Polygonflow: clockwise or counter-clockwise?

[Alex Tweedly]

Jeff Massung wrote:
> Michael,
>
> I assume you are talking about 2D polygons...
>
> Just take a 3D cross product of the first two vector (P3 - P2) x (P2 - P1).
> If the resultant vector is coming out of the screen (Z < 0) then the polygon
> is counter-clockwise. If it is going into the screen (Z > 0) then the
> polygon is clockwise.
>
> http://chortle.ccsu.edu/VectorLessons/vch12/vch12_1.html
>
> That page may be of help if you don't know what the cross product is. Note:
> to do the 3D cross product, just use Z=0 for all the points.
>
>   
Well, I confess I don't properly remember what the cross-product is, so 
I will go read that page.

But even without doing so, I am sure that this can't be a correct 
solution; the following two polygons have opposite flow, but P1, P2 and 
P3 are the same

0,0; 100,0; 100,100; 0,0    (i.e. a counter-clockwise triangle)
0,0; 100,0; 100,100; 200,100; 200,-10; 0,-10; 0,0   (i.e. a clockwise 
L-shape)

I'll post a couple of suggested solutions shortly (once I've got the 
stack running properly)

-- Alex.