Java - best library to help draw text at arbitrary anchor points

Question

Hi all,

I'm familiar with how to use the various FontMetrics functions to center text vertically, horizontally, and whatnot. However, I am looking for a library that supports drawing text at a given xy location relative to the string (e.g. I want the center of the string at x,y, or I want the upper right corner of it to be here, etc.)

I found JCommon and its text anchors which purport to do that, but I am having trouble getting it to work and the forum is heretofore unresponsive.

I'm aware I could write all the utility functions myself but I'd like to avoid reinventing the wheel if at all possible.

Answer 1

I'm not aware of any libraries, but I would guess if you do it on your own your would just use the Graphics.translate() to translate the text to a relative position.

Answer 2

You might look at TextLayout. The draw() and getBounds() methods can simplify coding.

Answer 3

Ended up having to do it myself. Code is as follows:

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.font.FontRenderContext;
import java.awt.font.TextLayout;
import java.awt.geom.Point2D;
import java.awt.geom.Rectangle2D;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;

public class TestFontLayout extends JPanel {

    public enum AnchorPoint{
        UPPER_LEFT,
        TOP_CENTER,
        UPPER_RIGHT,
        RIGHT_CENTER,
        LOWER_RIGHT,
        BOTTOM_CENTER,
        LOWER_LEFT,
        LEFT_CENTER,
        CENTER
    };

    public void drawText(TextLayout text, AnchorPoint point, Graphics2D g2, float x, float y) {
        float translationX = 0.0f;
        float translationY = 0.0f;

        Rectangle2D bounds = text.getBounds();
        float midYOffset = (float) bounds.getHeight()/2;
        float midXOffset = (float) -bounds.getWidth()/2;

        float topYOffset = (float) bounds.getHeight();
        float bottomYOffset = 0.0f;

        float leftXOffset = 0.0f;
        float rightXOffset = (float) -bounds.getWidth();

        // Adjust x values
        switch (point) {
            // Left
            case UPPER_LEFT:
            case LOWER_LEFT:
            case LEFT_CENTER:
                translationX = leftXOffset;
                break;
                // Mid
            case TOP_CENTER:
            case BOTTOM_CENTER:
            case CENTER:
                translationX = midXOffset;
                break;
            // Right
            case UPPER_RIGHT:
            case RIGHT_CENTER:
            case LOWER_RIGHT:
                translationX = rightXOffset;
        }

        // Adjust y values
        switch (point) {
            // Top
            case UPPER_LEFT:
            case UPPER_RIGHT:
            case TOP_CENTER:
                translationY = topYOffset;
                break;
            // Mid
            case LEFT_CENTER:
            case CENTER:
            case RIGHT_CENTER:
                translationY = midYOffset;
                break;
            // Bottom
            case LOWER_LEFT:
            case BOTTOM_CENTER:
            case LOWER_RIGHT:
                translationY = bottomYOffset;
        }

        text.draw(g2, x + translationX, y + translationY);

    }

    public TestFontLayout() {
        super();
        setPreferredSize(new Dimension(400,400));
    }
    @Override
    public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
        Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;
        // Ensure that the default painting occurs
        super.paintComponent(g);

        Point2D loc = new Point2D.Double(getWidth()/2,getHeight()/2);
        Font font = Font.decode("Helvetica");
        FontRenderContext frc = g2.getFontRenderContext();
        TextLayout layout = new TextLayout("This is a string", font, frc);

        g2.setColor(Color.RED);
        g2.drawRect(getWidth()/2, getHeight()/2, 1,1);

        g2.setColor(Color.PINK);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.UPPER_LEFT, g2, 0, 0);

        g2.setColor(Color.BLUE);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.TOP_CENTER, g2, getWidth()/2, 0);

        g2.setColor(Color.ORANGE);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.UPPER_RIGHT, g2, getWidth(), 0);

        g2.setColor(Color.CYAN);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.RIGHT_CENTER, g2, getWidth(), getHeight()/2);

        g2.setColor(Color.ORANGE);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.LOWER_RIGHT, g2, getWidth(), getHeight());

        g2.setColor(Color.BLACK);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.BOTTOM_CENTER, g2, getWidth()/2, getHeight());


        g2.setColor(Color.YELLOW);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.LOWER_LEFT, g2, 0, getHeight());

        g2.setColor(Color.DARK_GRAY);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.LEFT_CENTER, g2, 0, getHeight()/2);


        g2.setColor(Color.MAGENTA);
        drawText(layout, AnchorPoint.CENTER, g2, getWidth()/2, getHeight()/2);
    }


    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame frame = new JFrame("");
        frame.add(new TestFontLayout());
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);

    }
}