/*! \page constraints Constraints
*
-<h2 class="pg">Introduction</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">Introduction</h1>
Constraints are used to modify the property of an actor, based on other properties of the same actor; properties of the actor's parent; or properties of another actor altogether, when the modification needs to be at run-time.
Custom functions or functors can be supplied, where the desired value of the property can be calculated.
Not all properties can be used as a constraint input, please see Dali::Handle::IsPropertyAConstraintInput() for more details.
-<h2 class="pg">When to use a Constraint</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">When to use a Constraint</h1>
Constraints are designed as a way of modifying properties that cannot be modified by any existing built in functionality; Like Animations, Size negotiation or Parent anchor, origin settings.
As they provide the ability for the application developer to execute their own code within the update thread, DALi can no-longer guarantee the timeliness of this code, or how optimised it may be.
For most general cases, the position and size requirements of a child or parent actor (from it's child or parent) can be calculated with Size Negotiation.
-<h2 class="pg">Constraint Sources</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">Constraint Sources</h1>
These are properties of this (or another actor) that are used as inputs into the constraint.
The constraint will take these values, optionally perform a calculation on them (if using a custom functor) and write the result to the specified property of the target actor.
The source actor is specified as either the same actor, it's parent or another actor.
-<h3 class="pg">Local Source</h3>
+<h2 class="pg">Local Source</h2>
A local source is based on the local properties (i.e. size, position, scale, orientation, color) of an actor.
For example, the actor's orientation could be used as a constraint input source.
Dali::ConstraintSource source( Dali::LocalSource( Dali::Actor::Property::ORIENTATION ) );
@endcode
-<h3 class="pg">Parent Source</h3>
+<h2 class="pg">Parent Source</h2>
A parent source is based on properties of the actor's parent.
For example, a parent's position can be used as a constraint input source.
Dali::ConstraintSource source( Dali::ParentSource( Dali::Actor::Property::POSITION ) );
@endcode
-<h3 class="pg">Source</h3>
+<h2 class="pg">Source</h2>
Finally, you can base your source on the properties of another handle altogether.
For example, a sibling actor's color could be used as a constraint input source.
Dali::ConstraintSource source( Dali::Source( anotherHandle, Dali::Actor::Property::COLOR ) );
@endcode
-<h2 class="pg">The Constraint Function</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">The Constraint Function</h1>
The signature of the constraint function is:
const Dali::Vector3& parentSize( inputs[3]->GetVector3() );
@endcode
-<h2 class="pg">Creating a Constraint</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">Creating a Constraint</h1>
-<h3 class="pg">Using C Functions</h3>
+<h2 class="pg">Using C Functions</h2>
If you do not have any data that is changed at runtime, then C functions should be used.
For example, the color of an actor could be changed based on its position along the x-axis till a preset distance of 100, beyond which it is transparent.
Please have a look at Dali::Constraint::New() for more details.
-<h3 class="pg">Using Functors</h3>
+<h2 class="pg">Using Functors</h2>
If you need to store some data in a struct/class, then a functor can be used.
Reusing the last example, the color of an actor is changed based on its position along the x-axis, but the distance when it is transparent is different for each applied constraint.
else
{
// Otherwise it will blend between fully opaque and transparent
- current.a = ( 100.0f - mDistance ) / 100.0f;
+ current.a = ( mDistance - distance ) / mDistance;
}
}
Please have a look at Dali::Constraint::New(Handle, Property::Index, const T&) for more details.
Instead of using the default functor, another method can be declared in the class or struct and used as the constraint function.
-Please have a look at appropriate Dali::Constraint::New() method for more details.
+Please have a look at the appropriate Dali::Constraint::New() method for more details.
-<h2 class="pg">Removing Constraints</h2>
+<h1 class="pg">Removing Constraints</h1>
The actor's constraints can later be removed in several ways:
actor.RemoveConstraint( tag ); // All constraints with the tag are removed from the actor (tag can be set using SetTag)
@endcode
+\section constraints-equal-to Equal To Constraint
+
+The built in Dali::EqualToConstraint can be used if all that is required is setting a property equal to another property:
+@code
+Dali::Constraint constraint = Dali::Constraint::New< Vector3 >( actor, Dali::Actor::Property::POSITION, Dali::EqualToConstraint() );
+constraint.AddSource( Dali::Source( anotherActor, Dali::Actor::Property::POSITION ) );
+constraint.Apply();
+@endcode
+Here actor's position is set to equal the position of anotherActor.
+
+\section constraints-relative-to Relative To Constraint
+
+The built in Dali::RelativeToConstraint and Dali::RelativeToConstraintFloat can be used if all that is required is setting a property relative to another property:
+@code
+Dali::Constraint constraint = Dali::Constraint::New< Vector3 >( actor, Dali::Actor::Property::POSITION, Dali::RelativeToConstraint( 2.0f ) );
+constraint.AddSource( Dali::Source( anotherActor, Dali::Actor::Property::POSITION ) );
+constraint.Apply();
+@endcode
+Here actor's position is relative to the position of anotherActor, i.e., if anotherActor is at (10.0f, 20.0f, 30.0f), actor will be at (20.0f, 40.0f, 60.0f).
*
*/