Erase bitmap parts using PorterDuff mode

Question

Hi all,

I try to erase parts of a bitmap in my Android application by using Porter-Duff Xfermodes.

I have a green background which is overlayed by a blue bitmap. When I touch the screen a "hole" in the overlaying bitmap is supposed to be created making the green background visible. Instead of a hole my current code produces a black dot.

Below is my code. Any ideas, what I am doing wrong here?

/** Called when the activity is first created. */
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    getWindow().setFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN);
    setContentView(new DrawView(this));
}

public class DrawView extends View implements OnTouchListener {

    private int x = 0;
    private int y = 0;

    Bitmap bitmap;
    Canvas bitmapCanvas;

    private final Paint paint = new Paint();
    private final Paint eraserPaint = new Paint();

    public DrawView(Context context) {
        super(context);
        setFocusable(true);
        setFocusableInTouchMode(true);

        this.setOnTouchListener(this);

        // Set background
        this.setBackgroundColor(Color.GREEN);

        // Set bitmap
        bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(320, 480, Bitmap.Config.RGB_565);
        bitmapCanvas = new Canvas();
        bitmapCanvas.setBitmap(bitmap);
        bitmapCanvas.drawColor(Color.BLUE);

        // Set eraser paint properties
        eraserPaint.setAlpha(0);
        eraserPaint.setXfermode(new PorterDuffXfermode(PorterDuff.Mode.DST_IN));
        eraserPaint.setAntiAlias(true);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDraw(Canvas canvas) {
        bitmapCanvas.drawColor(Color.BLUE);
        bitmapCanvas.drawCircle(x, y, 10, eraserPaint);

        canvas.drawBitmap(bitmap, 0, 0, paint);
    }

    public boolean onTouch(View view, MotionEvent event) {
        x = (int) event.getX();
        y = (int) event.getY();

        invalidate();
        return true;
    }

}

Answer 1

First thought, I'm not sure if setting alpha to 0 on your erase paint object is a good idea. That might make the whole thing ineffective.

Also, you should always use Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888 if you're dealing with alphas.

If you're having trouble with the PorterDuff stuff, though, I would suggest simplifying your approach to ONLY do that (temporarily). That will help you narrow down the part which isn't working. Comment out everything to do with touch and view updates.

Then you can single out what part of the drawing isn't working right. Set up your constructor like this:

DrawView()
{
    /* Create the background green bitmap */
    ...

    /* Create foreground transparent bitmap */
    ...

    /* Draw a blue circle on the foreground bitmap */
    ...

    /* Apply the foreground to the background bitmap
       using a PorterDuff method */
    ...
}

onDraw()
{
    /* Simply draw the background bitmap */
    ...
}

If you set things up like that, you should be able to tell how your PD method is affecting the green bitmap, and change things accordingly.