canvas - Create and manipulate canvas widgets
$canvas = $parent->Canvas(?options?);
background highlightThickness insertWidth takeFocus
borderWidth insertBackground relief xScrollCommand
cursor insertBorderWidth selectBackground yScrollCommand
highlightColor insertOffTime selectBorderWidth
highlightBackground insertOnTime selectForeground
See the ``options'' manual entry for details on the standard options.
- Name: closeEnough
- Class: CloseEnough
- Configure Option: -closeenough
Specifies a floating-point value indicating how close the mouse cursor
must be to an item before it is considered to be ``inside'' the item.
Defaults to 1.0.
- Name: confine
- Class: Confine
- Configure Option: -confine
Specifies a boolean value that indicates whether or not it should be
allowable to set the canvas's view outside the region defined by the
scrollRegion argument.
Defaults to true, which means that the view will
be constrained within the scroll region.
- Name: height
- Class: Height
- Configure Option: -height
Specifies a desired window height that the canvas widget should request from
its geometry manager. The value may be specified in any
of the forms described in the COORDINATES section below.
- Name: scrollRegion
- Class: ScrollRegion
- Configure Option: -scrollregion
Specifies a list with four coordinates describing the left, top, right, and
bottom coordinates of a rectangular region.
This region is used for scrolling purposes and is considered to be
the boundary of the information in the canvas.
Each of the coordinates may be specified
in any of the forms given in the COORDINATES section below.
- Name: width
- Class: width
- Configure Option: -width
Specifies a desired window width that the canvas widget should request from
its geometry manager. The value may be specified in any
of the forms described in the COORDINATES section below.
- Name: xScrollIncrement
- Class: ScrollIncrement
- Configure Option: -xscrollincrement
Specifies an increment for horizontal scrolling, in any of the usual forms
permitted for screen distances. If the value of this option is greater
than zero, the horizontal view in the window will be constrained so that
the canvas x coordinate at the left edge of the window is always an even
multiple of xScrollIncrement; furthermore, the units for scrolling
(e.g., the change in view when the left and right arrows of a scrollbar
are selected) will also be xScrollIncrement. If the value of
this option is less than or equal to zero, then horizontal scrolling
is unconstrained.
- Name: yScrollIncrement
- Class: ScrollIncrement
- Configure Option: -yscrollincrement
Specifies an increment for vertical scrolling, in any of the usual forms
permitted for screen distances. If the value of this option is greater
than zero, the vertical view in the window will be constrained so that
the canvas y coordinate at the top edge of the window is always an even
multiple of yScrollIncrement; furthermore, the units for scrolling
(e.g., the change in view when the top and bottom arrows of a scrollbar
are selected) will also be yScrollIncrement. If the value of
this option is less than or equal to zero, then vertical scrolling
is unconstrained.
The canvas command creates a new window (given
by the $widget argument) and makes it into a canvas widget.
Additional options, described above, may be specified on the
command line or in the option database
to configure aspects of the canvas such as its colors and 3-D relief.
The canvas command returns its
$widget argument. At the time this command is invoked,
there must not exist a window named $widget, but
$widget's parent must exist.
Canvas widgets implement structured graphics.
A canvas displays any number of items, which may be things like
rectangles, circles, lines, and text.
Items may be manipulated (e.g. moved or re-colored) and commands may
be associated with items in much the same way that the bind
command allows commands to be bound to widgets. For example,
a particular command may be associated with the <Button-1> event
so that the command is invoked whenever button 1 is pressed with
the mouse cursor over an item.
This means that items in a canvas can have behaviors defined by
the Callbacks bound to them.
The items in a canvas are ordered for purposes of display,
with the first item in the display list being displayed
first, followed by the next item in the list, and so on.
Items later in the display list obscure those that are
earlier in the display list and are sometimes referred to
as being ``on top'' of earlier items.
When a new item is created it is placed at the end of the
display list, on top of everything else.
Widget commands may be used to re-arrange the order of the
display list.
Items in a canvas widget may be named in either of two ways:
by id or by tag.
Each item has a unique identifying number which is assigned to
that item when it is created. The id of an item never changes
and id numbers are never re-used within the lifetime of a
canvas widget.
Each item may also have any number of tags associated
with it. A tag is just a string of characters, and it may
take any form except that of an integer.
For example, ``x123'' is OK but ``123'' isn't.
The same tag may be associated with many different items.
This is commonly done to group items in various interesting
ways; for example, all selected items might be given the
tag ``selected''.
The tag all is implicitly associated with every item
in the canvas; it may be used to invoke operations on
all the items in the canvas.
The tag current is managed automatically by Tk;
it applies to the current item, which is the
topmost item whose drawn area covers the position of
the mouse cursor.
If the mouse is not in the canvas widget or is not over
an item, then no item has the current tag.
When specifying items in canvas methods, if the
specifier is an integer then it is assumed to refer to
the single item with that id.
If the specifier is not an integer, then it is assumed to
refer to all of the items in the canvas that have a tag
matching the specifier.
The symbol tagOrId is used below to indicate that
an argument specifies either an id that selects a single
item or a tag that selects zero or more items.
Some methods only operate on a single item at a
time; if tagOrId is specified in a way that
names multiple items, then the normal behavior is for
the command to use the first (lowest) of these items in
the display list that is suitable for the command.
Exceptions are noted in the method descriptions
below.
All coordinates related to canvases are stored as floating-point
numbers.
Coordinates and distances are specified in screen units,
which are floating-point numbers optionally followed
by one of several letters.
If no letter is supplied then the distance is in pixels.
