Book HomeJava and XSLTSearch this book

21.12. The Canvas Widget

Create a canvas for drawing with the Canvas method. The Canvas widget uses a coordinate system with the x coordinate increasing as you move right, and the y coordinate increasing as you move down (i.e., the y coordinate is mathematically upside-down). The x and y coordinates are specified in pixels by default.

$parentwidget->Canvas (options)

The standard configuration options that apply to Canvas are: -background, -bor-derwidth, -cursor, -height, -highlightbackground, -highlightcolor, -highlight-thickness, -insertbackground, -insertborderwidth, -insertofftime, -inserton-time, -insertwidth, -relief, -selectbackground, -selectborderwidth, -selectfore-ground, -state, -takefocus, -width, -xscrollcommand, and -yscrollcommand.

Other options are:

-closeenough => amount
The distance considered "close enough" to an item to be judged to be within it. Default is 1 pixel.

-confine => boolean
Whether to limit the canvas to the scroll region. Default is 1.

-scrollregion => [ x, y, w, h ]
Sets the region that the user is allowed to scroll. The option is a list reference that conveniently corresponds to the return value of the bbox method.

-xscrollincrement => amount
The distance to use for scrolling in the x direction.

-yscrollincrement => amount
The distance to use for scrolling in the y direction.

21.12.1. Canvas Creation Methods

To place graphic elements in a canvas, there are several item creation methods:

createArc
Creates an arc contained within the given bounding box. For example, to create an oval bounded by the box from (0,0) to (40,100):

$canvas->createArc(0,0,40,100, -extent => 360);

The -extent option gives a number between 0 and 360 defining the length of the arc. The default -extent is 90, or 1/4 of an oval; an extent of 360 gives you a full oval. The complete list of options to createArc is:

-extent => degrees
Creates an arc of the specified extent. degrees can be any number between 0 and 360, as described above.

-fill => color
Fills the arc with the specified color.

-outline => color
Draws the arc with the specified color (default is black).

-outlinestipple => bitmap
Draws the outline with the specified bitmap pattern.

-start => degrees
Starts drawing the arc from the specified position, which is represented by a number from 0 to 360. The default is 0, which means to start drawing at the 3 o'clock position.

-stipple => bitmap
Uses the specified bitmap to fill the arc (if -fill is also specified).

-style => type
Draws the arc as specified. Values are:

pieslice
Draws lines from the center to the ends of the arc (the default)

chord
Draws a line connecting the two ends of the arc

arc
Draws the arc with no other lines

-tags => tagnames
Associates the arc with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the outline. Default is 1.

createBitmap
Inserts a bitmap. For example, to place the calculator bitmap at the (0,0) coordinates:

$canvas -> createBitmap(0, 0, -bitmap => 'calculator');

Options are:

-anchor => position
Anchors the bitmap at the specified position. Values are center (default), n, e, s, w, ne, nw, se, and sw.

-background => color
Specifies the color to use for the 0 pixels in the bitmap (default is to be transparent).

-bitmap => bitmap
Specifies the bitmap name. For a built-in bitmap, just specify the name; for a local bitmap file, specify the name with an @ preceding it.

-foreground => color
Specifies the color to use for the 1 pixel in the bitmap (default is black).

-tags => tagnames
Associates the bitmap with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

createImage
Creates an image. For example, to place an image at (0,0):

$canvas->createImage(0,0, -image => $imgptr);

Options are:

-anchor => position
Anchors the image at the specified position. Values are center (default), n, e, s, w, ne, nw, se, and sw.

-image => $imgptr
$imgptr is a pointer to a Photo or Image object made using a GIF or PPM file. For example:

$imgptr = $mainwindow->Photo(-file => "doggie.gif");
-tags => tagnames
Associate the image with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

createLine
Creates a line or several adjoining lines. For example, to create a line from (0,0) to (100,100) and then back to (100,0):

$canvas->createLine (0,0,100,100,100,0);

The first four coordinates are required. Any additional coordinates are taken to represent a continuation of that line. Options are:

-arrow => position
Specifies where to place arrowheads. Values are none (default), first, last, and both.

-arrowshape => [ head, length, flare ]
Specifies the dimensions of the arrow as a three-element anonymous list, describing (in order) the distance from the base to the head of the arrow, the distance from the rear point(s) to the head of the arrow, and the distance from the rear point(s) to the line.

