Translate linear motion to polar coordinates I'm a math noob, so even though I want to understand a general solution to my problem, I don't even know how to articulate it except as an example.  So:
The setup:
Suppose I want to draw a segment from (1,2) to (0,1) on the Cartesian plane.
Suppose I get to do so by tracing a vector along said segment.  That is, I have a stepper motor at (0,0) that rotates about the z axis, and a pen parallel to the z axis, tip facing the xy plane, attached to the tip of a rod that can extend linearly from the axle of the stepper motor.  Effectively, I can represent arbitrary vectors from the polar origin (ignoring length limitations, lets assume I can manage sqrt(5).
My problem is thus:
If I run the stepper motor at constant velocity, this represents constant angular velocity.  This is not a problem, except I would need to know how to compensate for this by moving the pen tip (vector magnitude) such that the end result is a smooth -y-ward motion.  I have no idea where to begin.  I would even appreciate answers that point me toward being able to ask this question more succinctly.  

Suppose you go from point $A=(x_A=1,y_A=2)$ to point $B=(x_B=0,y_B=1)$.
The movement of an arbitrary point $M=(x,y)=(r\cos \theta,r \sin \theta)$ along a segment $[AB]$ is described by $M=(1-\lambda)A+\lambda B$ with $\lambda\in[0,1]$.
$\begin{cases}
x= r\cos \theta = (1-\lambda)x_A+\lambda x_B = 1-\lambda \\
y= r\sin \theta = (1-\lambda)y_A+\lambda y_B = 2-\lambda 
\end{cases}$
You get $r^2 = x^2+y^2 = (1-\lambda)^2+(2-\lambda)^2 = 5-6\lambda+2\lambda^2$ 
And $\displaystyle{\tau=\tan\theta=\frac yx=\frac{2-\lambda}{1-\lambda}}$
Since you want your motor to have constant angular velocity, it means $\theta=vt$ so we have to express $\lambda$ as a function of time, to get $r$ as a function of the time too.
$(1-\lambda)\tau=2-\lambda\iff(\tau-1)\lambda=\tau-2\iff\lambda=\frac{\tau-2}{\tau-1}$
Finally you get
$\begin{cases}
\theta = vt \\
\tau = \tan\theta \\
\lambda=\frac{\tau-2}{\tau-1} \\
r = \sqrt{5-6\lambda+2\lambda^2}
\end{cases}$
Note: to do this in general, keep the values $x_A,x_B,y_A,y_B$ as I showed at the beginning. You may also have to check the special case $x=0$ to avoid infinite values of $\tau$ and take an approximation instead.
$\begin{cases}
\displaystyle{\lambda=\frac{y_A-x_A\tan(\theta)}{(x_B-x_A)\,\tan(\theta)-(y_B-y_A)}} \qquad \mathrm{or\ }\lambda=\frac{x_A}{x_A-x_B}\ \mathrm{when \ x=0}\\\\
\displaystyle{x= (1-\lambda)x_A+\lambda x_B} \\
\displaystyle{y= (1-\lambda)y_A+\lambda y_B} \\\\
\displaystyle{r=\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}
\end{cases}$
