API: Canvas (AB) (r2)

This API is for Worlds that use a canvas to do their own 2D or WebGL rendering. It does not come with a graphics library. It comes with an Ancient Brain framework to make writing Worlds easier.

This API has the following features:

• No graphics library.
• Creates a canvas in the run window.
• The author has to do their own 2D or WebGL rendering.
• See 2D rendering documentation and WebGL rendering documentation.
• Includes jQuery 3.6.0.
• Loads up minimal CSS that should not conflict with user CSS.
• The screenshot assumes a canvas exists and takes a screenshot of that.

Global variables

This API defines the following global variables:

 

 ABWorld;       // instance of class ABWorldClass - basic functionality for this API
 

The "ABWorld" object

The public variables and methods of "ABWorld" are as follows:

 

  // A canvas that may be drawn on using getContext("2d") or getContext("webgl")

	ABWorld.canvas;		
		  
		
  // create canvas:		

	ABWorld.init ( color );   
		
		
  // get drawing context:
  
	ABWorld.getContext ( type );
		

Optional: Customising drawing context

The function ABWorld.getContext calls ABWorld.canvas.getContext with default args to create a drawing context. It is used like:

 
 var ctx = ABWorld.getContext ( "2d" );
 var ctx = ABWorld.getContext ( "webgl" );

If you want a customised drawing context, call it directly:

 
 var ctx = ABWorld.canvas.getContext ( type, args );

Important: With custom drawing context, set preserveDrawingBuffer for screenshots

If you are customising drawing context (not using ABWorld.getContext) and if you are using "webgl" context, then this is important.

For your World to generate screenshots, you need in canvas.getContext to set preserveDrawingBuffer = true. Like this:

 
 ctx = ABWorld.canvas.getContext ( "webgl", { preserveDrawingBuffer: true } );	

This may lead to lower performance. So you might like to set it to true for "generate image" runs and false for normal runs, which can be done as follows:

 
 if ( AB.isScreenshotRun() ) ctx = ABWorld.canvas.getContext ( "webgl", { preserveDrawingBuffer: true } );	
 else                        ctx = ABWorld.canvas.getContext ( "webgl", { preserveDrawingBuffer: false } );	

If you use ABWorld.getContext, this is not needed. It is built-in (preserveDrawingBuffer true for screenshot runs, false for normal runs).

Templates

• World with no Mind

• World with Mind
• Mind

Examples

Examples of Worlds that use this API: