     def glow(self,x,y):
...         self.fillcolor("red")
...     def unglow(self,x,y):
...         self.fillcolor("")
...
>>> turtle = MyTurtle()
>>> turtle.onclick(turtle.glow)     # clicking on turtle turns fillcolor red,
>>> turtle.onrelease(turtle.unglow) # releasing turns it to transparent.

turtle.ondrag(fun, btn=1, add=None)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with two arguments which will be called with the coordinates of the clicked point on the canvas

• btn – number of the mouse-button, defaults to 1 (left mouse button)

• add – True or False – if True, a new binding will be added, otherwise it will replace a former binding

Bind fun to mouse-move events on this turtle. If fun is None, existing bindings are removed.

Remark: Every sequence of mouse-move-events on a turtle is preceded by a mouse-click event on that turtle.

>>>

>>> turtle.ondrag(turtle.goto)

Subsequently, clicking and dragging the Turtle will move it across the screen thereby producing handdrawings (if pen is down).

Special Turtle methods¶

turtle.begin_poly()¶

Start recording the vertices of a polygon. Current turtle position is first vertex of polygon.

turtle.end_poly()¶

Stop recording the vertices of a polygon. Current turtle position is last vertex of polygon. This will be connected with the first vertex.

turtle.get_poly()¶

Return the last recorded polygon.

>>>

>>> turtle.home()
>>> turtle.begin_poly()
>>> turtle.fd(100)
>>> turtle.left(20)
>>> turtle.fd(30)
>>> turtle.left(60)
>>> turtle.fd(50)
>>> turtle.end_poly()
>>> p = turtle.get_poly()
>>> register_shape("myFavouriteShape", p)

turtle.clone()¶

Create and return a clone of the turtle with same position, heading and turtle properties.

>>>

>>> mick = Turtle()
>>> joe = mick.clone()

turtle.getturtle()¶

turtle.getpen()¶

Return the Turtle object itself. Only reasonable use: as a function to return the “anonymous turtle”:

>>>

>>> pet = getturtle()
>>> pet.fd(50)
>>> pet
<turtle.Turtle object at 0x...>

turtle.getscreen()¶

Return the TurtleScreen object the turtle is drawing on. TurtleScreen methods can then be called for that object.

>>>

>>> ts = turtle.getscreen()
>>> ts
<turtle._Screen object at 0x...>
>>> ts.bgcolor("pink")

turtle.setundobuffer(size)¶

Parameters

size – an integer or None

Set or disable undobuffer. If size is an integer, an empty undobuffer of given size is installed. size gives the maximum number of turtle actions that can be undone by the undo() method/function. If size is None, the undobuffer is disabled.

>>>

>>> turtle.setundobuffer(42)

turtle.undobufferentries()¶

Return number of entries in the undobuffer.

>>>

>>> while undobufferentries():
...     undo()

Compound shapes¶

To use compound turtle shapes, which consist of several polygons of different color, you must use the helper class Shape explicitly as described below:

1. Create an empty Shape object of type “compound”.

2. Add as many components to this object as desired, using the addcomponent() method.

   For example:

   >>>

   >>> s = Shape("compound")
   >>> poly1 = ((0,0),(10,-5),(0,10),(-10,-5))
   >>> s.addcomponent(poly1, "red", "blue")
   >>> poly2 = ((0,0),(10,-5),(-10,-5))
   >>> s.addcomponent(poly2, "blue", "red")
   

3. Now add the Shape to the Screen’s shapelist and use it:

   >>>

   >>> register_shape("myshape", s)
   >>> shape("myshape")
   

Window control¶

turtle.bgcolor(*args)¶

Parameters

args – a color string or three numbers in the range 0..colormode or a 3-tuple of such numbers

Set or return background color of the TurtleScreen.

>>>

>>> screen.bgcolor("orange")
>>> screen.bgcolor()
'orange'
>>> screen.bgcolor("#800080")
>>> screen.bgcolor()
(128.0, 0.0, 128.0)

turtle.bgpic(picname=None)¶

Parameters

picname – a string, name of a gif-file or "nopic", or None

Set background image or return name of current backgroundimage. If picname is a filename, set the corresponding image as background. If picname is "nopic", delete background image, if present. If picname is None, return the filename of the current backgroundimage.