If the letter is m then the distance is in millimeters on
the screen; if it is c then the distance is in centimeters;
i means inches, and p means printers points (1/72 inch).
Larger y-coordinates refer to points lower on the screen; larger
x-coordinates refer to points farther to the right.
Normally the origin of the canvas coordinate system is at the
upper-left corner of the window containing the canvas.
It is possible to adjust the origin of the canvas
coordinate system relative to the origin of the window using the
xview and yview methods; this is typically used
for scrolling.
Canvases do not support scaling or rotation of the canvas coordinate
system relative to the window coordinate system.
Indidividual items may be moved or scaled using methods
described below, but they may not be rotated.
Text items support the notion of an index for identifying
particular positions within the item.
Indices are used for commands such as inserting text, deleting
a range of characters, and setting the insertion cursor position.
An index may be specified in any of a number of ways, and
different types of items may support different forms for
specifying indices.
Text items support the following forms for an index; if you
define new types of text-like items, it would be advisable to
support as many of these forms as practical.
Note that it is possible to refer to the character just after
the last one in the text item; this is necessary for such
tasks as inserting new text at the end of the item.
- number
- A decimal number giving the position of the desired character
within the text item.
0 refers to the first character, 1 to the next character, and
so on.
A number less than 0 is treated as if it were zero, and a
number greater than the length of the text item is treated
as if it were equal to the length of the text item.
- end
- Refers to the character just after the last one in the item
(same as the number of characters in the item).
- insert
- Refers to the character just before which the insertion cursor
is drawn in this item.
- sel.first
- Refers to the first selected character in the item.
If the selection isn't in this item then this form is illegal.
- sel.last
- Refers to the last selected character in the item.
If the selection isn't in this item then this form is illegal.
- @x,y
- Refers to the character at the point given by x and
y, where x and y are specified in the coordinate
system of the canvas.
If x and y lie outside the coordinates covered by the
text item, then they refer to the first or last character in the
line that is closest to the given point.
The canvas command creates a widget object whose
name is $widget. This
command may be used to invoke various
operations on the widget. It has the following general form:
$canvas->method(?arg arg ...?)
Option and the args
determine the exact behavior of the command.
The following methods are possible for canvas widgets:
- $canvas->addtag(tag, searchSpec, ?arg, arg, ...?)
- For each item that meets the constraints specified by
searchSpec and the args, add
tag to the list of tags associated with the item if it
isn't already present on that list.
It is possible that no items will satisfy the constraints
given by searchSpec and args, in which case the
command has no effect.
This command returns an empty string as result.
SearchSpec and arg's may take any of the following
forms:
- above tagOrId
- Selects the item just after (above) the one given by tagOrId
in the display list.
If tagOrId denotes more than one item, then the last (topmost)
of these items in the display list is used.
- all
- Selects all the items in the canvas.
- below tagOrId
- Selects the item just before (below) the one given by tagOrId
in the display list.
If tagOrId denotes more than one item, then the first (lowest)
of these items in the display list is used.
- closest x y ?halo? ?start?
- Selects the item closest to the point given by x and y.
If more than one item is at the same closest distance (e.g. two
items overlap the point), then the top-most of these items (the
last one in the display list) is used.
If halo is specified, then it must be a non-negative
value.
Any item closer than halo to the point is considered to
overlap it.
The start argument may be used to step circularly through
all the closest items.
If start is specified, it names an item using a tag or id
(if by tag, it selects the first item in the display list with
the given tag).
Instead of selecting the topmost closest item, this form will
select the topmost closest item that is below start in
the display list; if no such item exists, then the selection
behaves as if the start argument had not been specified.
- enclosed x1 y1 x2 y2
- Selects all the items completely enclosed within the rectangular
region given by x1, y1, x2, and y2.
X1 must be no greater then x2 and y1 must be
no greater than y2.
- overlapping x1 y1 x2 y2
- Selects all the items that overlap or are enclosed within the
rectangular region given by x1, y1, x2,
and y2.
X1 must be no greater then x2 and y1 must be
no greater than y2.
- withtag tagOrId
- Selects all the items given by tagOrId.
- $canvas->bbox(tagOrId, ?tagOrId, tagOrId, ...?)
- Returns a list with four elements giving an approximate bounding box
for all the items named by the tagOrId arguments.
The list has the form ``x1 y1 x2 y2'' such that the drawn
areas of all the named elements are within the region bounded by
x1 on the left, x2 on the right, y1 on the top,
and y2 on the bottom.
The return value may overestimate the actual bounding box by
a few pixels.
If no items match any of the tagOrId arguments then an
empty string is returned.
- $canvas->bind(tagOrId, ?sequence?, ?command?)
- This command associates command with all the items given by
tagOrId such that whenever the event sequence given by
sequence occurs for one of the items the command will
be invoked.
This method is similar to the bind command except that
it operates on items in a canvas rather than entire widgets.
See the bind manual entry for complete details
on the syntax of sequence and the substitutions performed
on command before invoking it.
If all arguments are specified then a new binding is created, replacing
any existing binding for the same sequence and tagOrId
(if the first character of command is ``+'' then command
augments an existing binding rather than replacing it).
In this case the return value is an empty string.
If command is omitted then the command returns the command
associated with tagOrId and sequence (an error occurs
if there is no such binding).
If both command and sequence are omitted then the command
returns a list of all the sequences for which bindings have been
defined for tagOrId.
The only events for which bindings may be specified are those related
to the mouse and keyboard, such as Enter, Leave,
ButtonPress, Motion, and KeyPress.
