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/****************************************************************************
**
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/*!
\page qtwebkit-guide-canvas.html
\title QtWebKit Guide - Canvas Graphics
\chapter Canvas Graphics
The \l{HTML5 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 \e{"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 Cartesian point \c{(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 \e{pencil} to actually draw on the canvas, first use the
\c{strokeStyle} property to set the color to a value such as black
(\c{#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 commands, if coded fully, would create the shape below:
\image webkit-guide/canvas_closepath.gif
\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 \c 0. For example, \c{context.lineWidth = 10} sets
the line thickness to \c 10 units. The default value is \c 1 unit, which is
not the same as \c 1 \e 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 \e{miter limit ratio}. The value can be any
number greater than \c 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 \c 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 \e{"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 \c 360 degrees, or 2\pi radians. A semicircle is \c 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
\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 \e{"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 \e{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 \e{destination} shape. The shape drawn on the canvas afterwards to
create the composite image is called the \e{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{HTML5 Canvas API}, 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 \c{"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
\c dw, height \c dh, and upper left corner at coordinates \c{(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
\list
\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
\endlist
\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{CSS Color Value}{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{CSS Color
Value}{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{CSS3 Color Module specification} extends both RGB and HSL color models to
include a color's opacity, referred to as its \e{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 \e{color stops}, representing color
shifts positioned from \c 0 to \c 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 \c 0
to \c 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
\note A canvas gradient's color stops behave slightly differently than those
used within non-canvas \l{Gradients}{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 \e{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 \l{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 \c angle of rotation is in radians.
\bold{See Also:}
\l{http://www.senocular.com/flash/tutorials/transformmatrix/}{senocular.com}
for a good explanation of how transformation matrices are used
identically within Adobe 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:
\list
\o\c{strokeStyle}
\o\c{fillStyle}
\o\c{globalAlpha}
\o\c{lineWidth}
\o\c{lineCap}
\o\c{lineJoin}
\o\c{miterLimit}
\o\c{shadowOffsetX}
\o\c{shadowOffsetY}
\o\c{shadowBlur}
\o\c{shadowColor}
\o\c{globalCompositeOperation}
\o\c{font}
\o\c{textAlign}
\o\c{textBaseline}
\endlist
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 \c 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}
\o \l{QtWebKit Guide} -back to the main page
\endlist
*/
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