8 .. sectionauthor:: Jörg Lehmann <joergl@users.sourceforge.net>
11 This module contains the :class:`pattern` class, whichs allows the definition of
12 PostScript Tiling patterns (cf. Sect. 4.9 of the PostScript Language Reference
13 Manual) which may then be used to fill paths. In addition, a number of
14 predefined hatch patterns are included.
17 Class :class:`pattern`
18 ======================
20 The classes :class:`pattern` and :class:`canvas` differ only in their
21 constructor and in the absence of a :meth:`writeEPSfile` method in the former.
22 The :class:`pattern` constructor accepts the following keyword arguments:
24 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
25 | keyword | description |
26 +=================+===============================================+
27 | ``painttype`` | ``1`` (default) for coloured patterns or |
28 | | ``2`` for uncoloured patterns |
29 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
30 | ``tilingtype`` | ``1`` (default) for constant spacing tilings |
31 | | (patterns are spaced constantly by a multiple |
32 | | of a device pixel), ``2`` for undistorted |
33 | | pattern cell, whereby the spacing may vary by |
34 | | as much as one device pixel, or ``3`` for |
35 | | constant spacing and faster tiling which |
36 | | behaves as tiling type ``1`` but with |
37 | | additional distortion allowed to permit a |
38 | | more efficient implementation. |
39 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
40 | ``xstep`` | desired horizontal spacing between pattern |
41 | | cells, use ``None`` (default) for automatic |
42 | | calculation from pattern bounding box. |
43 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
44 | ``ystep`` | desired vertical spacing between pattern |
45 | | cells, use ``None`` (default) for automatic |
46 | | calculation from pattern bounding box. |
47 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
48 | ``bbox`` | bounding box of pattern. Use ``None`` for an |
49 | | automatic determination of the bounding box |
50 | | (including an enlargement by ``bboxenlarge`` |
51 | | pts on each side.) |
52 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
53 | ``trafo`` | additional transformation applied to pattern |
54 | | or ``None`` (default). This may be used to |
55 | | rotate the pattern or to shift its phase (by |
57 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
58 | ``bboxenlarge`` | enlargement when using the automatic bounding |
59 | | box determination; default is 5 pts. |
60 +-----------------+-----------------------------------------------+
62 After you have created a pattern instance, you define the pattern shape by
63 drawing in it like in an ordinary canvas. To use the pattern, you simply pass
64 the pattern instance to a :meth:`stroke`, :meth:`fill`, :meth:`draw` or
65 :meth:`set` method of the canvas, just like you would do with a colour, etc.