The handling of events in canvases uses the current item defined
in ITEM IDS AND TAGS above.
Enter and Leave events trigger for an item when it
becomes the current item or ceases to be the current item; note
that these events are different than Enter and Leave
events for windows.
Mouse-related events are directed to the current item, if any.
Keyboard-related events are directed to the focus item, if any
(see the focus method below for more on this).
It is possible for multiple bindings to match a particular event.
This could occur, for example, if one binding is associated with the
item's id and another is associated with one of the item's tags.
When this occurs, all of the matching bindings are invoked.
A binding associated with the all tag is invoked first,
followed by one binding for each of the item's tags (in order),
followed by a binding associated with the item's id.
If there are multiple matching bindings for a single tag,
then only the most specific binding is invoked.
A continue command in a binding script terminates that
script, and a break command terminates that script
and skips any remaining scripts for the event, just as for the
bind command.
If bindings have been created for a canvas window using the bind
command, then they are invoked in addition to bindings created for
the canvas's items using the bind method.
The bindings for items will be invoked before any of the bindings
for the window as a whole.
- $canvas->canvasx(screenx, ?gridspacing?)
- Given a screen x-coordinate screenx this command returns
the canvas x-coordinate that is displayed at that location.
If gridspacing is specified, then the canvas coordinate is
rounded to the nearest multiple of gridspacing units.
- $canvas->canvasy(screeny, ?gridspacing?)
- Given a screen y-coordinate screeny this command returns
the canvas y-coordinate that is displayed at that location.
If gridspacing is specified, then the canvas coordinate is
rounded to the nearest multiple of gridspacing units.
- $canvas->cget(option)
- Returns the current value of the configuration option given
by option.
Option may have any of the values accepted by the canvas
command.
- $canvas->configure?option? ?value? ?option value ...?
- Query or modify the configuration options of the widget.
If no option is specified, returns a list describing all of
the available options for $widget (see configure for
information on the format of this list). If option is specified
with no value, then the command returns a list describing the
one named option (this list will be identical to the corresponding
sublist of the value returned if no option is specified). If
one or more option-value pairs are specified, then the command
modifies the given widget option(s) to have the given value(s); in
this case the command returns an empty string.
Option may have any of the values accepted by the canvas
command.
- $widget coords tagOrId ?x0 y0 ...?
- Query or modify the coordinates that define an item.
If no coordinates are specified, this command returns a list
whose elements are the coordinates of the item named by
tagOrId.
If coordinates are specified, then they replace the current
coordinates for the named item.
If tagOrId refers to multiple items, then
the first one in the display list is used.
- $canvas->create(type, x, y, ?x, y, ...?, ?option, value, ...?)
- Create a new item in $widget of type type.
The exact format of the arguments after type depends
on type, but usually they consist of the coordinates for
one or more points, followed by specifications for zero or
more item options.
See the subsections on individual item types below for more
on the syntax of this command.
This command returns the id for the new item.
- $canvas->dchars(tagOrId, first, ?last?)
- For each item given by tagOrId, delete the characters
in the range given by first and last,
inclusive.
If some of the items given by tagOrId don't support
text operations, then they are ignored.
First and last are indices of characters
within the item(s) as described in INDICES above.
If last is omitted, it defaults to first.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->delete(?tagOrId, tagOrId, ...?)
- Delete each of the items given by each tagOrId, and return
an empty string.
- $canvas->dtag(tagOrId, ?tagToDelete?)
- For each of the items given by tagOrId, delete the
tag given by tagToDelete from the list of those
associated with the item.
If an item doesn't have the tag tagToDelete then
the item is unaffected by the command.
If tagToDelete is omitted then it defaults to tagOrId.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->find(searchCommand, ?arg, arg, ...?)
- This command returns a list consisting of all the items that
meet the constraints specified by searchCommand and
arg's.
SearchCommand and args have any of the forms
accepted by the addtag command.
- $canvas->focus(?tagOrId?)
- Set the keyboard focus for the canvas widget to the item given by
tagOrId.
If tagOrId refers to several items, then the focus is set
to the first such item in the display list that supports the
insertion cursor.
If tagOrId doesn't refer to any items, or if none of them
support the insertion cursor, then the focus isn't changed.
If tagOrId is an empty
string, then the focus item is reset so that no item has the focus.
If tagOrId is not specified then the command returns the
id for the item that currently has the focus, or an empty string
if no item has the focus.
Once the focus has been set to an item, the item will display
the insertion cursor and all keyboard events will be directed
to that item.
The focus item within a canvas and the focus window on the
screen (set with the focus command) are totally independent:
a given item doesn't actually have the input focus unless (a)
its canvas is the focus window and (b) the item is the focus item
within the canvas.
In most cases it is advisable to follow the focus widget
command with the focus command to set the focus window to
the canvas (if it wasn't there already).
- $canvas->gettags(tagOrId)
- Return a list whose elements are the tags associated with the
item given by tagOrId.
If tagOrId refers to more than one item, then the tags
are returned from the first such item in the display list.
If tagOrId doesn't refer to any items, or if the item
contains no tags, then an empty string is returned.
- $canvas->icursor(tagOrId, index)
- Set the position of the insertion cursor for the item(s)
given by tagOrId
to just before the character whose position is given by index.
If some or all of the items given by tagOrId don't support
an insertion cursor then this command has no effect on them.
See INDICES above for a description of the
legal forms for index.
Note: the insertion cursor is only displayed in an item if
that item currently has the keyboard focus (see the widget
command focus, below), but the cursor position may
be set even when the item doesn't have the focus.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->index(tagOrId, index)
- This command returns a decimal string giving the numerical index
within tagOrId corresponding to index.
