Develop Reference

HTML5 Canvas - create striped canvas with lineWidth and createPattern()

I want to create a striped pattern with HTML5 canvas, where the thickness of lines for the striped pattern should be configurable using the property lineWidth.
After I read this answer, I understood that for coord x,y from moveTo()/lineTo(), I need to add like 2.5 for the ctx.lineWidth =5 or maybe create a formula based on thickness like this example. But I can't figure out how to change the values of those coordinates so the pattern remains striped like on the right, not random like in left
Below is my code. How should I calculate the coordonates x,y?
function createStrippedPattern(color) {
const pattern = document.createElement('canvas');
// create a 10x10 px canvas for the pattern's base shape
pattern.width = 10;
pattern.height = 10;
// get the context for drawing
const context = pattern.getContext('2d');
context.strokeStyle = color;
context.lineWidth = 5;
// draw 1st line of the shape
context.beginPath();
context.moveTo(2, 0);
context.lineTo(10, 8);
context.stroke();
// draw 2st line of the shape
context.beginPath();
context.moveTo(0, 8);
context.lineTo(2, 10);
context.stroke();
return context.createPattern(pattern, 'repeat');
};
function fillWithPattern(targetCanvas, patternCanvas) {
const ctx = targetCanvas.getContext('2d', {
antialias: false,
depth: false
});
const width = targetCanvas.width;
const height = targetCanvas.height;
ctx.fillStyle = patternCanvas;
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, width, height);
return targetCanvas;
}
fillWithPattern(
document.getElementById("targetCanvas"),
createStrippedPattern("red")
);
<canvas id="targetCanvas" width=30 height=30></canvas>

Code logic problems
The size of the pattern needs to match the slope of the line. That size must be expanded to allow for a set spacing between the lines.
Your code has a fixed size that does not match the slope of either of the lines you draw.
The lines you draw are both in different directions. You will never get them to create a repeatable pattern.
The code you have given is too ambiguous for me to understand what you wish to achieve thus the example adds some constraints that considers my best guess at your requirements.
Tileable striped pattern
The function in the example below creates a striped repeatable (tilded) pattern.
The function createStripedPattern(lineWidth, spacing, slope, color) requires 4 arguments.
lineWidth width of the line to draw
spacing distance between lines. Eg if lineWidth is 5 and spacing is 10 then the space between the lines is the same width as the line.
slope The slope of the line eg 45 degree slope is 1. I have only tested value >= 1 and am not sure if it will work below 1.
Nor have I tested very large slopes. The point of the example is to show how to draw the line on the pattern to repeat without holes.
color Color of line to draw.
The function works by creating a canvas that will fit the constraints given by the arguments. It then draws a line from the top left to bottom right corners. This leaves a gap in the repeating pattern at the top right and bottom left corners.
To fill the missing pixels two more lines are drawn. One through the top right corner and the other through the bottom left.
Note you could also just copy the canvas onto itself (offset to the corners) to fill the missing corner pixels. For pixel art type patterns this may be preferable.
Note that canvas sizes are integer values and lines are rendered at sub pixel accuracy. For very small input values there will be artifact as the relative error between the canvas (integer) pixel size and required (floating point) size grows larger
Example
The example contains the function to create the pattern as outlined above and then renders some examples.
The first canvas has inset patterns with each pattern increasing the line width will keeping the spacing and slope constant.
The second canvas just fills with a fixed lineWidth as 4, spacing as 8 and a slope of 3
function createAARotatedPattern(lineWidth, spacing, ang, color) {
const can = document.createElement('canvas');
const w = can.width = 2;
const h = can.height = spacing;
const ctx = can.getContext('2d');
ctx.fillStyle = color;
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, 2, lineWidth);
const pat = ctx.createPattern(can, 'repeat');
const xAx = Math.cos(ang);
const xAy = Math.sin(ang);
pat.setTransform(new DOMMatrix([xAx, xAy, -xAy, xAx, 0, 0]));
return pat;
}
function createStripedPattern(lineWidth, spacing, slope, color) {
const can = document.createElement('canvas');
const len = Math.hypot(1, slope);
const w = can.width = 1 / len + spacing + 0.5 | 0; // round to nearest pixel
const h = can.height = slope / len + spacing * slope + 0.5 | 0;
const ctx = can.getContext('2d');
ctx.strokeStyle = color;
ctx.lineWidth = lineWidth;
ctx.beginPath();
// Line through top left and bottom right corners
ctx.moveTo(0, 0);
ctx.lineTo(w, h);
// Line through top right corner to add missing pixels
ctx.moveTo(0, -h);
ctx.lineTo(w * 2, h);
// Line through bottom left corner to add missing pixels
ctx.moveTo(-w, 0);
ctx.lineTo(w, h * 2);
ctx.stroke();
return ctx.createPattern(can, 'repeat');
};
function fillWithPattern(canvas, pattern, inset = 0) {
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
ctx.clearRect(inset, inset, canvas.width - inset * 2, canvas.height - inset * 2);
ctx.fillStyle = pattern;
ctx.fillRect(inset, inset, canvas.width - inset * 2, canvas.height - inset * 2);
return canvas;
}
fillWithPattern(targetCanvas, createStripedPattern(2, 6, 2, "#000"));
fillWithPattern(targetCanvas, createStripedPattern(3, 6, 2, "#000"), 50);
fillWithPattern(targetCanvas, createStripedPattern(4, 6, 2, "#000"), 100);
fillWithPattern(targetCanvas1, createStripedPattern(4, 8, 3, "#000"));
var y = 0;
var ang = 0;
const ctx = targetCanvas2.getContext('2d');
while (y < targetCanvas2.height) {
ctx.fillStyle = createAARotatedPattern(2, 5, ang, "#000");
ctx.fillRect(0, y, targetCanvas2.width, 34);
y += 40;
ang += 2 * Math.PI / (targetCanvas2.height / 40);
}
<canvas id="targetCanvas" width="300" height="300"></canvas>
<canvas id="targetCanvas1" width="300" height="300"></canvas>
<canvas id="targetCanvas2" width="300" height="600"></canvas>
Update
The above example now includes a second method createAARotatedPattern(lineWidth, spacing, ang, color) that uses the pattern transform. ang replaces slope from the original function and represents the angle of the pattern in radians.
It works by drawing the pattern aligned to the x axis and then rotates the pattern via a DOMMatrix.
It will create a pattern at any angle, though personally the quality can at times be less than the first method.
The example has a 3 canvas with strips showing the pattern drawn at various angles. (Note you do not have to recreate the pattern to change the angle)

How to make a triangle that always faces at the same point?

In a p5/processing project i have been working on, i need to create a line that has a triangle in the middle which always faces one of the connection points of the line.
It is pretty easy to create one that stands still, but my endpoints move around and rotate.
I need to find a way to also rotate the little triangle when the line shifts to this "|" from this "---".
My current code goes like this:
let middleX = (fromX + toX)/2;
let middleY = (fromY + toY)/2;
triangle(middleX,middleY+5,middleX+5,middleY,middleX,middleY-5);
line(fromX , fromY, toX, toY);
As you can anticipate, this doesn't work with rotations.
I need help :).
Thanks for your attention.

You can:
use atan2() to calculate the rotation between the two points,
use push() to isolate the coordinate space (rotate locally without affecting the rest of the sketch (e.g. the line)
simply call rotate(): it takes in an angle in radians which is what atan2() returns
Here's an example based on your snippet:
let fromX = 200;
let fromY = 200;
let toX = 300;
let toY = 100;
let triangleSize = 5;
function setup() {
createCanvas(400, 400);
}
function draw() {
background(220);
// test: change to position
toX = mouseX;
toY = mouseY;
let middleX = (fromX + toX) / 2;
let middleY = (fromY + toY) / 2;
// calculate the angle between from -> to points
let angle = atan2(toY - fromY, toX - fromX);
// isolate coordinate system (indenting is purely visual, not required)
push();
// move to central position
translate(middleX, middleY);
// rotate from translated position
rotate(angle);
// render triangle
triangle(0, triangleSize, triangleSize, 0, 0, -triangleSize);
pop();
line(fromX, fromY, toX, toY);
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/p5.js/1.0.0/p5.min.js"></script>
Note that the order of transformations (translation, rotation, scale) is important.
(e.g. if rotate, then translate the triangle will land in a different location)
Also you draw the triangle as pointing to the right by default which aligns nicely with 0 radians rotation.

