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/****************************************************************************
**
** Copyright (C) 2011 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies).
** All rights reserved.
** Contact: Nokia Corporation (qt-info@nokia.com)
**
** This file is part of the Qt WebKit documentation.
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** $QT_BEGIN_LICENSE:BSD$
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** modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
** met:
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** the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
** products derived from this software without specific prior written
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** THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
** "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
** LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
** A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
** OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
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** $QT_END_LICENSE$
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****************************************************************************/
/*!
\page qtwebkit-guide-canvas.html
\title Canvas Graphics (BETA)
\chapter Canvas Graphics
HTML5\'s Canvas API enables you to draw within a Web page or Web App
using JavaScript. After you define a rectangle that serves as your
drawing canvas, you can draw straight and curved lines, simple
and complex shapes, graphs, and referenced graphic images. You can add
text, color, shadows, gradients, and patterns. The canvas API also enables
you to save or export the canvas as a .png or .jpeg image file.
To define the drawing area, set the \c{width} and \c{height} of a
\c{<canvas>} element. For example, the following sets a drawing area
with a height of 100 pixels and width of 200 pixels:
\code
<canvas id="mycanvas" width="100" height="200"></canvas>
\endcode
By default, \c{canvas} elements are sized 150 pixels high and 300
pixels wide. You can also set the size of the canvas using CSS:
\code
canvas { height : 200px; width : 100px; }
\endcode
The \c{canvas} element is transparent and has no visible borders until
you \l{Accessing the Rendering Context}{access the 2D rendering
context}.
Resetting the width or height of an existing canvas erases its
contents and resets all the context properties of the canvas to their
default values.
\section1 Accessing the Rendering Context
The rendering \bold{context} defines the methods and attributes needed
to draw on the canvas. QtWebKit currently supports the two-dimensional
rendering context. The following assigns the canvas rendering context
to a \c{context} variable:
\code
var context = canvas.getContext("2d")
\endcode
The 2d context renders the canvas as a coordinate system whose origin
(0,0) is at the top left corner, as shown in the figure below.
Coordinates increase along the \c{x} axis from left to right and along
the \c{y} axis from top to bottom of the canvas.
\image webkit-guide/canvas_context.gif
\section1 Drawing Shapes
The 2D rendering context supports rectangles, lines, and arcs, which
you can combine to build complex shapes and graphic images.
\section2 Drawing Rectangles
The rectangle is the only geometric shape that is built in to the
canvas API. You can draw an outline of a rectangle, a filled
rectangle, and a filled rectangle with clear parts. You do not have to
create a path to draw a rectangle.
To draw an outline of a rectangle, use the \c{strokeRect()} method.
To draw a filled rectangle, use the \c{fillRect()} method. The default
fill color is black.
To clear part of a filled rectangle, use the \c{clearRect()} method.
Each method accepts the following series of arguments:
\list
\o \c{x} is the position on the canvas to the right of the origin
(0,0) of the top left corner of the rectangle
\o \c{y} is the position on the canvas below the origin of the top
left corner of the rectangle
\o \c{width} is the width of the rectangle to be drawn
\o \c{height} is the height of the rectangle to be drawn
\endlist
For example, the following code draws concentric rectangles:
\code
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
canvas.strokeRect(50,50,50,50);
canvas.fillRect(60,60,30,30);
canvas.clearRect(70,70,10,10);
\endcode
\image webkit-guide/canvas_rectangles.gif
\section2 Drawing Lines
To draw a line, you first have to "put your pencil down" on the canvas
by creating a path. The \c{context.beginPath()} method sets a new path
in the canvas. Each line that you draw is stored as a sub-path.
Sub-paths can be closed to form a shape, or they can be left open.
Each time you want to draw a new shape, you have to call the
\c{beginPath()} method to reset the current path.
After calling \c{beginPath()}, you set your starting position on the
canvas by calling the \c{context.moveTo(x,y)} method. The
\c{moveTo(x,y)} method creates a new subpath on the canvas that begins
at the point (x,y).
To draw a straight line, call the \c{context.lineTo(x,y)} method. This
adds the point (x,y) to the current subpath and connects it to the
previous subpath by a straight line. In other words, (x,y) are the
coordinates of the line\'s endpoint. For example:
\code
context.beginPath();
context.moveTo(10,10);
context.lineTo(30,30);
\endcode
To get the "pencil" to actually draw on the canvas, first use the
\c{strokeStyle} property to set the color to a value such as black
(#000):
\code
context.strokeStyle(#000);
\endcode
(The \c{strokeStyle} property can be a CSS color, a pattern, or a
gradient.) Then use the \c{context.stroke()} method to actually draw
the line on the canvas:
\code
context.stroke();
\endcode
This produces the image below. The numeric coordinates are added for
clarity but are not part of the image drawn by the code:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_lineStrokeTo.gif
To create a shape, call the \c{context.closePath()} method:
\code
context.closePath();
context.moveTo(10,10); // starting point
context.lineTo(30,30); // specify first line
context.moveTo(30,30); // move to end of first line
context.lineTo(60,10); // specify second line
context.moveTo(60,10); // move to end of second line
context.lineTo(10,10); // specify third line to close triangle
context.strokeStyle("#000"); // use black color for lines
context.stroke(); // draws the triangle lines on the canvas
\endcode
To fill the shape, use the \c{fillstyle} property and the \c{fill()}
method:
\code
context.fillStyle("#FF0000"); // use red color for fill
context.fill(); // fill the triangle
\endcode
The above commands, if coded fully, would create the shape below:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_closepath.gif
\bold{NOTE:} It is not necessary to close the path when calling the
\c{fill()} method. Calling \c{fill()} closes the path and creates the
completed shape.
You can draw lines of various widths, endcap types, and joining
options by configuring the following attributes:
\list
\o \c{lineWidth} sets the thickness of the current line. The value can
be any number greater than 0. For example, \c{context.lineWidth = 10}
sets the line thickness to 10 units. The default value is 1 unit,
which is not the same as 1 pixel. Instead, the line is centered on the
current path, with half its thickness on each side of the path.
\o \c{lineCap} sets the type of endpoint of the current line. The
value can be either \c{butt}, \c{square}, or \c{round}. (The
default value is \c{butt}.)
\list
\o \c{butt}- the ends of the line abutt the line guide.
\o \c{square} adds a box at both ends of the line.
\o \c{round} adds a semicircle at both ends of the line.
\endlist
\o \c{lineJoin} sets the style with which lines are joined. The value
can be either \c{bevel}, \c{round}, or \c{miter}. (The default value
is \c{miter}.)
\list
\o \c{bevel} flattens the corners at which the lines join
\o \c{round} rounds the corners at which the lines join
\o \c{miter} joins the lines at a single point
\endlist
\o \c{miterLimit} sets the miter limit ratio. The value can be any
number greater than 0. The miter limit ratio determines how far the
connection point of the outside of the lines can be from the
connection point of the inside of the lines. (The default value is
10.)
\endlist
\image webkit-guide/canvas_linecap.png
\section2 Drawing Arcs
To draw an arc, you begin with the same steps your followed to create
a line:
\list 1
\o Call the \c{context.beginPath()} method to "put your pencil down" on the
canvas and set a new path.
\o Call the \c{context.moveTo(x,y)} method to set your starting
position on the canvas at the point (x,y).
\o To draw an arc or circle, call the
\c{context.arcTo(x1,y1,x2,y2,radius)} method. This adds an arc with
starting point \c{(x1,y1)}, ending point \c{(x2,y2)}, and radius \c{radius} to the
current subpath and connects it to the previous subpath by a straight
line.
\image webkit-guide/canvas_arcTo.png
\o An alternative way to draw an arc or circle is to call the
\c{context.arc(x,y,radius,startAngle,endAngle,anticlockwise)}
method. This adds an arc to the current subpath that lies on the
circumference of the circle whose center is at the point (x,y) and
whose radius is \c{radius}.
\image webkit-guide/canvas_arcTo2.png
Both \c{startAngle} and \c{endAngle} are measured from the x axis in
units of radians.
A complete circle is 360 degrees, or 2\pi radians. A semicircle is 180
degrees, or \pi radians. The number of radians is the number of
degrees multiplied by \pi/180, expressed in JavaScript as:
\code
var radians = (Math.PI/180)*degrees;
\endcode
\image webkit-guide/canvas_startAngle.png
\c{anticlockwise} has the value \c{TRUE} for each arc in the figure
above because they are all drawn in the counterclockwise direction.
\o To create a shape, call the \c{context.closePath()} method. This
marks the current subpath as closed and draws a straight line from the
current point to the first point in the path.
\o To draw only the outline of the shape, call the \c{context.stroke()}
method.
\o To fill in the shape, call the \c{context.fill()} method.
\o To set the color of the fill, set the \c{strokeStyle}. For example,
the code
\code
context.strokeStyle = "#FF0000";
\endcode
sets the fill color to red.
\endlist
\bold{NOTE:} It is not necessary to close the path if you are going to call
the \c{fill()} method. The fill closes the path and creates the completed
shape.
To create complex shapes, combine lines and arcs:
\list 1
\o Call the \c{context.beginPath()} method to "put your pencil down"
on the canvas and set a new path.
\o Call the \c{context.moveTo(x,y)} method to set your starting
position on the canvas at the point (x,y).
\o Draw any combination of lines and arcs by calling the \c{lineTo},
\c{arcTo}, \c{arc}, \c{moveTo}, \c{closePath}, \c{stroke}, and
\c{fill} methods and setting the line attributes and fill colors as
described above.
\endlist
You can also create complex shapes by removing portions of the shapes
you draw. The \c{clip()} method creates a clipping path that defines
the area along which your "scissor" will cut. Any parts of the shape
outside the clipping path are not displayed. To create a complex shape
using the \c{clip()} method:
\list 1
\o Call the \c{context.beginPath()} method to set the clipping path.
\o Define the clipping path by calling any combination of the
\c{lineTo}, \c{arcTo}, \c{arc}, \c{moveTo}, and \c{closePath} methods.
\o Call the \c{context.clip()} method.
\endlist
The new shape displays. The following shows how a clipping path can
modify how an image displays:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_clip-complex.png
\section1 Compositing
You can build complex shapes by drawing shapes on top of each
other. It is also possible to draw shapes behind existing shapes and
to mask parts of shapes by using compositing operations. The
\c{globalCompositeOperation} attribute sets the way shapes can be
combined.
The first shape drawn on the canvas to which additional shapes are
added is called the destination shape. The shape drawn on the canvas
afterwards to create the composite image is called the source shape.
The value of the \c{globalCompositeOperation} attribute must be set to
one of the following:
\list
\o \c{source-over} displays the source (newer) shape over the
destination (older) shape unless the source shape is transparent.
(This is the default value)
\o \c{source-in} displays only the portion of the source shape that is
opaque and overlaps the destination shape. Everything else is
transparent.
\o \c{source-out} displays only the portion of the source shape that
does not overlap the destination shape.
\o \c{source-atop} displays only the portion of the opaque source
shape that overlaps the destination shape and the portion of the
destination shape that is not covered by the opaque source shape.
\o \c{destination-over} displays the destination shape over the source
shape. In areas where both shapes are opaque and overlap, the older
shape displays.
\o \c{destination-in} displays only the portion of the destination
shape that is opaque and overlaps the source shape. Everything else is
transparent. The source (newer) shape is not visible.
\o \c{destination-out} displays only the portion of the destination
shape that does not overlap the source shape. The source shape is not
visible.