-capstyle => type
Defines the type of arrowhead. Values are butt (the default), projecting, and round.

-fill => color
The color to use to draw the line.

-joinstyle => type
Defines how multiple lines are joined. Values are miter (default), bevel, and round.

-smooth => boolean
Determines whether the lines are drawn with a Bezier spine. Default is 0.

-splinesteps => n
Determines how smooth the Bezier curve is.

-stipple => bitmap
Draws the line with the specified bitmap pattern.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the line with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the line (default is 1 pixel).

createOval
Creates an oval. For example, to create a circle bounded by the box from (50,50) to (150,150):

$canvas->createOval(50,50,150,150);

Options are:

-fill => color
Fills the arc with the specified color.

-outline => color
Specifies the color for the outline (default is black).

-stipple => bitmap
Specifies a bitmap to fill the oval with.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the oval with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the outline (default is 1 pixel).

createPolygon
Creates a polygon. At least three sets of coordinates are required; the first point is automatically connected to the last point to complete the polygon.

$canvas -> createPolygon(0,0,130, 20, 90, -35);

Options are:

-fill => color
The color to use to fill the polygon.

-outline => color
Specifies the color of the outline (default is black).

-smooth => boolean
Determines whether the outline is drawn with a Bezier spine. Default is 0.

-splinesteps => n
Determines how smooth the Bezier curve is.

-stipple => bitmap
Fills the polygon with the specified bitmap pattern.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the polygon with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the outline (default is 1 pixel).

createRectangle
Creates a rectangle. For example, to create a square with one corner at (0,0) and another at (100,100):

$canvas->createRectangle(0,0,100,100);

Options are:

-fill => color
The color to use to fill the rectangle.

-outline => color
Specifies the color of the outline (default is black).

-stipple => bitmap
Fills the rectangle with the specified bitmap pattern.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the rectangle with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the outline (default is 1 pixel).

createText
Places text in a canvas widget. For example, to write "Broadway" centered at the position (130,-40):

$canvas->createText(130,-40, -text => "Broadway");

Options are:

-anchor => position
Anchors the text at the specified position. Values are center (default), n, e, s, w, ne, nw, se, and sw.

-fill => color
The color to use for the text.

-font => fontname
The font for the text.

-justify => position
The justification of the text (either left, right, or center). The default is left.

-stipple => bitmap
Fills the text with the specified bitmap pattern.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the text with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-text => string
Specifies the text to display.

-width => amount
The maximum length of each line of text. Default is 0, which means that lines are broken only at explicit newline characters.

There is a set of methods for manipulating text items within a Canvas widget. For each of these methods, the first argument is the tag name or tag ID, and subsequent arguments use text indexes as described for the Text widget.

dchars
Deletes characters from a text item, given the tag name or ID, and indexes of the first and last characters to delete

icursor
Places the insert cursor at the specified index

index
Gets a numerical index from a named one

insert
Adds a string to the text item

createWindow
Embeds another widget inside of a canvas. The widget must have been already created as a child of the canvas or of the canvas's parent. Options are:

-anchor => position
Anchors the widget at the specified position. Values are center (default), n, e, s, w, ne, nw, se, and sw.

-height => amount
Specifies the height of the widget.

-tags => tagnames
Associates the widget with the specified tag(s). Multiple tag names can be supplied as an anonymous list.

-width => amount
The width of the widget.

-window => $widget
Specifies the widget to embed.

21.12.2. Item Tags and IDs

Each item in a Canvas widget is given a unique ID when it is created. This ID is returned from the canvas creation command. In addition, each item can have a tag associated with it, either when created or with the addtag method. You can use either the ID or the tag to refer to an item in the canvas. Unlike IDs, tags do not have to be unique, which makes it possible to configure several items as a group.

Two special tags are created automatically. The "all" tag refers to all items in the canvas. The "current" tag refers to the item that the cursor is currently over, if any.