Index gives a textual description of the desired position
as described in INDICES above.
The return value is guaranteed to lie between 0 and the number
of characters within the item, inclusive.
If tagOrId refers to multiple items, then the index
is processed in the first of these items that supports indexing
operations (in display list order).
- $canvas->insert(tagOrId, beforeThis, string)
- For each of the items given by tagOrId, if the item supports
text insertion then string is inserted into the item's
text just before the character whose index is beforeThis.
See INDICES above for information about the forms allowed
for beforeThis.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->itemcget(tagOrId, option)
- Returns the current value of the configuration option for the
item given by tagOrId whose name is option.
This command is similar to the cget method except that
it applies to a particular item rather than the widget as a whole.
Option may have any of the values accepted by the create
method when the item was created.
If tagOrId is a tag that refers to more than one item,
the first (lowest) such item is used.
- $canvas->itemconfigure(tagOrId, ?option?, ?value?, ?option, value, ...?)
- This command is similar to the configure method except
that it modifies item-specific options for the items given by
tagOrId instead of modifying options for the overall
canvas widget.
If no option is specified, returns a list describing all of
the available options for the first item given by tagOrId
(see configure for
information on the format of this list). If option is specified
with no value, then the command returns a list describing the
one named option (this list will be identical to the corresponding
sublist of the value returned if no option is specified). If
one or more option-value pairs are specified, then the command
modifies the given widget option(s) to have the given value(s) in
each of the items given by tagOrId; in
this case the command returns an empty string.
The options and values are the same as those permissible
in the create method when the item(s) were created;
see the sections describing individual item types below for details
on the legal options.
- $canvas->lower(tagOrId, ?belowThis?)
- Move all of the items given by tagOrId to a new position
in the display list just before the item given by belowThis.
If tagOrId refers to more than one item then all are moved
but the relative order of the moved items will not be changed.
BelowThis is a tag or id; if it refers to more than one
item then the first (lowest) of these items in the display list is used
as the destination location for the moved items.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->move(tagOrId, xAmount, yAmount)
- Move each of the items given by tagOrId in the canvas coordinate
space by adding xAmount to the x-coordinate of each point
associated with the item and yAmount to the y-coordinate of
each point associated with the item.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->postscript(?option, value, option, value, ...?)
- Generate a Postscript representation for part or all of the canvas.
If the -file option is specified then the Postscript is written
to a file and an empty string is returned; otherwise the Postscript
is returned as the result of the command.
The Postscript is created in Encapsulated Postscript form using
version 3.0 of the Document Structuring Conventions.
The option-value argument pairs provide additional
information to control the generation of Postscript. The following
options are supported:
- -colormap => varName
- VarName must be the name of an array variable
that specifies a color mapping to use in the Postscript.
Each element of varName must consist of Postscript
code to set a particular color value (e.g. ``1.0 1.0 0.0 setrgbcolor'').
When outputting color information in the Postscript, Tk checks
to see if there is an element of varName with the same
name as the color.
If so, Tk uses the value of the element as the Postscript command
to set the color.
If this option hasn't been specified, or if there isn't an entry
in varName for a given color, then Tk uses the red, green,
and blue intensities from the X color.
- -colormode => mode
- Specifies how to output color information. Mode must be either
color (for full color output), gray (convert all colors
to their gray-scale equivalents) or mono (convert all colors
to black or white).
- -file => fileName
- Specifies the name of the file in which to write the Postscript.
If this option isn't specified then the Postscript is returned as the
result of the command instead of being written to a file.
- -fontmap => varName
- VarName must be the name of an array variable
that specifies a font mapping to use in the Postscript.
Each element of varName must consist of a array with
two elements, which are the name and point size of a Postscript font.
When outputting Postscript commands for a particular font, Tk
checks to see if varName contains an element with the same
name as the font.
If there is such an element, then the font information contained in
that element is used in the Postscript.
Otherwise Tk attempts to guess what Postscript font to use.
Tk's guesses generally only work for well-known fonts such as
Times and Helvetica and Courier, and only if the X font name does not
omit any dashes up through the point size.
For example, -*-Courier-Bold-R-Normal--*-120-* will work but
*Courier-Bold-R-Normal*120* will not; Tk needs the dashes to
parse the font name).
- -height => size
- Specifies the height of the area of the canvas to print.
Defaults to the height of the canvas window.
- -pageanchor => anchor
- Specifies which point of the printed area should be appear over
the positioning point on the page (which is given by the -pagex
and -pagey options).
For example, -pageanchor n means that the top center of the
printed area should be over the positioning point.
Defaults to center.
- -pageheight => size
- Specifies that the Postscript should be scaled in both x and y so
that the printed area is size high on the Postscript page.
Size consists of a floating-point number followed by
c for centimeters, i for inches, m for millimeters,
or p or nothing for printer's points (1/72 inch).
Defaults to the height of the printed area on the screen.
If both -pageheight and -pagewidth are specified then
the scale factor from the later option is used (non-uniform scaling
is not implemented).
- -pagewidth => size
- Specifies that the Postscript should be scaled in both x and y so
that the printed area is size wide on the Postscript page.
Size has the same form as for -pageheight.
Defaults to the width of the printed area on the screen.
If both -pageheight and -pagewidth are specified then
the scale factor from the later option is used (non-uniform scaling
is not implemented).
- -pagex => position
- Position gives the x-coordinate of the positioning point on
the Postscript page, using any of the forms allowed for -pageheight.
Used in conjunction with the -pagey and -pageanchor options
to determine where the printed area appears on the Postscript page.
Defaults to the center of the page.
- -pagey => position
- Position gives the y-coordinate of the positioning point on
the Postscript page, using any of the forms allowed for -pageheight.
Used in conjunction with the -pagex and -pageanchor options
to determine where the printed area appears on the Postscript page.
Defaults to the center of the page.
- -rotate => boolean
- Boolean specifies whether the printed area is to be rotated 90
degrees.
In non-rotated output the x-axis of the printed area runs along
the short dimension of the page (``portrait'' orientation);
in rotated output the x-axis runs along the long dimension of the
page (``landscape'' orientation).
Defaults to non-rotated.
- -width => size
- Specifies the width of the area of the canvas to print.
Defaults to the width of the canvas window.
- -x position
- Specifies the x-coordinate of the left edge of the area of the
canvas that is to be printed, in canvas coordinates, not window
coordinates.
Defaults to the coordinate of the left edge of the window.
- -y position
- Specifies the y-coordinate of the top edge of the area of the
canvas that is to be printed, in canvas coordinates, not window
coordinates.
Defaults to the coordinate of the top edge of the window.
- $canvas->raise(tagOrId, ?aboveThis?)
- Move all of the items given by tagOrId to a new position
in the display list just after the item given by aboveThis.
If tagOrId refers to more than one item then all are moved
but the relative order of the moved items will not be changed.
AboveThis is a tag or id; if it refers to more than one
item then the last (topmost) of these items in the display list is used
as the destination location for the moved items.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->scale(tagOrId, xOrigin, yOrigin, xScale, yScale)
- Rescale all of the items given by tagOrId in canvas coordinate
space.
XOrigin and yOrigin identify the origin for the scaling
operation and xScale and yScale identify the scale
factors for x- and y-coordinates, respectively (a scale factor of
1.0 implies no change to that coordinate).
For each of the points defining each item, the x-coordinate is
adjusted to change the distance from xOrigin by a factor
of xScale.
Similarly, each y-coordinate is adjusted to change the distance
from yOrigin by a factor of yScale.
This command returns an empty string.
- $canvas->scan(option, args)
- This command is used to implement scanning on canvases. It has
two forms, depending on option:
- $canvas->scanMark(x, y)
- Records x and y and the canvas's current view; used
in conjunction with later scan dragto commands.
Typically this command is associated with a mouse button press in
the widget and x and y are the coordinates of the
mouse. It returns an empty string.
- $canvas->scanDragto(x, y.)
- This command computes the difference between its x and y
arguments (which are typically mouse coordinates) and the x and
y arguments to the last scan mark command for the widget.
It then adjusts the view by 10 times the
difference in coordinates. This command is typically associated
with mouse motion events in the widget, to produce the effect of
dragging the canvas at high speed through its window. The return
value is an empty string.
- $canvas->select(option, ?tagOrId, arg?)
- Manipulates the selection in one of several ways, depending on
option.
The command may take any of the forms described below.
In all of the descriptions below, tagOrId must refer to
an item that supports indexing and selection; if it refers to
multiple items then the first of
these that supports indexing and the selection is used.
Index gives a textual description of a position
within tagOrId, as described in INDICES above.
- $canvas->selectAdjust(tagOrId, index)
- Locate the end of the selection in tagOrId nearest
to the character given by index, and adjust that
end of the selection to be at index (i.e. including
but not going beyond index).
The other end of the selection is made the anchor point
for future select to commands.
If the selection isn't currently in tagOrId then
this command behaves the same as the select to widget
command.
Returns an empty string.
- $canvas->selectClear
- Clear the selection if it is in this widget.
If the selection isn't in this widget then the command
has no effect.
Returns an empty string.
- $canvas->selectFrom(tagOrId, index)
- Set the selection anchor point for the widget to be just
before the character
given by index in the item given by tagOrId.
This command doesn't change the selection; it just sets
the fixed end of the selection for future select to
commands.
Returns an empty string.
- $canvas->selectItem
- Returns the id of the selected item, if the selection is in an
item in this canvas.
If the selection is not in this canvas then an empty string
is returned.
- $canvas->selectTo(tagOrId, index)
- Set the selection to consist of those characters of tagOrId
between the selection anchor point and
index.
The new selection will include the character given by index;
it will include the character given by the anchor point only if
index is greater than or equal to the anchor point.
The anchor point is determined by the most recent select adjust
or select from command for this widget.
If the selection anchor point for the widget isn't currently in
tagOrId, then it is set to the same character given
by index.
Returns an empty string.
- $canvas->type(tagOrId)
- Returns the type of the item given by tagOrId, such as
rectangle or text.
If tagOrId refers to more than one item, then the type
of the first item in the display list is returned.
If tagOrId doesn't refer to any items at all then
an empty string is returned.
- $canvas->xview(?args?)
- This command is used to query and change the horizontal position of the
information displayed in the canvas's window.
It can take any of the following forms:
- $canvas->xview
- Returns a list containing two elements.
Each element is a real fraction between 0 and 1; together they describe
the horizontal span that is visible in the window.
For example, if the first element is .2 and the second element is .6,
20% of the canvas's area (as defined by the -scrollregion option)
is off-screen to the left, the middle 40% is visible
in the window, and 40% of the canvas is off-screen to the right.
These are the same values passed to scrollbars via the -xscrollcommand
option.
- $canvas->xview(moveto => fraction)
- Adjusts the view in the window so that fraction of the
total width of the canvas is off-screen to the left.