>>>

>>> screen.bgpic()
'nopic'
>>> screen.bgpic("landscape.gif")
>>> screen.bgpic()
"landscape.gif"

turtle.clear()

Note

This TurtleScreen method is available as a global function only under the name clearscreen. The global function clear is a different one derived from the Turtle method clear.

turtle.clearscreen()¶

Delete all drawings and all turtles from the TurtleScreen. Reset the now empty TurtleScreen to its initial state: white background, no background image, no event bindings and tracing on.

turtle.reset()

Note

This TurtleScreen method is available as a global function only under the name resetscreen. The global function reset is another one derived from the Turtle method reset.

turtle.resetscreen()¶

Reset all Turtles on the Screen to their initial state.

turtle.screensize(canvwidth=None, canvheight=None, bg=None)¶

Parameters

• canvwidth – positive integer, new width of canvas in pixels

• canvheight – positive integer, new height of canvas in pixels

• bg – colorstring or color-tuple, new background color

If no arguments are given, return current (canvaswidth, canvasheight). Else resize the canvas the turtles are drawing on. Do not alter the drawing window. To observe hidden parts of the canvas, use the scrollbars. With this method, one can make visible those parts of a drawing which were outside the canvas before.

>>>

>>> screen.screensize()
(400, 300)
>>> screen.screensize(2000,1500)
>>> screen.screensize()
(2000, 1500)

e.g. to search for an erroneously escaped turtle ;-)

turtle.setworldcoordinates(llx, lly, urx, ury)¶

Parameters

• llx – a number, x-coordinate of lower left corner of canvas

• lly – a number, y-coordinate of lower left corner of canvas

• urx – a number, x-coordinate of upper right corner of canvas

• ury – a number, y-coordinate of upper right corner of canvas

Set up user-defined coordinate system and switch to mode “world” if necessary. This performs a screen.reset(). If mode “world” is already active, all drawings are redrawn according to the new coordinates.

ATTENTION: in user-defined coordinate systems angles may appear distorted.

>>>

>>> screen.reset()
>>> screen.setworldcoordinates(-50,-7.5,50,7.5)
>>> for _ in range(72):
...     left(10)
...
>>> for _ in range(8):
...     left(45); fd(2)   # a regular octagon

Animation control¶

turtle.delay(delay=None)¶

Parameters

delay – positive integer

Set or return the drawing delay in milliseconds. (This is approximately the time interval between two consecutive canvas updates.) The longer the drawing delay, the slower the animation.

Optional argument:

>>>

>>> screen.delay()
10
>>> screen.delay(5)
>>> screen.delay()
5

turtle.tracer(n=None, delay=None)¶

Parameters

• n – nonnegative integer

• delay – nonnegative integer

Turn turtle animation on/off and set delay for update drawings. If n is given, only each n-th regular screen update is really performed. (Can be used to accelerate the drawing of complex graphics.) When called without arguments, returns the currently stored value of n. Second argument sets delay value (see delay()).

>>>

>>> screen.tracer(8, 25)
>>> dist = 2
>>> for i in range(200):
...     fd(dist)
...     rt(90)
...     dist += 2

turtle.update()¶

Perform a TurtleScreen update. To be used when tracer is turned off.

See also the RawTurtle/Turtle method speed().

Using screen events¶

turtle.listen(xdummy=None, ydummy=None)¶

Set focus on TurtleScreen (in order to collect key-events). Dummy arguments are provided in order to be able to pass listen() to the onclick method.

turtle.onkey(fun, key)¶

turtle.onkeyrelease(fun, key)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with no arguments or None

• key – a string: key (e.g. “a”) or key-symbol (e.g. “space”)

Bind fun to key-release event of key. If fun is None, event bindings are removed. Remark: in order to be able to register key-events, TurtleScreen must have the focus. (See method listen().)