\o \c{destination-atop} displays only the portion of the opaque
destination shape that overlaps the source shape and the portion of
the source shape that is not covered by the opaque destination shape.
\o \c{lighter} displays both the source and destination shapes. Where
the shapes overlap, the their color values are added, producing a
lighter color.
\o \c{copy} displays only the source shape. The destination shape is
ignored.
\o \c{xor} displays both the source and the destination shapes except
the areas of overlap, in which both shapes are completely transparent.
\endlist
The following figure shows the various compositing effects:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_composite.png
\section1 Saving and Exporting Canvas Drawings as Image Files
You can save or export your canvas drawings as .png or .jpeg image
files by calling the \c{toDataURL()} method:
\code
canvas.toDataURL([type, ...])
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{type} is the MIME type to which you want to save or export your
canvas. Possible values are:
\list
\o \c{"image\png"} (Default value)
\o \c{"image\jpeg"}
\endlist
\o\c{...} represents additional arguments that depend on the MIME type.
\list
\o If \c{type} is \c{png}, this argument is \c{" "}
\o If \c{type} is \c{jpeg}, this argument is the desired quality level of the image. The value is a number in the range 0.0 to 1.0, inclusive.
\endlist
\endlist
\section1 Drawing Text
You can draw text on your canvas by setting the following font
attributes on the 2d drawing context:
\list
\o \c{font} refers to any font, expressed the same way as in CSS
properties. This attribute\'s value can include any font style,
variant, weight, size, height, and family. For example:
\code
context.font = "12pt Arial";
\endcode
The default value is \c{10px sans-serif}.
If you set the \c{font} attribute to a relative font size, the browser
multiplies it by the computed font size of the \c{<canvas>} element
itself. For example:
\code
context.font = "200%";
\endcode
\o \c{textAlign} specifies the alignment of the text. The values can
be one of the following:
\list
\o \c{left} for left-aligned text
\o \c{right} for right-aligned text
\o \c{center} for text that is centered within each line
\o \c{start} (default) - the text is aligned at the beginning of the
line. Text is left- or right-justified based on locale-specific
writing method: left when text is left-to-right, right when text is
right-to-left.
\o \c{end} - the text is aligned at the end of the line, either left or
right depending on locale-specific writing method.
\endlist
\o \c{textBaseline} specifies the position at which text is drawn
relative to a baseline. The figure below, from
\l{http://dev.w3.org/html5/canvas-api/canvas-2d-api.html}{the World
Wide Web Consortium}, illustrates the possible values for the
\c{textBaseline} attribute:
\list
\o \c{top} is the top of the em square, which approximates the top of the
glyphs in a font
\o \c{hanging} specifies a hanging baseline, where the tops of some
glyphs are anchored.
\o \c{middle} is the mid-point of the em square
\o \c{alphabetic} (default) is the anchor point of many alphabetic
characters
\o \c{ideographic} is the anchor point of many ideograms, such as the
characters used in the writing systems of many Asian languages
\o \c{bottom} is the bottom of the em square
\endlist
\endlist
\image webkit-guide/canvas_text.png
To draw text on a canvas:
\list 1
\o Set the \c{font} attribute on the drawing context. For example:
\code
context.font = "bold 11px arial"
\endcode
\o Measure the text that you want to draw by calling the \c{measureText}
method:
\code
TextMetrics measureText("Text to draw");
\endcode
where \c{TextMetrics} is the object returned. Its \c{width} attribute
is the width, in pixels, that the "Text to draw" would be when drawn
with the font specified by the \c{font} attribute.
\o Call either of the following methods:
\list
\o \c{fillText} draws the text with the font style specified by the
\c{font} attribute, the alignment specified by the \c{textAlign} attribute,
and the baseline specified by the \c{textBaseline} attribute. For example:
\code
context.fillText("Text to draw",x,y,maximumWidth);
\endcode
where \c{x} and \c{y} are the coordinates at which the drawing begins
(the anchor point), and \c{maximumWidth} is the maximum width of the
text string (optional). If the \c{width} returned in step 2 is larger
than the \c{maximumWidth}, the font is scaled down until the width of
the text string is less than the \c{maximumWidth} specified.