Fraction must be a fraction between 0 and 1.
- $canvas->xview(scroll => number, what)
- This command shifts the view in the window left or right according to
number and what.
Number must be an integer.
What must be either units or pages or an abbreviation
of one of these.
If what is units, the view adjusts left or right in units
of the xScrollIncrement option, if it is greater than zero,
or in units of one-tenth the window's width otherwise.
If what is pages then the view
adjusts in units of nine-tenths the window's width.
If number is negative then information farther to the left
becomes visible; if it is positive then information farther to the right
becomes visible.
- $canvas->yview(?args?)
- This command is used to query and change the vertical position of the
information displayed in the canvas's window.
It can take any of the following forms:
- $canvas->yview
- Returns a list containing two elements.
Each element is a real fraction between 0 and 1; together they describe
the vertical span that is visible in the window.
For example, if the first element is .6 and the second element is 1.0,
the lowest 40% of the canvas's area (as defined by the -scrollregion
option) is visible in the window.
These are the same values passed to scrollbars via the -yscrollcommand
option.
- $canvas->yview(moveto => fraction)
- Adjusts the view in the window so that fraction of the canvas's
area is off-screen to the top.
Fraction is a fraction between 0 and 1.
- $canvas->yview(scroll => number, what)
- This command adjusts the view in the window up or down according to
number and what.
Number must be an integer.
What must be either units or pages.
If what is units, the view adjusts up or down in units
of the yScrollIncrement option, if it is greater than zero,
or in units of one-tenth the window's height otherwise.
If what is pages then
the view adjusts in units of nine-tenths the window's height.
If number is negative then higher information becomes
visible; if it is positive then lower information
becomes visible.
The sections below describe the various types of items supported
by canvas widgets. Each item type is characterized by two things:
first, the form of the create command used to create
instances of the type; and second, a set of configuration options
for items of that type, which may be used in the
create and itemconfigure methods.
Most items don't support indexing or selection or the commands
related to them, such as index and insert.
Where items do support these facilities, it is noted explicitly
in the descriptions below (at present, only text items provide
this support).
Items of type arc appear on the display as arc-shaped regions.
An arc is a section of an oval delimited by two angles (specified
by the -start and -extent options) and displayed in
one of several ways (specified by the -style option).
Arcs are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createArc(x1, y1, x2, y2, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x1, y1, x2, and y2 give
the coordinates of two diagonally opposite corners of a
rectangular region enclosing the oval that defines the arc.
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for arcs:
- -extent => degrees
- Specifies the size of the angular range occupied by the arc.
The arc's range extends for degrees degrees counter-clockwise
from the starting angle given by the -start option.
Degrees may be negative.
If it is greater than 360 or less than -360, then degrees
modulo 360 is used as the extent.
- -fill => color
- Fill the region of the arc with color.
Color may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If color is an empty string (the default), then
then the arc will not be filled.
- -outline => color
- Color specifies a color to use for drawing the arc's
outline; it may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
This option defaults to black. If color is specified
as an empty string then no outline is drawn for the arc.
- -outlinestipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the outline for the arc should be drawn with a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If the -outline option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then the outline is drawn
in a solid fashion.
- -start => degrees
- Specifies the beginning of the angular range occupied by the
arc.
Degrees is given in units of degrees measured counter-clockwise
from the 3-o'clock position; it may be either positive or negative.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the arc should be filled in a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If the -fill option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then filling is done
in a solid fashion.
- -style => type
- Specifies how to draw the arc. If type is pieslice
(the default) then the arc's region is defined by a section
of the oval's perimeter plus two line segments, one between the center
of the oval and each end of the perimeter section.
If type is chord then the arc's region is defined
by a section of the oval's perimeter plus a single line segment
connecting the two end points of the perimeter section.
If type is arc then the arc's region consists of
a section of the perimeter alone.
In this last case the -fill option is ignored.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => outlineWidth
- Specifies the width of the outline to be drawn around
the arc's region, in any of the forms described in the COORDINATES
section above.
If the -outline option has been specified as an empty string
then this option has no effect.
Wide outlines will be drawn centered on the edges of the arc's region.
This option defaults to 1.0.
Items of type bitmap appear on the display as images with
two colors, foreground and background.
Bitmaps are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createBitmap(x, y, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x and y specify the coordinates of a
point used to position the bitmap on the display (see the -anchor
option below for more information on how bitmaps are displayed).
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for bitmaps:
- -anchor => anchorPos
- AnchorPos tells how to position the bitmap relative to the
positioning point for the item; it may have any of the forms
accepted by Tk_GetAnchor. For example, if anchorPos
is center then the bitmap is centered on the point; if
anchorPos is n then the bitmap will be drawn so that
its top center point is at the positioning point.
This option defaults to center.
- -background => color
- Specifies a color to use for each of the bitmap pixels
whose value is 0.
Color may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If this option isn't specified, or if it is specified as an empty
string, then nothing is displayed where the bitmap pixels are 0; this
produces a transparent effect.
- -bitmap => bitmap
- Specifies the bitmap to display in the item.
Bitmap may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
- -foreground => color
- Specifies a color to use for each of the bitmap pixels
whose value is 1.
Color may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor and
defaults to black.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
Items of type image are used to display images on a
canvas.
Images are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createImage(x, y, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x and y specify the coordinates of a
point used to position the image on the display (see the -anchor
option below for more information).
