This documentation differs from the official API. Jadeite adds extra features to the API including: variable font sizes, constructions examples, placeholders for classes and methods, and auto-generated “See Also” links. Additionally it is missing some items found in standard Javadoc documentation, including: generics type information, “Deprecated” tags and comments, “See Also” links, along with other minor differences. Please send any questions or feedback to bam@cs.cmu.edu.


java.awt
class FontMetrics

java.lang.Object extended by java.awt.FontMetrics
All Implemented Interfaces:
Serializable

Most common way to construct:

Graphics g = …;

FontMetrics fm = g.getFontMetrics();

Based on 124 examples


public abstract class FontMetrics
extends Object
implements Serializable

The FontMetrics class defines a font metrics object, which encapsulates information about the rendering of a particular font on a particular screen.

Note to subclassers: Since many of these methods form closed, mutually recursive loops, you must take care that you implement at least one of the methods in each such loop to prevent infinite recursion when your subclass is used. In particular, the following is the minimal suggested set of methods to override in order to ensure correctness and prevent infinite recursion (though other subsets are equally feasible):

The letter 'p' showing its 'reference point' Note that the implementations of these methods are inefficient, so they are usually overridden with more efficient toolkit-specific implementations.

When an application asks to place a character at the position (xy), the character is placed so that its reference point (shown as the dot in the accompanying image) is put at that position. The reference point specifies a horizontal line called the baseline of the character. In normal printing, the baselines of characters should align.

In addition, every character in a font has an ascent, a descent, and an advance width. The ascent is the amount by which the character ascends above the baseline. The descent is the amount by which the character descends below the baseline. The advance width indicates the position at which AWT should place the next character.

An array of characters or a string can also have an ascent, a descent, and an advance width. The ascent of the array is the maximum ascent of any character in the array. The descent is the maximum descent of any character in the array. The advance width is the sum of the advance widths of each of the characters in the character array. The advance of a String is the distance along the baseline of the String. This distance is the width that should be used for centering or right-aligning the String.

Note that the advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters measured in isolation because the width of a character can vary depending on its context. For example, in Arabic text, the shape of a character can change in order to connect to other characters. Also, in some scripts, certain character sequences can be represented by a single shape, called a ligature. Measuring characters individually does not account for these transformations.

Font metrics are baseline-relative, meaning that they are generally independent of the rotation applied to the font (modulo possible grid hinting effects). See {@link java.awt.Font Font}.


Field Summary
protected Font font
          The actual java.awt.Font from which the font metrics are created.
 
Constructor Summary
protected

          Creates a new FontMetrics object for finding out height and width information about the specified Font and specific character glyphs in that Font.
 
Method Summary
 int
bytesWidth(byte[] data, int off, int len)

          Returns the total advance width for showing the specified array of bytes in this Font.
 int
charsWidth(char[] data, int off, int len)

          Returns the total advance width for showing the specified array of characters in this Font.
 int
charWidth(char ch)

          Returns the advance width of the specified character in this Font.
 int
charWidth(int codePoint)

          Returns the advance width of the specified character in this Font.
 int

          Determines the font ascent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 int

          Determines the font descent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 Font

          Gets the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 FontRenderContext

          Gets the FontRenderContext used by this FontMetrics object to measure text.
 int

          Gets the standard height of a line of text in this font.
 int

          Determines the standard leading of the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 LineMetrics
getLineMetrics(CharacterIterator ci, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the java.awt.font.LineMetrics object for the specified java.text.CharacterIterator in the specified java.awt.Graphics context.
 LineMetrics
getLineMetrics(char[] chars, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the java.awt.font.LineMetrics object for the specified character array in the specified java.awt.Graphics context.
 LineMetrics

          Returns the java.awt.font.LineMetrics object for the specified String in the specified java.awt.Graphics context.
 LineMetrics
getLineMetrics(String str, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the java.awt.font.LineMetrics object for the specified String in the specified java.awt.Graphics context.
 int

          Gets the maximum advance width of any character in this Font.
 int

          Determines the maximum ascent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 Rectangle2D

          Returns the bounds for the character with the maximum bounds in the specified Graphics context.
 int

          For backward compatibility only.
 int

          Determines the maximum descent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object.
 Rectangle2D
getStringBounds(CharacterIterator ci, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the bounds of the characters indexed in the specified CharacterIterator in the specified Graphics context.
 Rectangle2D
getStringBounds(char[] chars, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the bounds of the specified array of characters in the specified Graphics context.
 Rectangle2D

          Returns the bounds of the specified String in the specified Graphics context.
 Rectangle2D
getStringBounds(String str, int beginIndex, int limit, Graphics context)

          Returns the bounds of the specified String in the specified Graphics context.
 int[]

          Gets the advance widths of the first 256 characters in the Font.
 boolean

          Checks to see if the Font has uniform line metrics.
 int

          Returns the total advance width for showing the specified String in this Font.
 String

          Returns a representation of this FontMetrics object's values as a String.
 