If you don\'t specify the \c{font} attribute, the text inherits the
font size and style of the \c{<canvas>} element itself.
\o \c{strokeText} is the same as the \c{fillText} method, except that
a stroke style is applied to the text instead of a fill style,
creating outlines of glyphs. For example:
\code
context.fillText("Text to stroke",x,y,maximumWidth);
\endcode
\endlist
\endlist
\section1 Working with Images
You can insert existing images onto your canvas, you can scale or crop
them, and you can combine them to create composite images. You can
also draw new images by creating an \c{Image()} object with JavaScript.
To insert an existing image onto a canvas, call the \c{drawImage} method:
\code
context.drawImage(image, dx, dy, dw, dh)
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{image} is a reference to an HTML \c{<image>} or \c{<canvas>}
element. The image must be fully loaded before you can draw it on the
canvas. The reference cannot be a URL. Instead, it should be
referenced using standard DOM methods such as \c{document.images()} or
\c{document.getElementById()}. For example:
\code
<canvas id="demo1" width="100" height="150"></canvas>
var canvas = document.getElementById("demo1");
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
\endcode
\o \c{dx} is the x coordinate of the upper left corner of the image to be
drawn on the canvas (the destination image)
\o \c{dy} is the y coordinate of the upper left corner of the destination
image
\o \c{dw} is the width of the destination image (optional)
\o \c{dh} is the height of the destination image (optional)
\endlist
If \c{dw} and \c{dh} are not specified, the image retains its source
dimensions when drawn on the canvas. When \c{dw} and \c{dh} are
specified, the image is scaled to width \c{dw} and height \c{dh} when
drawn on the canvas.
If you want to crop the source image, the \c{drawImage} method can be
overloaded with the following arguments:
\code
context.drawImage(image, sx, sy, sw, sh, dx, dy, dw, dh)
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{sx} is the x coordinate of the upper left corner of the cropped
source image
\o \c{sy} is the y coordinate of the upper left corner of the cropped
source image
\o \c{sw} is the width of the cropped source image
\o \c{sh} is the height of the cropped source image
\endlist
Use this method if you want to crop the source image to the rectangle
(sx, sy, sw, sh) before drawing it on the canvas. The destination
image will have width dw, height dh, and upper left corner at
coordinates (dx,dy) on the canvas.
To create a new image using JavaScript, create an \c{Image} object and
define its source. Use an \c{onload} event handler to ensure that the
\c{drawImage} method is not called until the image has finished loading.
For example:
\code
var graphic = new Image();
graphic.src = "clipart/graphic.png";
\endcode
The image begins to load.
\code
graphic.onload = function(){
context.drawImage(graphic,x,y);
};
\endcode
\section2 Creating Patterns with Images
You can create patterns with an image by repeating it horizontally,
vertically, or both. The top left corner of the first image must be
anchored at the origin of the coordinate space. To repeat an image,
call the \c{createPattern} method:
\code
context.createPattern(image, repetition);
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{image} is a reference to an HTML \c{<image>} or \c{<canvas>}element
that is repeated to form a pattern. The image must
be fully loaded before you can draw it on the canvas. The reference
cannot be a URL. Instead, it should be referenced via standard DOM
methods such as \o \c{document.images} and \o
\c{document.getElementById}. For example:
\code
<canvas id="demo1" width="100" height="150"></canvas>
var canvas = document.getElementById("demo1");
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
\endcode
\o \c{repetition} is the direction in which the image repeats to form
the pattern. Possible values are:
\list
\o \c{repeat} (default) the image repeats both horizontally and
vertically
\o \c{repeat-x} the image repeats horizontally
\o \c{repeat-y} the image repeats vertically
\endlist
\endlist
The repeated images are the same size as the source image. The
\c{createPattern} method does not scale the images.
For example, to create a horizontal pattern of roses, create an
\c{Image} object to use as a pattern and define its source. Use an
\c{onload} event handler to ensure that the \c{createPattern} method
is not called until the image has finished loading. For example:
\code
var roses = new Image();
roses.src = "clipart/roses.jpg";
\endcode
The image begins to load.
\code
roses.onload = function(){
var pattern = context.createPattern(roses,repeat-x);
};
\endcode
\image webkit-guide/canvas_pattern.png
\section1 Applying Colors
To draw the outline of a shape in color,
set the \c{strokeStyle} attribute to any valid
\l{http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_colors.asp}{CSS color value}.
The color value can be in hexadecimal notation or in RGB/HSL notation,
as described in \l{Specifying Color and Opacity}.
For example,
either of the following sets a shape\'s outline to red:
\code
context.strokeStyle = "#FF0000"
context.strokeStyle = "rgb(255,0,0)"
\endcode
To fill a shape with color,
set the \c{fillStyle} attribute to a
\l{http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_colors.asp}{CSS color value}.
The color value can be in hexadecimal notation or in RGB/HSL
notation.
For example, either of the following colors a shape\'s interior as
blue:
\code
context.fillStyle = "#0000FF"
context.fillStyle = "rgb(0,0,255)"
\endcode
The
\l{http://www.w3.org/TR/2003/CR-css3-color-20030514/#numerical}{CSS3
Color Module specification} extends both RGB and HSL color models to
include a color\'s opacity,
referred to as its \bold{alpha}.
These extended models are known as RGBA and HSLA.
There are no hexadecimal notations for RGBA and HSLA values.
The following specifies varying levels of opacity for a blue shape:
\code
context.fillStyle = rgba(0, 0, 255, 0) // transparent
context.fillStyle = rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.5) // semi-transparent
context.fillStyle = rgba(0, 0, 255, 1) // opaque
\endcode
When you set the \c{context.strokeStyle} or \c{context.fillStyle}
attributes,
whatever value you set becomes the default value for all subsequently
drawn shapes,
until you set a new value.
\section2 Applying Gradients
A gradient is a smooth transition between colors. There are two types
of gradients: linear and radial.
A linear gradient transitions the color along a line between two
points. To create a linear gradient, call the \c{createLinearGradient}
method:
\code
createLinearGradient(x0, y0, x1, y1)
\endcode
where \c{(x0, y0)} is the starting point and \c{(x1, y1)} is the ending point
for the linear gradient.
A radial gradient transitions the color along a cone between two
circles. To create a radial gradient, call the \c{createRadialGradient}
method:
\code
createRadialGradient(x0, y0, r0, x1, y1, r1)
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{(x0, y0, r0)} represents the starting circle, whose origin is \c{(x0,
y0)} and whose radius is \c{r0}.
\o \c{(x1, y1, r1)} represents the ending circle, whose origin is \c{(x1, y1)}
and whose radius is \c{r1}.
\endlist
Gradients must have two or more \bold{color stops}, representing color
shifts positioned from 0 to 1 between to the gradient\'s starting and
end points or circles:
\code
addColorStop(position,color)
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{position} specifies the position of the color within the already
defined starting and end points or circles, expressed as a number
from 0 to 1.
\o \c{color} specifies the CSS color at that position.
\endlist
For example, to define a gradient that varies from red to blue
horizontally along a rectangular area:
\list 1
\o Create a gradient object:
\code
var redbluegradient = context.createLinearGradient(0,0,100,0);
\endcode
\o Define the color stops:
\code
redbluegradient.addColorStop(0, "rgb(255,0,0)"); // red at the left side of the rectangle
redbluegradient.addColorStop(1, "rgb(0,0,255)"); // blue at the right side of the rectangle
\endcode
\o Draw the shape and set a \c{fillStyle} or \c{strokeStyle}:
\code
context.fillStyle = redbluegradient;
context.fillRect(0,0,100,150);
\endcode
\endlist
To define a gradient that varies from red to blue vertically along a
rectangle:
\list 1
\o Create a gradient object:
\code
var redbluegradient = context.createLinearGradient(0,0,0,150);
\endcode
\o Define the color stops:
\code
redbluegradient.addColorStop(0, "rgb(255,0,0)"); // red at the top of the rectangle
redbluegradient.addColorStop(1, "rgb(0,0,255)"); // blue at the bottom of the rectangle
\endcode
\o Draw the shape and set a \c{fillStyle} or \c{strokeStyle}:
\code
context.fillStyle = redbluegradient;
context.fillRect(0,0,100,150);
\endcode
\endlist
\bold{NOTE:} A canvas gradient\'s color stops behave slightly
differently than those used within non-canvas \l{Gradients}{CSS3
Webkit gradients}. Webkit gradients specify mandatory \c{from} and
\c{to} colors, with optional \c{color-stop} values for additional
color shifts within the overall range of the gradient. For canvas
gradients, even the initial and final colors are defined as color
stops.
\section2 Applying Shadows
To add a shadow effect to a drawing on a canvas, set the following
attributes:
\list
\o \c{shadowColor} sets the color of the shadow. The value can be any
CSS color value. The default value is transparent black (\c{"rgba(0,0,0,0)"}).
\o \c{shadowBlur} sets the amount of blur in the shadow, in
pixels. The value can be any positive number or 0. A value of 0
produces a sharp shadow with no blur.
\o \c{shadowOffsetX} sets the number of pixels the shadow extends
horizontally from the object drawn. If this value is a positive
number, the shadow extends to the right of the object. If negative,
the shadow extends to the left of the object. The default value is 0
pixels.
\o \c{shadowOffsetY} sets the number of pixels the shadow extends
vertically from the object drawn. If this value is a positive number,
the shadow extends below the object. If negative, the shadow extends
above the object. The default value is 0 pixels.
\endlist
The following example code adds a semi-transparent black shadow to the
bottom right of a blue rectangle:
\code
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
context.shadowOffsetX = 5;
context.shadowOffsetY = 5;
context.shadowBlur = 10;
context.shadowColor = "rgba(0,0,0,0.5)";
context.fillStyle = "#0000FF";
context.fillRect = (0,0,100,50)
\endcode
\section1 Transforming Graphics
When drawing shapes and paths, you can translate the canvas\'s origin,
rotate the canvas around the origin, scale the units in the canvas
grid, and modify the transformation matrix directly.
\section2 Translating the Canvas Origin
Translating the origin enables you to draw patterns of different
objects on the canvas without having to measure the coordinates
manually for each shape. To translate the origin of the canvas, use
the \c{translate} method:
\code
context.translate(x,y);
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{x} is the horizontal distance that the origin is translated, in
coordinate space units
\o \c{y} is the vertical distance that the origin is translated, in
coordinate space units
\endlist
\section2 Rotating the Canvas
To rotate the canvas around the current origin, call the \c{rotate()}
method:
\code
context.rotate(angle);
\endcode
where \c{angle} is the clockwise rotation angle in radians.
The number of radians is the number of degrees multiplied by \pi/180,
expressed in JavaScript as:
\code
var radians = (Math.PI/180)*degrees;
\endcode
\image webkit-guide/canvas_rotate.png
\section2 Scaling the Canvas Grid
To increase or decrease the size of each unit in the canvas grid, call
the \c{scale} method:
\code
context.scale(x,y);
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{x} is the scale factor in the horizontal direction
\o \c{y} is the scale factor in the vertical direction
\endlist
The scale factors are in multiples. For example, \c{scale(2.0, 0.5)} would
double the horizontal size of an object drawn on the canvas and half
its vertical size, as shown below:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_scale.png
\section2 Manipulating the Transformation Matrix
Modifying the transformation matrix directly enables you to perform
scaling, rotating, and translating transformations in a single step.
