# dir var (atom)

Source: https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/var/dir

### Default value
> SOUTH

### Possible values
> NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST, SOUTHWEST

This is the direction that the object is facing. This has little effect unless the object's icon is directional. In the case of a directional icon, this selects the corresponding orientation from the icon file.

An icon file with only four (cardinal) directions makes the choice of orientation ambiguous when the true direction is a diagonal. In that case, of the two possibilities, the one closest to the previous orientation is displayed. Sounds complicated, but it's what one would naturally expect.

### See also
- [Move proc (movable atom)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/movable/proc/Move.md)
- [icon var (atom)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/var/icon.md)
- [turn proc](https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/turn/index.md)
- [stddef.dm file](https://ref.dm-lang.org/appendix/stddefdotdm.md)