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for images:
- -anchor => anchorPos
- AnchorPos tells how to position the image relative to the
positioning point for the item; it may have any of the forms
accepted by Tk_GetAnchor. For example, if anchorPos
is center then the image is centered on the point; if
anchorPos is n then the image will be drawn so that
its top center point is at the positioning point.
This option defaults to center.
- -image => name
- Specifies the name of the image to display in the item.
This image must have been created previously with the
image create command.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item; it may be an empty list.
Items of type line appear on the display as one or more connected
line segments or curves.
Lines are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createLine(x1, y1..., xn, yn, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x1 through yn give
the coordinates for a series of two or more points that describe
a series of connected line segments.
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for lines:
- -arrow => where
- Indicates whether or not arrowheads are to be drawn at one or both
ends of the line.
Where must have one of the values none (for no arrowheads),
first (for an arrowhead at the first point of the line),
last (for an arrowhead at the last point of the line), or
both (for arrowheads at both ends).
This option defaults to none.
- -arrowshape => shape
- This option indicates how to draw arrowheads.
The shape argument must be a list with three elements, each
specifying a distance in any of the forms described in
the COORDINATES section above.
The first element of the list gives the distance along the line
from the neck of the arrowhead to its tip.
The second element gives the distance along the line from the
trailing points of the arrowhead to the tip, and the third
element gives the distance from the outside edge of the line to the
trailing points.
If this option isn't specified then Tk picks a ``reasonable'' shape.
- -capstyle => style
- Specifies the ways in which caps are to be drawn at the endpoints
of the line.
Style may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetCapStyle
(butt, projecting, or round).
If this option isn't specified then it defaults to butt.
Where arrowheads are drawn the cap style is ignored.
- -fill => color
- Color specifies a color to use for drawing the line; it may have
any of the forms acceptable to Tk_GetColor. It may also be an
empty string, in which case the line will be transparent.
This option defaults to black.
- -joinstyle => style
- Specifies the ways in which joints are to be drawn at the vertices
of the line.
Style may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetCapStyle
(bevel, miter, or round).
If this option isn't specified then it defaults to miter.
If the line only contains two points then this option is
irrelevant.
- -smooth => boolean
- Boolean must have one of the forms accepted by Tk_GetBoolean.
It indicates whether or not the line should be drawn as a curve.
If so, the line is rendered as a set of Bezier splines: one spline
is drawn for the first and second line segments, one for the second
and third, and so on. Straight-line segments can be generated within
a curve by duplicating the end-points of the desired line segment.
- -splinesteps => number
- Specifies the degree of smoothness desired for curves: each spline
will be approximated with number line segments. This
option is ignored unless the -smooth option is true.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the line should be filled in a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then filling is
done in a solid fashion.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => lineWidth
- LineWidth specifies the width of the line, in any of the forms
described in the COORDINATES section above.
Wide lines will be drawn centered on the path specified by the
points.
If this option isn't specified then it defaults to 1.0.
Items of type oval appear as circular or oval regions on
the display. Each oval may have an outline, a fill, or
both. Ovals are created with methods of the
following form:
$canvas->createOval(x1, y1, x2, y2, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x1, y1, x2, and y2 give
the coordinates of two diagonally opposite corners of a
rectangular region enclosing the oval.
The oval will include the top and left edges of the rectangle
not the lower or right edges.
If the region is square then the resulting oval is circular;
otherwise it is elongated in shape.
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for ovals:
- -fill => color
- Fill the area of the oval with color.
Color may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If color is an empty string (the default), then
then the oval will not be filled.
- -outline => color
- Color specifies a color to use for drawing the oval's
outline; it may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
This option defaults to black.
If color is an empty string then no outline will be
drawn for the oval.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the oval should be filled in a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If the -fill option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then filling is done
in a solid fashion.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => outlineWidth
- outlineWidth specifies the width of the outline to be drawn around
the oval, in any of the forms described in the COORDINATES section above.
If the -outline option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
Wide outlines are drawn centered on the oval path defined by
x1, y1, x2, and y2.
This option defaults to 1.0.
Items of type polygon appear as polygonal or curved filled regions
on the display.
Polygons are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createPolygon(x1, y1, ..., xn, yn, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x1 through yn specify the coordinates for
three or more points that define a closed polygon.
The first and last points may be the same; whether they are or not,
Tk will draw the polygon as a closed polygon.
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for polygons:
- -fill => color
- Color specifies a color to use for filling the area of the
polygon; it may have any of the forms acceptable to Tk_GetColor.
If color is an empty string then the polygon will be
transparent.
This option defaults to black.
- -outline => color
- Color specifies a color to use for drawing the polygon's
outline; it may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If color is an empty string then no outline will be
drawn for the polygon.
This option defaults to empty (no outline).
- -smooth => boolean
- Boolean must have one of the forms accepted by Tk_GetBoolean
It indicates whether or not the polygon should be drawn with a
curved perimeter.
If so, the outline of the polygon becomes a set of Bezier splines,
one spline for the first and second line segments, one for the second
and third, and so on. Straight-line segments can be generated in a
smoothed polygon by duplicating the end-points of the desired line segment.
- -splinesteps => number
- Specifies the degree of smoothness desired for curves: each spline
will be approximated with number line segments. This
option is ignored unless the -smooth option is true.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the polygon should be filled in a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then filling is
done in a solid fashion.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => outlineWidth
- OutlineWidth specifies the width of the outline to be drawn around
the polygon, in any of the forms described in the COORDINATES section above.
If the -outline option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect. This option defaults to 1.0.