>>>

>>> def f():
...     fd(50)
...     lt(60)
...
>>> screen.onkey(f, "Up")
>>> screen.listen()

turtle.onkeypress(fun, key=None)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with no arguments or None

• key – a string: key (e.g. “a”) or key-symbol (e.g. “space”)

Bind fun to key-press event of key if key is given, or to any key-press-event if no key is given. Remark: in order to be able to register key-events, TurtleScreen must have focus. (See method listen().)

>>>

>>> def f():
...     fd(50)
...
>>> screen.onkey(f, "Up")
>>> screen.listen()

turtle.onclick(fun, btn=1, add=None)¶

turtle.onscreenclick(fun, btn=1, add=None)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with two arguments which will be called with the coordinates of the clicked point on the canvas

• btn – number of the mouse-button, defaults to 1 (left mouse button)

• add – True or False – if True, a new binding will be added, otherwise it will replace a former binding

Bind fun to mouse-click events on this screen. If fun is None, existing bindings are removed.

Example for a TurtleScreen instance named screen and a Turtle instance named turtle:

>>>

>>> screen.onclick(turtle.goto) # Subsequently clicking into the TurtleScreen will
>>>                             # make the turtle move to the clicked point.
>>> screen.onclick(None)        # remove event binding again

Note

This TurtleScreen method is available as a global function only under the name onscreenclick. The global function onclick is another one derived from the Turtle method onclick.

turtle.ontimer(fun, t=0)¶

Parameters

• fun – a function with no arguments

• t – a number >= 0

Install a timer that calls fun after t milliseconds.

>>>

>>> running = True
>>> def f():
...     if running:
...         fd(50)
...         lt(60)
...         screen.ontimer(f, 250)
>>> f()   ### makes the turtle march around
>>> running = False

turtle.mainloop()¶

turtle.done()¶

Starts event loop - calling Tkinter’s mainloop function. Must be the last statement in a turtle graphics program. Must not be used if a script is run from within IDLE in -n mode (No subprocess) - for interactive use of turtle graphics.

>>>

>>> screen.mainloop()

Input methods¶

turtle.textinput(title, prompt)¶

Parameters

• title – string

• prompt – string

Pop up a dialog window for input of a string. Parameter title is the title of the dialog window, prompt is a text mostly describing what information to input. Return the string input. If the dialog is canceled, return None.

>>>

>>> screen.textinput("NIM", "Name of first player:")

turtle.numinput(title, prompt, default=None, minval=None, maxval=None)¶

Parameters

• title – string

• prompt – string

• default – number (optional)

• minval – number (optional)

• maxval – number (optional)

Pop up a dialog window for input of a number. title is the title of the dialog window, prompt is a text mostly describing what numerical information to input. default: default value, minval: minimum value for input, maxval: maximum value for input The number input must be in the range minval .. maxval if these are given. If not, a hint is issued and the dialog remains open for correction. Return the number input. If the dialog is canceled, return None.

>>>

>>> screen.numinput("Poker", "Your stakes:", 1000, minval=10, maxval=10000)

Settings and special methods¶

turtle.mode(mode=None)¶

Parameters

mode – one of the strings “standard”, “logo” or “world”

Set turtle mode (“standard”, “logo” or “world”) and perform reset. If mode is not given, current mode is returned.

Mode “standard” is compatible with old turtle. Mode “logo” is compatible with most Logo turtle graphics. Mode “world” uses user-defined “world coordinates”. Attention: in this mode angles appear distorted if x/y unit-ratio doesn’t equal 1.

Mode	Initial turtle heading	positive angles
“standard”	to the right (east)	counterclockwise
“logo”	upward (north)	clockwise

>>>

>>> mode("logo")   # resets turtle heading to north
>>> mode()
'logo'

turtle.colormode(cmode=None)¶

Parameters

cmode – one of the values 1.0 or 255

Return the colormode or set it to 1.0 or 255. Subsequently r, g, b values of color triples have to be in the range 0..cmode.

>>>

>>> screen.colormode(1)
>>> turtle.pencolor(240, 160, 80)
Traceback (most recent call last):
     ...
TurtleGraphicsError: bad color sequence: (240, 160, 80)
>>> screen.colormode()
1.0
>>> screen.colormode(255)
>>> screen.colormode()
255
>>> turtle.pencolor(240,160,80)

turtle.getcanvas()¶

Return the Canvas of this TurtleScreen. Useful for insiders who know what to do with a Tkinter Canvas.

