How to optimize animation on canvas? HTML 5 - javascript

I am faced with a problem that slows down animation on a canvas, as various pictures move left, right, up and down. I need advice on how to optimize the animation.
It is important that the animation works on all main browsers, in particular: Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.
Is it possible to optimize the animation? Maybe put a delay on the drawing? Thank you in advance.

In javascript you can use the setInterval and setTimeout functions to create delays and throttle the frame rate.
for instance if you wanted to make your drawing loop approximately 30 FPS you could have some code that looks like this:
function draw(){
var canvas = document.getElementById('myCanvas');
//create the image object
var img = new Image();
//set the image object's image file path
var img.src = "images/myImage.png"
//check to see that our canvas exists
if( canvas.getContext )
{
//grab the context to draw to.
var ctx = cvs.getContext('2d');
//clear the screen to a white background first
//NOTE to make this faster you can clear just the parts
//of the canvas that are moving instead of the whole thing
//every time. Check out 'Improving HTML5 Canvas Performance'
//link mention in other post
ctx.fillStyle="rgb(255,255,255)";
ctx.fillRect (0, 0,512, 512);
//DO ALL YOUR DRAWING HERE....
//draw animation
ctx.drawImage(img, 0, 0);
}
//Recalls this draw update 30 times per second
setTimeout(draw,1000/30);
}
This will help you control how much processing time the animation is taking. Thus if you find that your animation is going too slow you can increase the frame rate by changing the denominator '30' to something like '60' fps or anything that really works well for your program.
As far as optimizing goes in addition to setTimeout() the way you draw your animations is critical too. Try to load all your images before you render them this is called "Preloading". That is if you have a bunch of different images for each animated cell then before you call your draw function load all the images into an array of images like so:
var loadedImages = new Array();
loadedImages[0] = new Image();
loadedImages[0].src = "images/animationFrame1.png";
loadedImages[1] = new Image();
loadedImages[1].src = "images/animationFrame2.png";
loadedImages[2] = new Image();
loadedImages[2].src = "images/animationFrame3.png";
loadedImages[3] = new Image();
loadedImages[3].src = "images/animationFrame4.png";
you could even put them in a hash if it makes sense for you app where instead of
loadedImages[0] = new Image();
loadedImages[0].src = "images/animationFrame1.png";
you do this
loadedImages['frame1'] = new Image();
loadedImages['frame1'].src = "images/animationFrame1.png";
once you have all your images loaded you references them for drawing by doing calling them like so:
//Using the integer array
ctx.drawImage(loadedImages[0], 0, 0);
//OR
//Using the stringed hash
ctx.drawImage(loadedImages['frame1'], 0, 0);
You want to separate your loading process from your rendering process because loading images is process intensive thus will slow your animations down if you are loading things while rendering.
That is not to say that you can't ever load anything while rendering, but instead just be conscience that this will slow animation speed down.
Here is an article on preloading images.
There is another post on here which talks about consistent animation speed on all browsers here
Note the link posted by the green checked answer
Other things to be noted are making sure to only clearing and redrawing bounding boxes as mentioned in the post with HTML 5 canvas optimization. That link has some really good techniques to be conscience of while developing canvas animations.
Here are some frame works as well which might come in handy to cross compare what you are doing to what other engines are doing.
Hope some of this helps. I am new to javascript (only started coding with it about 2 weeks ago) and so there could be better ways to do things but these are the things I have found thus far.

window.requestAnimationFrame() is one sure way to make your animation run smoother.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en/DOM/window.mozRequestAnimationFrame
(cross browser http://paulirish.com/2011/requestanimationframe-for-smart-animating/ )
However it doesn't fix the possible problems with your drawing code which was missing from the question.