HTML5 Canvas atan2 off by 90 degrees

I was trying to get the green triangle to rotate about its center and orient itself towards the mouse position. I was able to accomplish this, and you can view the full code and result here:
https://codepen.io/Carpetfizz/project/editor/DQbEVe
Consider the following lines of code:
r = Math.atan2(mouseY - centerY, mouseX - centerX)
ctx.rotate(r + Math.PI/2)
I arbitrarily added Math.PI/2 to my angle calculation because without it, the rotations seemed to be 90 degrees off (by inspection). I want a better understanding of the coordinate system which atan2 is being calculated with respect to so I can justify the reason for offsetting the angle by 90 degrees (and hopefully simplify the code).
EDIT:
To my understanding, Math.atan2 is measuring the angle illustrated in blue. Shouldn't rotating both triangles that blue angle orient it towards the mouse mouse pointer (orange dot) ? Well - obviously not since it's the same angle and they are two different orientations, but I cannot seem to prove this to myself.

This is because of how the Math.atan2 works.
From MDN:
This is the counterclockwise angle, measured in radians, between the positive X axis, and the point (x, y).
In above figure, the positive X axis is the horizontal segment going from the junction to the right-most position.
To make it clearer, here is an interactive version of this diagram, where x, y values are converted to [-1 ~ 1] values.
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d'),
w = canvas.width,
h = canvas.height,
radius = 0.3;
ctx.textAlign = 'center';
canvas.onmousemove = canvas.onclick = e => {
// offset mouse values so they are relative to the center of our canvas
draw(as(e.offsetX), as(e.offsetY));
}
draw(0, 0);
function draw(x, y) {
clear();
drawCross();
drawLineToPoint(x, y);
drawPoint(x, y);
const angle = Math.atan2(y, x);
drawAngle(angle);
writeAngle(angle);
}
function clear() {
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, w, h);
}
function drawCross() {
ctx.lineWidth = 1;
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(s(0), s(-1));
ctx.lineTo(s(0), s(1));
ctx.moveTo(s(-1), s(0));
ctx.lineTo(s(0), s(0));
ctx.strokeStyle = ctx.fillStyle = '#2e404f';
ctx.stroke();
// positive X axis
ctx.lineWidth = 3;
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(s(0), s(0));
ctx.lineTo(s(1), s(0));
ctx.stroke();
ctx.lineWidth = 1;
ctx.font = '20px/1 sans-serif';
ctx.fillText('+X', s(1) - 20, s(0) - 10);
}
function drawPoint(x, y) {
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(s(x), s(y), 10, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fillStyle = 'red';
ctx.fill();
ctx.font = '12px/1 sans-serif';
ctx.fillText(`x: ${x.toFixed(2)} y: ${y.toFixed(2)}`, s(x), s(y) - 15);
}
function drawLineToPoint(x, y) {
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(s(0), s(0));
ctx.lineTo(s(x), s(y));
ctx.strokeStyle = 'red';
ctx.setLineDash([5, 5]);
ctx.stroke();
ctx.setLineDash([0]);
}
function drawAngle(angle) {
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.moveTo(s(radius), s(0));
ctx.arc(s(0), s(0), radius * w / 2,
0, // 'arc' method also starts from positive X axis (3 o'clock)
angle,
true // Math.atan2 returns the anti-clockwise angle
);
ctx.strokeStyle = ctx.fillStyle = 'blue';
ctx.stroke();
ctx.font = '20px/1 sans-serif';
ctx.fillText('∂: ' + angle.toFixed(2), s(0), s(0));
}
// below methods will add the w / 2 offset
// because canvas coords set 0, 0 at top-left corner
// converts from [-1 ~ 1] to px
function s(value) {
return value * w / 2 + (w / 2);
}
// converts from px to [-1 ~ 1]
function as(value) {
return (value - w / 2) / (w / 2);
}
<canvas id="canvas" width="500" height="500"></canvas>
So now, if we go back to your image, it currently points to the top (positive Y axis), while the angle you just measured is realtive to the x axis, so it doesn't point where you intended.
Now we know the problem, the solution is quite easy:
either apply the + Math.PI / 2 offset to your angle like you did,
either modify your original image so that it points to the positive X axis directly.