>>>

>>> cv = screen.getcanvas()
>>> cv
<turtle.ScrolledCanvas object ...>

turtle.getshapes()¶

Return a list of names of all currently available turtle shapes.

>>>

>>> screen.getshapes()
['arrow', 'blank', 'circle', ..., 'turtle']

turtle.register_shape(name, shape=None)¶

turtle.addshape(name, shape=None)¶

There are three different ways to call this function:

1. name is the name of a gif-file and shape is None: Install the corresponding image shape.

   >>>

   >>> screen.register_shape("turtle.gif")
   

   Note

   Image shapes do not rotate when turning the turtle, so they do not display the heading of the turtle!

2. name is an arbitrary string and shape is a tuple of pairs of coordinates: Install the corresponding polygon shape.

   >>>

   >>> screen.register_shape("triangle", ((5,-3), (0,5), (-5,-3)))
   

3. name is an arbitrary string and shape is a (compound) Shape object: Install the corresponding compound shape.

Add a turtle shape to TurtleScreen’s shapelist. Only thusly registered shapes can be used by issuing the command shape(shapename).

turtle.turtles()¶

Return the list of turtles on the screen.

>>>

>>> for turtle in screen.turtles():
...     turtle.color("red")

turtle.window_height()¶

Return the height of the turtle window.

>>>

>>> screen.window_height()
480

turtle.window_width()¶

Return the width of the turtle window.

>>>

>>> screen.window_width()
640

Methods specific to Screen, not inherited from TurtleScreen¶

turtle.bye()¶

Shut the turtlegraphics window.

turtle.exitonclick()¶

Bind bye() method to mouse clicks on the Screen.

If the value “using_IDLE” in the configuration dictionary is False (default value), also enter mainloop. Remark: If IDLE with the -n switch (no subprocess) is used, this value should be set to True in turtle.cfg. In this case IDLE’s own mainloop is active also for the client script.

turtle.setup(width=_CFG['width'], height=_CFG['height'], startx=_CFG['leftright'], starty=_CFG['topbottom'])¶

Set the size and position of the main window. Default values of arguments are stored in the configuration dictionary and can be changed via a turtle.cfg file.

Parameters

• width – if an integer, a size in pixels, if a float, a fraction of the screen; default is 50% of screen

• height – if an integer, the height in pixels, if a float, a fraction of the screen; default is 75% of screen

• startx – if positive, starting position in pixels from the left edge of the screen, if negative from the right edge, if None, center window horizontally

• starty – if positive, starting position in pixels from the top edge of the screen, if negative from the bottom edge, if None, center window vertically

>>>

>>> screen.setup (width=200, height=200, startx=0, starty=0)
>>>              # sets window to 200x200 pixels, in upper left of screen
>>> screen.setup(width=.75, height=0.5, startx=None, starty=None)
>>>              # sets window to 75% of screen by 50% of screen and centers

turtle.title(titlestring)¶

Parameters

titlestring – a string that is shown in the titlebar of the turtle graphics window

Set title of turtle window to titlestring.

>>>

>>> screen.title("Welcome to the turtle zoo!")

How to use help¶

The public methods of the Screen and Turtle classes are documented extensively via docstrings. So these can be used as online-help via the Python help facilities:

• When using IDLE, tooltips show the signatures and first lines of the docstrings of typed in function-/method calls.

• Calling help() on methods or functions displays the docstrings:

  >>>

  >>> help(Screen.bgcolor)
  Help on method bgcolor in module turtle:
  
  bgcolor(self, *args) unbound turtle.Screen method
      Set or return backgroundcolor of the TurtleScreen.
  
      Arguments (if given): a color string or three numbers
      in the range 0..colormode or a 3-tuple of such numbers.
  