The transformation matrix is an affine transformation matrix from
linear algebra. Affine transformations preserve colinearity and
relative distance in the transformed coordinate space. This means that
points in a line remain in a line, parallel lines remain parallel, and
the distance between lines and objects maintains the same ratio, even
if a scale factor is applied. Repositioning by translation, rotation,
or skewing is also possible.
Each point on the canvas is multiplied by the matrix before anything
is drawn. The HTML5 canvas API defines the transformation matrix as:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_math.png
where:
\list
\o \c{a} is the scale factor in the horizontal (x) direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_scalex.png
\o \c{c} is the skew factor in the x direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_skewx.png
\o \c{e} is the translation in the x direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_translate.png
\o \c{b} is the skew factor in the y (vertical) direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_skewy.png
\o \c{d} is the scale factor in the y direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_scaley.png
\o \c{f} is the translation in the y direction
\image webkit-guide/canvas_translatey.png
\o the last row remains constant
\endlist
The scale factors and skew factors are multiples; \c{e} and \c{f} are
coordinate space units, just like the units in the \c{translate(x,y)}
method.
The rotation transformation matrix is as follows:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_math_rotate.png
where the angle of rotation is in radians.
\sa
\l{http://www.senocular.com/flash/tutorials/transformmatrix/}{senocular.com}
for a good explanation of how transformation matrices are used
identically within Flash.
\section1 Canvas Animations
You can animate a canvas drawing by repeatedly redrawing the canvas
for each frame and translating,
rotating,
skewing,
and scaling the drawn objects.
To draw each frame by employing the HTML5 canvas API,
you should define the original canvas state and save it for future
reference.
The drawing context maintains a stack of drawing states.
Each state consists of the current transformation matrix,
current clipping region,
and current values of the following attributes:
\c{strokeStyle},
\c{fillStyle},
\c{globalAlpha},
\c{lineWidth},
\c{lineCap},
\c{lineJoin},
\c{miterLimit},
\c{shadowOffsetX},
\c{shadowOffsetY},
\c{shadowBlur},
\c{shadowColor},
\c{globalCompositeOperation},
\c{font},
\c{textAlign},
and
\c{textBaseline}.
The current path and the current bitmap are NOT part of the drawing
state.
The path can be reset only by invoking the \c{beginPath()} method.
The current bitmap is a property of the canvas,
not of the context.
To save the original canvas state,
call the \c{save()} method:
\code
context.save();
\endcode
Before drawing each new frame,
you must clear the canvas:
\code
canvas.clearRect(x,y,width,height);
\endcode
where:
\list
\o \c{x} is the position of the top left corner of the canvas on the
horizontal axis
\o \c{y} is the position of the top left corner of the canvas on the
vertical axis
\o \c{width} is the width of the canvas
\o \c{height} is the height of the canvas
\endlist
Draw the new frame using any of the methods provided by the canvas
API.
Then save it by calling the \c{save()} method.
If you wish to return to the state of the original frame as the basis
for each new frame that you draw,
call the \c{context.restore()} method.
To execute the drawing methods repeatedly,
use the standard JavaScript-based animation technique,
calling the \c{setInterval()} and \c{clearInterval()} methods.
The following shows how to execute an animation function every 50
milliseconds (corresponding to 20 times per second,
a typical animation frame rate),
then subsequently halt the animation:
\code
var id = setInterval(functionName, 50);
clearInterval(id);
\endcode
\bold{See Also:}
\list
\o
\l{http://www.canvasdemos.com/2009/10/09/html-5-canvas-animation/}{CanvasDemos.com:
animated cartoon},
which discusses how to use Canvas as an animation framework.
\o
\l{http://blog.nihilogic.dk/2009/02/html5-canvas-cheat-sheet.html}{nihilogic.dk:
HTML5 Canvas Cheat Sheet}
\endlist
*/
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