The coordinate system on canvas works with 0° pointing right. This means anything you want to point "up" must be initially drawn right.
All you need to do in this case is to change this drawing:
to
pointing "up" 0°
and you can strip the math back to what you'd expect it to be.
var ctx = c.getContext("2d"), img = new Image;
img.onload = go; img.src = "https://i.stack.imgur.com/Yj9DU.jpg";
function draw(pos) {
var cx = c.width>>1,
cy = c.height>>1,
angle = Math.atan2(pos.y - cy, pos.x - cx);
ctx.setTransform(1,0,0,1,cx, cy);
ctx.rotate(angle);
ctx.drawImage(img, -img.width>>1, -img.height>>1);
}
function go() {
ctx.globalCompositeOperation = "copy";
window.onmousemove = function(e) {draw({x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY})}
}
html, body {margin:0;background:#ccc}
#c {background:#fff}
<canvas id=c width=600 height=600></canvas>

When you do arctangents in math class, you're generally dealing with an y-axis that increases going upwards. In most computer graphics systems, however, including canvas graphics, y increases going downward. [erroneous statement deleted]
Edit: I have to admit what I wrote before was wrong for two reasons:
A change in the direction of the axis would be compensated for by adding π, not π/2.
The canvas context rotate function rotates clockwise for positive angles, and that alone should compensate for the flip of the y-axis.
I played around with a copy of your code in Plunker, and now I realize the 90° rotation simply compensates for the starting orientation of the graphic image you're drawing. If the arrowhead pointed right to start with, instead of straight up, you wouldn't need to add π/2.

I encountered the same problem and was able to achieve the desired result with a following axis 'trick':
// Default usage (works fine if your image / shape points to the RIGHT)
let angle = Math.atan2(delta_y, delta_x);
// 'Tricky' usage (works fine if your image / shape points to the LEFT)
let angle = Math.atan2(delta_y, -delta_x);
// 'Tricky' usage (works fine if your image / shape points to the BOTTOM)
let angle = Math.atan2(delta_x, delta_y);
// 'Tricky' usage (works fine if your image / shape points to the TOP)
let angle = Math.atan2(delta_x, -delta_y);

JavaScript draw using mouse Canvas with 3 axis

How is it / is it possible to draw using the mouse a canvas using 3 axis(x,y,z).
I know that one can draw a canvas on 2 axis and I have done that successfully.
But I have no idea of how I shall draw it on 3 axis (for example a cube).
Following shows some 2d canvas drawing functionallity
$(canvas).on('mousemove', function(e) {
mousex = parseInt(e.clientX-canvasx);
mousey = parseInt(e.clientY-canvasy);
if(mousedown) {
ctx.beginPath();
if(tooltype=='draw') {
ctx.globalCompositeOperation = 'source-over';
ctx.strokeStyle = 'black';
ctx.lineWidth = 3;
} else {
ctx.globalCompositeOperation = 'destination-out';
ctx.lineWidth = 10;
}
ctx.moveTo(last_mousex,last_mousey);
ctx.lineTo(mousex,mousey);
ctx.lineJoin = ctx.lineCap = 'round';
ctx.stroke();
}
last_mousex = mousex;
last_mousey = mousey;
//Output
$('#output').html('current: '+mousex+', '+mousey+'<br/>last: '+last_mousex+', '+last_mousey+'<br/>mousedown: '+mousedown);
});
The full code https://jsfiddle.net/ArtBIT/kneDX/.
But how can I add a z axis and draw a 3d canvas for instance a cube.