  
        >>> screen.bgcolor("orange")
        >>> screen.bgcolor()
        "orange"
        >>> screen.bgcolor(0.5,0,0.5)
        >>> screen.bgcolor()
        "#800080"
  
  >>> help(Turtle.penup)
  Help on method penup in module turtle:
  
  penup(self) unbound turtle.Turtle method
      Pull the pen up -- no drawing when moving.
  
      Aliases: penup | pu | up
  
      No argument
  
      >>> turtle.penup()
  

• The docstrings of the functions which are derived from methods have a modified form:

  >>>

  >>> help(bgcolor)
  Help on function bgcolor in module turtle:
  
  bgcolor(*args)
      Set or return backgroundcolor of the TurtleScreen.
  
      Arguments (if given): a color string or three numbers
      in the range 0..colormode or a 3-tuple of such numbers.
  
      Example::
  
        >>> bgcolor("orange")
        >>> bgcolor()
        "orange"
        >>> bgcolor(0.5,0,0.5)
        >>> bgcolor()
        "#800080"
  
  >>> help(penup)
  Help on function penup in module turtle:
  
  penup()
      Pull the pen up -- no drawing when moving.
  
      Aliases: penup | pu | up
  
      No argument
  
      Example:
      >>> penup()
  

These modified docstrings are created automatically together with the function definitions that are derived from the methods at import time.

Translation of docstrings into different languages¶

There is a utility to create a dictionary the keys of which are the method names and the values of which are the docstrings of the public methods of the classes Screen and Turtle.

turtle.write_docstringdict(filename='turtle_docstringdict')¶

Parameters

filename – a string, used as filename

Create and write docstring-dictionary to a Python script with the given filename. This function has to be called explicitly (it is not used by the turtle graphics classes). The docstring dictionary will be written to the Python script filename.py. It is intended to serve as a template for translation of the docstrings into different languages.

If you (or your students) want to use turtle with online help in your native language, you have to translate the docstrings and save the resulting file as e.g. turtle_docstringdict_german.py.

If you have an appropriate entry in your turtle.cfg file this dictionary will be read in at import time and will replace the original English docstrings.

At the time of this writing there are docstring dictionaries in German and in Italian. (Requests please to glingl@aon.at.)

How to configure Screen and Turtles¶

The built-in default configuration mimics the appearance and behaviour of the old turtle module in order to retain best possible compatibility with it.

If you want to use a different configuration which better reflects the features of this module or which better fits to your needs, e.g. for use in a classroom, you can prepare a configuration file turtle.cfg which will be read at import time and modify the configuration according to its settings.

The built in configuration would correspond to the following turtle.cfg:

width = 0.5
height = 0.75
leftright = None
topbottom = None
canvwidth = 400
canvheight = 300
mode = standard
colormode = 1.0
delay = 10
undobuffersize = 1000
shape = classic
pencolor = black
fillcolor = black
resizemode = noresize
visible = True
language = english
exampleturtle = turtle
examplescreen = screen
title = Python Turtle Graphics
using_IDLE = False

Short explanation of selected entries:

• The first four lines correspond to the arguments of the Screen.setup() method.

• Line 5 and 6 correspond to the arguments of the method Screen.screensize().

• shape can be any of the built-in shapes, e.g: arrow, turtle, etc. For more info try help(shape).

• If you want to use no fillcolor (i.e. make the turtle transparent), you have to write fillcolor = "" (but all nonempty strings must not have quotes in the cfg-file).

• If you want to reflect the turtle its state, you have to use resizemode = auto.

• If you set e.g. language = italian the docstringdict turtle_docstringdict_italian.py will be loaded at import time (if present on the import path, e.g. in the same directory as turtle.

• The entries exampleturtle and examplescreen define the names of these objects as they occur in the docstrings. The transformation of method-docstrings to function-docstrings will delete these names from the docstrings.

• using_IDLE: Set this to True if you regularly work with IDLE and its -n switch (“no subprocess”). This will prevent exitonclick() to enter the mainloop.

There can be a turtle.cfg file in the directory where turtle is stored and an additional one in the current working directory. The latter will override the settings of the first one.

The Lib/turtledemo directory contains a turtle.cfg file. You can study it as an example and see its effects when running the demos (preferably not from within the demo-viewer).