Very Computer

I would love to solve this problem. Using matrixes is not easy, I have read
that you move the points to the origin, rotate the points then move them
back to their offsets. Is it possible using matrixes?(3 matrix operations).
I would like the point of rotaion to be changeable. This effect is similar
to illustrator or photoshop where you select an object and can rotate the
bounding box by handles.

It is, but to implement translation as a matrix operation, you need a
special type of matrix most non-CG people aren't used to: a 4x4 matrix
operating on 'homegeneous' coordinates (x,y,z,1).  This is standard
craftsmanship in computer graphics. You may want to get yourself a
textbook to learn how to use it.

--

Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.

If 2d vectors X and Y represent the rotated coordinate system that the
box maps on to, then a 2x2 rotation matrix like this will work:

   R = [Xx Xy]
       [Yx Yy]

So when X = [0  1] and Y = [-1  0] a point P at (7,3) would become

   [7 3] (mtx mult) [ 0  1]  =  [7*0 + 3*-1   7*1 + 3*0]  =  [-3  7]
                    [-1  0]

To rotate about an arbitrary point, you could subtractt he point from
each vertex's position, rotate the point and add the rotation point
back. There is a faster way, though.

Fatten your vertices to the form [x y 1].  Fatten your matrix like this:

   [Xx Xy 0]
   [Yx Yy 0]
   [Tx Ty 1]

Tx and Ty form the translation vector (T = [Tx Ty]). The translation
will be done after the rotation.

To make a composite matrix that rotates about a point A, multiply
together the one for translating from A and the one that both rotates
and translates to A.

      [ 1   0   0 ]   [Xx Xy 0]
  M = [ 0   1   0 ] X [Yx Yy 0]
      [-Ax -Ay  1 ]   [Ax Ay 1]

      [ Xx  Xy  0 ]
    = [ Yx  Yy  0 ]
      [ Tx  Ty  1 ]

You'll notice that the rotation part of the transformation is the same
and still rotates about the origin, but Tx and Ty will form the
necessary translation to make the rotation appear as if it happened
about point A.

You might think it wasteful to transform every vertex like this:

   P  = [x y 1]

   P' = PM

                  [ Xx  Xy  0 ]
      = [x y 1] X [ Yx  Yy  0 ]
                  [ Tx  Ty  1 ]

      = [x' y' 1]

(appending the '1's and removing them at the end just to be able to use
a 3x3 matrix)

But what you really do is just steal the Tx and Ty from the matrix and
use the simple 2x2 rotation matrix discussed earlier.

   P  = [x y]

   P' = PR + T

      = [x y] X [Xx Xy]  +  [Tx Ty]
                [Yx Yy]

      = [x' y']

BTW. You'll notice I'm using 'row vectors' and 'postmultiplication'.
Most people use instead, 'column vectors' and 'premultiplcation'. To
swap between the two systems, make every row a column and every column a
row ('transposing') and reverse the left-right order of matrices and
vectors being multiplied.

Cheers.
   Blancmange

 I could send you all the necessary asm functions if you really want
them....

Thag