With 2D it is simple, you have the X and Y coordinate of the mouse, and when a mouse button is clicked you can change pixels at that location in the canvas.
3D on the other hand is quite hard. Because of the extra dimension that does not exist on the 2D surface, you need to know how to control the 3D positions. And to make matters worse, with that third dimension comes all kinds of extra's that everyone likes to have: lightning and shadows, effects, focus, etc.
Simple drawing
In its most basic form, (set aside some arithmic) you can flatten the Z axis on the 2D surface with a single division. Suppose that you have a point in 3D which consists of three points on three axis (x3d, y3d, z3d) then you can do:
var x2d = x3d / z3d;
var y2d = y3d / z3d;
If you're new to 3D, you will want to play with this first. Here is a tutorial.
Advanced drawing
For just particles and lines this is rather straightforward, although you might want to use another perspective. But it gets more complicated soon when you use objects and want to rotate them in 3D space. This is why most people rely on an engine like three.js to do the 3D drawing for them.
Control 3D space
When drawing with the mouse, you need to map the 2D mouse movement to 3D for control. For examples, have a look a these 3D GUI's: Microsoft's Paint 3D, Google's Sketchup, and Blender. Note that the more kinds of mappings needs to be implemented (like scaling and other transformations) the more math is required.

Using three.js would help you out. See here: https://jsfiddle.net/bn890dtc/
The core code for drawing the line as your click and drag:
function onMouseMove(evt) {
if (renderer) {
var x = (event.clientX / window.innerWidth) * 2 - 1;
var y = -(event.clientY / window.innerHeight) * 2 + 1;
var z = 0
var vNow = new THREE.Vector3(x, y, z);
vNow.unproject(camera);
splineArray.push(vNow);
}
}
The line
vNow.unproject(camera);
will project your drawing into 3D space.
This function will update the line in 3D space:
function updatePositions() {
var positions = line.geometry.attributes.position.array;
var index = 0;
for ( var i = 0; i < splineArray.length; i ++ ) {
positions[ index ++ ] = splineArray[i].x;
positions[ index ++ ] = splineArray[i].y;
positions[ index ++ ] = splineArray[i].z;
}
}

How can i draw a Square in HTML5 Canvas at run time?

I am working on a HTML5 Project.There is a drawing graphics API to draw Rectangle (fillRectStrokeRect).But how can i draw a SQUARE. I have tried the following way to draw it
CODE
getMouse(e);
x2=mx; y2=my;
var width=endX-startX;
var height=endY-startY;
annCanvasContext.beginPath();
annCanvasContext.lineWidth=borderWidth;
var centerX=width/2;
var centerY=width/2;
var radius=width/2;
annCanvasContext.arc(centerX+5, centerY+5, radius, 0, 2 * Math.PI, false);
annCanvasContext.stroke();

Use fillRect or strokeRect with the width and height being equal.
var x = 0, y = 0,
side = 10;
ctx.fillRect(x, y, side, side);
Demo
As you say in the comments, if you want to fit the largest square in a circle, it's more Math related than about code. I'll trying explaining it to you, but you'll probably find better, more visual explanations elsewhere on the Internet.
Draw the diameter of the circle in a way that it divides your square into two equal parts. Now one part is a right angled triangle, which has two of its sides equal. We know the diameter. Using the Pythogorean theorem, you get this equation:
side^2 + side^2 = diameter^2.
Let's find the side now.
2(side^2) = diameter^2
side^2 = (diameter^2)/2
side = Math.sqrt( (diameter^2)/2 )
Now, to turn this into code.
var ctx = document.getElementById('canvas').getContext('2d'),
radius = 20;
ctx.canvas.addEventListener('click', function (e){
ctx.fillStyle = 'black';
ctx.arc(e.pageX, e.pageY, radius, 0, Math.PI*2, false);
ctx.fill();
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.fillStyle = 'red';
var diameter = radius * 2;
var side = Math.sqrt( (diameter * diameter)/2 );
ctx.fillRect(e.pageX - side/2, e.pageY - side/2, side, side);
ctx.closePath();
}, false);
This would draw a square inside a circle wherever you click on the canvas.
Demo