Polygon items are different from other items such as rectangles, ovals
and arcs in that interior points are considered to be ``inside'' a
polygon even if it is not filled. For most other item types, an
interior point is considered to be inside the item only if the item
is filled or if it has neither a fill nor an outline. If you would
like an unfilled polygon whose interior points are not considered
to be inside the polygon, use a line item instead.
Items of type rectangle appear as rectangular regions on
the display. Each rectangle may have an outline, a fill, or
both. Rectangles are created with methods of the
following form:
$canvas->createRectangle(x1, y1, x2, y2, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x1, y1, x2, and y2 give
the coordinates of two diagonally opposite corners of the rectangle
(the rectangle will include its upper and left edges but not
its lower or right edges).
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for rectangles:
- -fill => color
- Fill the area of the rectangle with color, which may be
specified in any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If color is an empty string (the default),
then the rectangle will not be filled.
- -outline => color
- Draw an outline around the edge of the rectangle in color.
Color may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
This option defaults to black.
If color is an empty string then no outline will be
drawn for the rectangle.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the rectangle should be filled in a stipple pattern;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If the -fill option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default), then filling
is done in a solid fashion.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => outlineWidth
- OutlineWidth specifies the width of the outline to be drawn around
the rectangle, in any of the forms described in the COORDINATES section above.
If the -outline option hasn't been specified then this option
has no effect.
Wide outlines are drawn centered on the rectangular path
defined by x1, y1, x2, and y2.
This option defaults to 1.0.
A text item displays a string of characters on the screen in one
or more lines.
Text items support indexing and selection, along with the
following text-related canvas methods: dchars,
focus, icursor, index, insert,
select.
Text items are created with methods of the following
form:
$canvas->createText(x, y, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x and y specify the coordinates of a
point used to position the text on the display (see the options
below for more information on how text is displayed).
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for text items:
- -anchor => anchorPos
- AnchorPos tells how to position the text relative to the
positioning point for the text; it may have any of the forms
accepted by Tk_GetAnchor. For example, if anchorPos
is center then the text is centered on the point; if
anchorPos is n then the text will be drawn such that
the top center point of the rectangular region occupied by the
text will be at the positioning point.
This option defaults to center.
- -fill => color
- Color specifies a color to use for filling the text characters;
it may have any of the forms accepted by Tk_GetColor.
If this option isn't specified then it defaults to black.
- -font => fontName
- Specifies the font to use for the text item.
FontName may be any string acceptable to Tk_GetFontStruct.
If this option isn't specified, it defaults to a system-dependent
font.
- -justify => how
- Specifies how to justify the text within its bounding region.
How must be one of the values left, right,
or center.
This option will only matter if the text is displayed as multiple
lines.
If the option is omitted, it defaults to left.
- -stipple => bitmap
- Indicates that the text should be drawn in a stippled pattern
rather than solid;
bitmap specifies the stipple pattern to use, in any of the
forms accepted by Tk_GetBitmap.
If bitmap is an empty string (the default) then the text
is drawn in a solid fashion.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -text => string
- String specifies the characters to be displayed in the text item.
Newline characters cause line breaks.
The characters in the item may also be changed with the
insert and delete methods.
This option defaults to an empty string.
- -width => lineLength
- Specifies a maximum line length for the text, in any of the forms
described in the COORDINATES section above.
If this option is zero (the default) the text is broken into
lines only at newline characters.
However, if this option is non-zero then any line that would
be longer than lineLength is broken just before a space
character to make the line shorter than lineLength; the
space character is treated as if it were a newline
character.
Items of type $widget cause a particular window to be displayed
at a given position on the canvas.
Window items are created with methods of the following form:
$canvas->createWindow(x, y, ?option, value, option, value, ...?)
The arguments x and y specify the coordinates of a
point used to position the window on the display (see the -anchor
option below for more information on how bitmaps are displayed).
After the coordinates there may be any number of option-value
pairs, each of which sets one of the configuration options
for the item. These same option-value pairs may be
used in itemconfigure methods to change the item's
configuration.
The following options are supported for window items:
- -anchor => anchorPos
- AnchorPos tells how to position the window relative to the
positioning point for the item; it may have any of the forms
accepted by Tk_GetAnchor. For example, if anchorPos
is center then the window is centered on the point; if
anchorPos is n then the window will be drawn so that
its top center point is at the positioning point.
This option defaults to center.
- -height => pixels
- Specifies the height to assign to the item's window.
Pixels may have any of the
forms described in the COORDINATES section above.
If this option isn't specified, or if it is specified as an empty
string, then the window is given whatever height it requests internally.
- -tags => tagList
- Specifies a set of tags to apply to the item.
TagList consists of a list of tag names, which replace any
existing tags for the item.
TagList may be an empty list.
- -width => pixels
- Specifies the width to assign to the item's window.
Pixels may have any of the
forms described in the COORDINATES section above.
If this option isn't specified, or if it is specified as an empty
string, then the window is given whatever width it requests internally.
- -window => $widget
- Specifies the window to associate with this item.
The window specified by $widget must either be a child of
the canvas widget or a child of some ancestor of the canvas widget.
PathName may not refer to a top-level window.
It is possible for individual applications to define new item
types for canvas widgets using C code.
See the documentation for Tk_CreateItemType.
In the current implementation, new canvases are not given any
default behavior: you'll have to execute explicit Tcl commands
to give the canvas its behavior.
Tk's canvas widget is a blatant ripoff of ideas from Joel Bartlett's
ezd program. Ezd provides structured graphics in a Scheme
environment and preceded canvases by a year or two. Its simple
mechanisms for placing and animating graphical objects inspired the
functions of canvases.
canvas, widget