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait
 

Field Detail

font

protected Font font
The actual {@link Font} from which the font metrics are created. This cannot be null.
Constructor Detail

FontMetrics

protected FontMetrics(Font font)
Creates a new FontMetrics object for finding out height and width information about the specified Font and specific character glyphs in that Font.

Parameters:
font - the Font
Method Detail

bytesWidth

public int bytesWidth(byte[] data,
                      int off,
                      int len)
Returns the total advance width for showing the specified array of bytes in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the string's baseline. The advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters. This is equivalent to measuring a String of the characters in the specified range.

Parameters:
data - the array of bytes to be measured
off - the start offset of the bytes in the array
len - the number of bytes to be measured from the array
Returns:
the advance width of the subarray of the specified byte array in the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

charsWidth

public int charsWidth(char[] data,
                      int off,
                      int len)
Returns the total advance width for showing the specified array of characters in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the string's baseline. The advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters. This is equivalent to measuring a String of the characters in the specified range.

Parameters:
data - the array of characters to be measured
off - the start offset of the characters in the array
len - the number of characters to be measured from the array
Returns:
the advance width of the subarray of the specified char array in the font described by this FontMetrics object.

charWidth

public int charWidth(char ch)
Returns the advance width of the specified character in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the character's baseline. Note that the advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters.

Note: This method cannot handle supplementary characters. To support all Unicode characters, including supplementary characters, use the {@link #charWidth(int)} method.

Parameters:
ch - the character to be measured
Returns:
the advance width of the specified character in the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

charWidth

public int charWidth(int codePoint)
Returns the advance width of the specified character in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the character's baseline. Note that the advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters.

This method doesn't validate the specified character to be a valid Unicode code point. The caller must validate the character value using {@link java.lang.Character#isValidCodePoint(int) Character.isValidCodePoint} if necessary.

Parameters:
codePoint - the character (Unicode code point) to be measured
Returns:
the advance width of the specified character in the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

getAscent

public int getAscent()
Determines the font ascent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object. The font ascent is the distance from the font's baseline to the top of most alphanumeric characters. Some characters in the Font might extend above the font ascent line.

Returns:
the font ascent of the Font.

getDescent

public int getDescent()
Determines the font descent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object. The font descent is the distance from the font's baseline to the bottom of most alphanumeric characters with descenders. Some characters in the Font might extend below the font descent line.

Returns:
the font descent of the Font.

getFont

public Font getFont()
Gets the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

Returns:
the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

getFontRenderContext

public FontRenderContext getFontRenderContext()
Gets the FontRenderContext used by this FontMetrics object to measure text.

Note that methods in this class which take a Graphics parameter measure text using the FontRenderContext of that Graphics object, and not this FontRenderContext

Returns:
the FontRenderContext used by this FontMetrics object.

getHeight

public int getHeight()
Gets the standard height of a line of text in this font. This is the distance between the baseline of adjacent lines of text. It is the sum of the leading + ascent + descent. Due to rounding this may not be the same as getAscent() + getDescent() + getLeading(). There is no guarantee that lines of text spaced at this distance are disjoint; such lines may overlap if some characters overshoot either the standard ascent or the standard descent metric.

Returns:
the standard height of the font.

getLeading

public int getLeading()
Determines the standard leading of the Font described by this FontMetrics object. The standard leading, or interline spacing, is the logical amount of space to be reserved between the descent of one line of text and the ascent of the next line. The height metric is calculated to include this extra space.

Returns:
the standard leading of the Font.

getLineMetrics

public LineMetrics getLineMetrics(CharacterIterator ci,
                                  int beginIndex,
                                  int limit,
                                  Graphics context)
Returns the {@link LineMetrics} object for the specified {@link CharacterIterator} in the specified {@link Graphics} context.

Parameters:
ci - the specified CharacterIterator
beginIndex - the initial offset in ci
limit - the end index of ci
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a LineMetrics object created with the specified arguments.

getLineMetrics

public LineMetrics getLineMetrics(char[] chars,
                                  int beginIndex,
                                  int limit,
                                  Graphics context)
Returns the {@link LineMetrics} object for the specified character array in the specified {@link Graphics} context.

Parameters:
chars - the specified character array
beginIndex - the initial offset of chars
limit - the end offset of chars
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a LineMetrics object created with the specified character array and Graphics context.

getLineMetrics

public LineMetrics getLineMetrics(String str,
                                  Graphics context)
Returns the {@link LineMetrics} object for the specified String in the specified {@link Graphics} context.

Parameters:
str - the specified String
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a LineMetrics object created with the specified String and Graphics context.

getLineMetrics

public LineMetrics getLineMetrics(String str,
                                  int beginIndex,
                                  int limit,
                                  Graphics context)
Returns the {@link LineMetrics} object for the specified String in the specified {@link Graphics} context.