21.12.3. Canvas Methods

In addition to configure and cget, the following methods are supported by the Canvas widget:

addtag
Defines a tag for an already created canvas item. For example, to assign a tag called "everything" to all items in a canvas:

$canvas->addtag("everything", "all");

To assign the tag origin to the item closest to the coordinates (0,0):

$canvas->addtag("origin", "closest", 0, 0);

The full list of identifiers is:

above
Assigns the tag to the item above the specified item in the display list

all
Assigns the tag to all items in the canvas

below
Assigns the tag to the item below the specified item in the display list

closest
Assigns the tag to the item closest to the specified x,y coordinate

enclosed
Assigns the tag to all items that are completely enclosed within the specified bounding box

overlapping
Assigns the tag to all items that are even partially inside the specified bounding box

withtag
Assigns the tag to all items with the specified tag

bind
Binds a callback to an item. (To bind a callback to the Canvas widget itself, you must specify Tk::bind.)

bbox
Returns the bounding box of an item. For example, to get the bounding box for all items in the canvas:

$canvas->bbox("all");
itemconfigure
Configures one of the items within the canvas. Works just like the configure method for widgets, but the first argument is the tag name or ID for the canvas item.

itemcget
Gets configuration information for one of the items within the canvas. Works just like the cget method for widgets, but the first argument is the tag name or ID for the canvas item.

move
Moves an item on the canvas by adding the specified x and y distances to it:

$canvas->move("circle1", 100, 100);
coords
Gets the current x,y coordinates for an item, or moves an item to an explicit x,y coordinate.

lower
Sets the priority for the item in the display list to be lower than the item identified by the specified tag or ID.

raise
Sets the priority for the item in the display list to be higher than the item identified by the specified tag or ID.

delete
Removes an item from the canvas. You can specify as many tags or IDs in the argument list as you want.

find
Finds the specified items. The first argument can be any of:

above
Finds the item above the specified item in the display list

all
Finds all items in the canvas

below
Finds the item below the specified item in the display list

closest
Finds the item closest to the specified x,y coordinate

enclosed
Finds all items that are completely enclosed within the specified bounding box

overlapping
Finds all items that are even partially inside the specified bounding box

withtag
Finds all items with the specified tag

gettags
Retrieves a list of all tags associated with an item.

type
Determines the type of the specified item.

focus
Assigns the keyboard focus to the specified item.

postscript
Renders the canvas as PostScript. Options are:

-colormap => \@colorcommand
Specifies a PostScript command for setting color values.

-colormode => mode
Sets the mode to color (full color), gray (grayscale), or mono (black and white).

-file => filename
The name of the file to store the PostScript output.

-fontmap => \@fontspec
Specifies a font name and point size.

-height => size
The height of the area to print.

-pageanchor => position
The anchor position of the page. Values are center (default), n, e, s, and w.

-pageheight => height
The height of the printed page.

-pagewidth => width
The width of the printed page.

-pagex => x
The x positioning point.

-pagey => y
The y positioning point.

-rotate => boolean
Whether to rotate to landscape orientation. Default is 0.

-width => size
The width of the area to print.

-x => x
The left edge of the canvas.

-y => y
The top edge of the canvas.

scale
Changes the scaling of the canvas or any individual items. For example, to scale the entire canvas to half its dimensions:

$canvas->scale("all", 0, 0, .5, .5);
xview
Manipulates the canvas area in view. With no arguments, returns a list of two numbers between 0 and 1, defining the portion of the canvas that is currently hidden on the left and right sides, respectively. With arguments, the function of xview changes:

moveto
Moves the specified fraction of the text to the left of the visible portion.

scroll
Scrolls the canvas left or right by the specified number of units or pages. Used primarily as a callback to a scrollbar; pressing on an arrow would move by units (characters), and pressing on the trough would move by pages. The number is either 1 or -1, to move forwards or backwards, respectively.

yview
Manipulates the canvas in view. With no arguments, returns a list of two numbers between 0 and 1, defining that portion of the canvas that is currently hidden on the top and bottom, respectively. With arguments, its function changes:

moveto
Moves the specified fraction of the canvas area to the top of the visible portion.

scroll
Scrolls the canvas up or down by the specified number of units or pages. Used primarily as a callback to a scrollbar; pressing on an arrow would move by units (lines), and pressing on the trough would move by pages. The number is either 1 or -1, to move forwards or backwards, respectively.



Library Navigation Links

Copyright © 2002 O'Reilly & Associates. All rights reserved.