Graphic objects are intended to manage graphic related information. This can be, for example, the vector path describing the shape of a polygon you want to display in your application. Or it can be an off-screen bitmap you fill with contents and display dynamically at the runtime. Unlike the views, graphic objects are per se not visible. They store the graphic related information only. The graphic objects, however, can be connected to views and so the content found in a graphic object can be displayed on the screen.

You can freely use and combine the graphic objects and views according to the expected effect in your developed GUI component. With this chapter we intend to provide you a short overview of the available graphic objects, so you will be able to decide by yourself which object is the most suitable for your particular application case. More detailed description of the objects is found in the subordinated chapters.

These objects are optimized to store vector paths describing a curve or the outline of a polygon. In its simplest form, a path is composed of line segments, Bézier curves and elliptical arcs. The path can be opened (e.g. a curve within a diagram) or it can be closed (e.g. to describe a circle). In more sophisticated application cases you can compose several sub-paths to one complex path. For example, with two sub-paths, every describing a circle, you can create easily a ring. Data stored within such an object can be displayed e.g. by using the views Filled Path and Stroked Path. The following table provides an overview of the available objects to create and manage vector paths:

These objects act as off-screen bitmaps to store dynamically rasterized vector graphics, like curves and polygons. The so created off-screen images can be used wherever a regular Embedded Wizard bitmap is allowed. For example, they can be associated to a Filter Image view and act there as mask. The shape to rasterize within such an off-screen bitmap is determined by the associated Path Data objects. By dynamically changing the Path Data object, the content in the off-screen bitmap is adapted automatically.

Please note, the resulting off-screen bitmaps are stored in ALPHA8 format. The bitmaps contain thus the opacity information only without any colors. If necessary, the rasterized vector graphics can be colorized afterwards in the respective view. The following table provides an overview of the available objects to create and manage off-screen bitmaps containing rendered vector graphics:

The graphic objects belonging to this category act as off-screen bitmaps to store dynamically rendered GUI contents. The so created off-screen images can be used as source wherever a regular Embedded Wizard bitmap is allowed. For example, they can be associated to an Image view.

Please note, the resulting off-screen bitmaps are stored in NATIVE format. The bitmaps contain thus the opacity and color information. Actually, this category includes only one graphic object: