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How to create a custom shape

How to draw a custom shape?

Info

This is the API of version 1.2.0. Newer versions may have a different one

GenericShape

You can create custom shapes. One way to do it, is to use GenericShape. Let’s see how the triangle is drawn.

private val TriangleShape = GenericShape { size, _ ->
    // 1)
    moveTo(size.width / 2f, 0f)

    // 2)
    lineTo(size.width, size.height)

    // 3)
    lineTo(0f, size.height)
}

Inside the GenericShape you can draw your custom shape. You have access to the size-object. This is size of the Composable that the shape is applied to. You can get the height with size.height and the width with size.width

1) Initially the painter will start at the top left of the parent composable(0x,0y). With moveTo() you can set the coordinates of the painter. Here the coordinates will be set to the half width of the parent layout and a 0y coordinate.

2) This will draw a line from the painter coordinates, which were set in 1), to the bottom right corner of the parent layout. The painter coordinates are then automatically set to this corner.

3) This will draw a line to the bottom left corner. GenericShape will implicitly execute the close()-function. close() will draw a line from the last painter coordinates to the first definied.

Extend the Shape interface

/**
 * Defines a generic shape.
 */
interface Shape {
    /**
     /**
     * Creates [Outline] of this shape for the given [size].
     *
     * @param size the size of the shape boundary.
     * @param density the current density of the screen.
     *
     * @return [Outline] of this shape for the given [size].
     */
    fun createOutline(size: Size, density: Density): Outline
}
You can extend the Shape interface to create your own implementation of Shape. Inside createOutline you get the size of the Composable, which the shape is applied to and the density of the screen. You have to return an instance of Outline. Outline is a sealed class with the following subclasses:

  • Rectangle(val rect: Rect)
  • Rounded(val rrect: RRect)
  • Generic(val path: Path)

Take a look at the GenericShape example when you want to understand, how the drawing of a custom shape works.

class CustomShape : Shape {
    override fun createOutline(size: Size, density: Density): Outline {
        val path = Path().apply {
            moveTo(size.width / 2f, 0f)
            lineTo(size.width, size.height)
            lineTo(0f, size.height)
            close()
        }
        return Outline.Generic(path)
    }
}

Last update: July 27, 2022