Related

Add a picture in the HTML canvas (jsketcher2D) and keep it on the back

I'm trying to develop a JavaScript application for modulating house plans with jsketcher. You can view project here. For modulating plans, I need to load the plan on the canvas, then try to modulate with the tools present in the jsketcher2D. I've manged to load the plan but couldn't find a way to keep it below the other elements of the canvas. I need the elements which are drawn with jsketcher2D to be on top of the plan image. Could you please help me with this?
Thank you very much
modifications made to static/sketcher.bundle.js
Line 49532
function addPlan(){
let canvas = document.getElementById('viewer');
let plan = canvas.getContext("2d")
let base_image = new Image();
base_image.src = 'img/back.png';
plan.drawImage(base_image, 0, 0);
}
Line 47461
addPlan();
You need to show more code. The most likely reason this is happening is you have your addPlan() function running after you draw on the canvas. The first things drawn will be on the back of the canvas and the last things drawn will be above.
addPlan(); // Background
canvasContext.fillRect(0, 0, 50, 50); // will be on top of image

Clip by mask defined by pixel image or prevent drawing outside of that mask

I'm two days into js,html and css programming. So very newbie!
Following and building upon this TUTORIAL
Q1: How can I add this male into the background (see figuere 1.) and prohibit any strokes outside of the borders?
Adding image to background was no biggy!
function make_base()
{
base_image = new Image();
base_image.src = 'img/bmapFront.gif';
base_image.onload = function(){
context.drawImage(base_image, 0,0);
}
}
There is a context.clip function, not sure if I can use pixel form as clipping path. Making tons of "image substractions" isn't the best way.
Any suggestions
Edit:
Did the Job for me: VeryHelpful
var frontPath = new Path2D ("M 133.41,17.00 C 141.37,2.41 160.66, !VERY LONG! ")
context.clip(frontPath);
Messy strokes!
He should look like this. Then I want to save him.
Although there is such a thing as ctx.clip(), this is sometimes not what's wanted as it's impractical to use a path.
The solution that I like involves creating a virtual empty canvas onto which you draw your pixel image. Through various manipulations, like using ctx.getImageData and similar to make sure you only get one kind of color or apply other filters only once, you can obtain an image that seems to be empty (alpha of 0, mostly) in the places where you want to clip other images or paths out.
At that point, you'd use ctx.globalCompositeOperation = 'source-atop', or pick another one you might want to use from mdn's list of globalCompositeOperations.
At this point, you can just draw this virtual canvas image onto the main canvas

Why is my sprite blurred when using requestAnimationFrame to move it?

I created a basic 2D game using pure JavaScript. My problem is when the sprite stops moving it is sometimes blurred sometimes not. I use requestAnimationFrame to move the sprite and keydown/keyup events trigger moving. When keyup is triggered the sprite stops moving and the default tile is set however sometimes it is showing blurred.
https://arpadvas.github.io/untitled_game_project/
Since you didn't posted an minimal code example, and that I don't want to go through the raw code you linked to, this will stay as a guess (an educated one).
Generally, this happens when you draw your sprites on floating coordinates.
Since there is no way to draw on half a pixel, the pixel being the smallest unit in canvas, to smoothen drawings, the browser will by default create antialias artifacts, turning some pixels less opaque so that your eyes think it is on half a pixel.
While this usually works well with realistic photographs, it doesn't at all with pixel-art.
The solution then is either to round all your coordinates, or if you are lazy, to set the imageSmoothingEnabled property of your context.
var img = new Image();
img.onload = draw;
function draw(){
i = .316252;
blurred.width = round.width = noAntiAlias.width = img.width +20;
blurred.height = round.height = noAntiAlias.height = img.height +20;
blurred.getContext('2d').drawImage(img, 10+i, 20+i);
round.getContext('2d').drawImage(img, 10, 20);
var nA = noAntiAlias.getContext('2d');
nA.mozImageSmoothingEnabled = nA.msImageSmoothingEnabled = nA.webkitImageSmoothingEnabled = nA.imageSmoothingEnabled = false;
noAntiAlias.getContext('2d').drawImage(img, 10+i, 20+i);
};
img.src = "https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/4e90e48s5vtmfbd/aaa.png";
<canvas id="blurred"></canvas>
<canvas id="round"></canvas>
<canvas id="noAntiAlias"></canvas>
Ps : this made me realize that somehow my FF doesn't smooth this particular image I used... If someone can confirm in comments, I'd be glad to dig into this further if needed.

HTML 5 - Use <img> element vs. Canvas drawImage

I'm working with a customHTML section, currently I'm using a canvas html5 element. Now, I need to display an image, but not sure if it will be a good idea to draw it in this canvas element or use a <img> html element directly.
My first approach is this:
a)
var customHTML = "<canvas id='viewport'></canvas>"
var canvas = document.getElementById('viewport'),
context = canvas.getContext('2d');
make_base();
function make_base()
{
base_image = new Image();
base_image.src = 'img/base.png';
base_image.onload = function(){
context.drawImage(base_image, 100, 100);
}
Second approach:
b)
var customHTML = "<img src='../images/myicons/pin.png'>"
I would like to know if there is any advantage in using this canvas and drawing logic, instead of using directly an <img> html element. Performance? Resources?
Please, let me know if a) or b) is the best approach.
I want to use this customHTML element as a pushpin in Bing Maps.
Any help will be appreciated.
The img element works since the dawn of time. Png image support also since a very long time. The other piece of code always needs Javascript, and needs a more modern browser that supports HTML 5 canvas. Some of these advantages may not apply when the usecase is a pushpin in Bing Maps, since Bing Maps will have requirements on its ownn.
In general performance there won't be much difference, and this may even vary between browsers and versions. Drawing an image is pretty easy anyway (compared to, say, animation), so I wouldn't worry about it.
base_image.onload = function() {
context.drawImage(base_image, 100, 100);
}
assigns the function as an event handler that gets called only when the image in question has finished downloading.
base_image.src = 'img/base.png';
begins the download of the image and it may be regarded as an asynchronous (bon-blocking) call for the image.
<img src='../images/myicons/pin.png'>
begins drawing as the page loads and you get this line-by-line display of the image as it's data trickles in.
The difference between these approaches is at least partially a UI consideration and especially evident with large images and slow internet connection. Not so much an issue with fast connections, small/cached images.

Animating a missile in HTML5/WinJS

I'm writing a game using HTML5/WinJS on Windows 8. I'm trying to produce the effect of a bullet or missile firing at something; however, I can't seem to get the object to go through another image in the background without trailing a border. My working theory is that the border I'm seeing is caused by using clearRect. Here's my code:
var moveBullet = function(missile) {
if (missile.Image == undefined || missile.Image == null) {
var image = new Image();
image.src = "/images/missileImg.png";
image.onload = function () {
canvasContext.clearRect(missile.PointX - (image.width / 2), missile.PointY, image.width, image.height);
missile.PointY += BULLET_SPEED;
canvasContext.drawImage(image, missile.PointX - (image.width / 2), missile.PointY);
};
} else {
canvasContext.clearRect(missile.PointX - (missile.Image.width / 2), missile.PointY, missile.Image.width, missile.Image.height);
missile.PointY += BULLET_SPEED;
canvasContext.drawImage(missile.Image, missile.PointX - (missile.Image.width / 2), missile.PointY);
}
}
Is there a way to achieve this effect without using clearRect, or a more efficient way of restoring the background as it moves past?
Make your clearRect area a few pixels larger than the missile image. Drawing on a canvas in general has some built-in anti-aliasing. This means that if you draw a line with one color, then draw the same line with the background color, you'll not remove the original line. Something similar might be happening here, in which case a few extra pixels should help.
That said, there's a caveat to be aware of here.
First, I assume the background is separate element from the canvas? It looks like it as you're not redrawing that part on the canvas itself.
The reason I ask is that making repeated calls to clearRect on the same canvas will eventually show performance problems. What happens is that every call to clearRect accumulates into a complex region within the canvas--essentially its transparency mask. So every time the canvas has to be rendered, which happens any time you change it, it has to process that transparent area. Gradually, as you leave more and more small clearRect trails across the canvas, this region will become more and more complex and performance will drop.
I did this experiment with the Blizzard demo on the IE Test Drive site once, where I wondered why the demo was clearing the entire canvas with every animation frame. So I tried just clearing the trail behind each snowflake (and made each one a little bigger as I suggest above, because I had trails). Seemed like the right thing to do, but the performance plummeted by several orders of magnitude. Asking around within the IE team, they confirmed the region behavior I describe.
So the best thing to do, actually, is to do a clearRect on the entire canvas with every frame, then redraw the missile and any other bits that you're animating. This may seem counter intuitive, but ends up working best and avoids all these glitches with pixel trails.

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