Parameters:
str - the specified String
beginIndex - the initial offset of str
limit - the end offset of str
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a LineMetrics object created with the specified String and Graphics context.

getMaxAdvance

public int getMaxAdvance()
Gets the maximum advance width of any character in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the string's baseline. The advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters.

Returns:
the maximum advance width of any character in the Font, or -1 if the maximum advance width is not known.

getMaxAscent

public int getMaxAscent()
Determines the maximum ascent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object. No character extends further above the font's baseline than this height.

Returns:
the maximum ascent of any character in the Font.

getMaxCharBounds

public Rectangle2D getMaxCharBounds(Graphics context)
Returns the bounds for the character with the maximum bounds in the specified Graphics context.

Parameters:
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a Rectangle2D that is the bounding box for the character with the maximum bounds.

getMaxDecent

public int getMaxDecent()
For backward compatibility only.

Returns:
the maximum descent of any character in the Font.

getMaxDescent

public int getMaxDescent()
Determines the maximum descent of the Font described by this FontMetrics object. No character extends further below the font's baseline than this height.

Returns:
the maximum descent of any character in the Font.

getStringBounds

public Rectangle2D getStringBounds(CharacterIterator ci,
                                   int beginIndex,
                                   int limit,
                                   Graphics context)
Returns the bounds of the characters indexed in the specified CharacterIterator in the specified Graphics context.

Note: The returned bounds is in baseline-relative coordinates (see {@link java.awt.FontMetrics class notes}).

Parameters:
ci - the specified CharacterIterator
beginIndex - the initial offset in ci
limit - the end index of ci
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a Rectangle2D that is the bounding box of the characters indexed in the specified CharacterIterator in the specified Graphics context.

getStringBounds

public Rectangle2D getStringBounds(char[] chars,
                                   int beginIndex,
                                   int limit,
                                   Graphics context)
Returns the bounds of the specified array of characters in the specified Graphics context. The bounds is used to layout the String created with the specified array of characters, beginIndex and limit.

Note: The returned bounds is in baseline-relative coordinates (see {@link java.awt.FontMetrics class notes}).

Parameters:
chars - an array of characters
beginIndex - the initial offset of the array of characters
limit - the end offset of the array of characters
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a Rectangle2D that is the bounding box of the specified character array in the specified Graphics context.

getStringBounds

public Rectangle2D getStringBounds(String str,
                                   Graphics context)
Returns the bounds of the specified String in the specified Graphics context. The bounds is used to layout the String.

Note: The returned bounds is in baseline-relative coordinates (see {@link java.awt.FontMetrics class notes}).

Parameters:
str - the specified String
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a {@link Rectangle2D} that is the bounding box of the specified String in the specified Graphics context.

getStringBounds

public Rectangle2D getStringBounds(String str,
                                   int beginIndex,
                                   int limit,
                                   Graphics context)
Returns the bounds of the specified String in the specified Graphics context. The bounds is used to layout the String.

Note: The returned bounds is in baseline-relative coordinates (see {@link java.awt.FontMetrics class notes}).

Parameters:
str - the specified String
beginIndex - the offset of the beginning of str
limit - the end offset of str
context - the specified Graphics context
Returns:
a Rectangle2D that is the bounding box of the specified String in the specified Graphics context.

getWidths

public int[] getWidths()
Gets the advance widths of the first 256 characters in the Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the character's baseline. Note that the advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters.

Returns:
an array storing the advance widths of the characters in the Font described by this FontMetrics object.

hasUniformLineMetrics

public boolean hasUniformLineMetrics()
Checks to see if the Font has uniform line metrics. A composite font may consist of several different fonts to cover various character sets. In such cases, the FontLineMetrics objects are not uniform. Different fonts may have a different ascent, descent, metrics and so on. This information is sometimes necessary for line measuring and line breaking.

Returns:
true if the font has uniform line metrics; false otherwise.

stringWidth

public int stringWidth(String str)
Returns the total advance width for showing the specified String in this Font. The advance is the distance from the leftmost point to the rightmost point on the string's baseline.

Note that the advance of a String is not necessarily the sum of the advances of its characters.

Parameters:
str - the String to be measured
Returns:
the advance width of the specified String in the Font described by this FontMetrics.

toString

public String toString()
Returns a representation of this FontMetrics object's values as a String.

Overrides:
toString in class Object
Returns:
a String representation of this FontMetrics object.


This documentation differs from the official API. Jadeite adds extra features to the API including: variable font sizes, constructions examples, placeholders for classes and methods, and auto-generated “See Also” links. Additionally it is missing some items found in standard Javadoc documentation, including: generics type information, “Deprecated” tags and comments, “See Also” links, along with other minor differences. Please send any questions or feedback to bam@cs.cmu.edu.
This page displays the Jadeite version of the documention, which is derived from the offical documentation that contains this copyright notice:
Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Use is subject to license terms. Also see the documentation redistribution policy.
The official Sun™ documentation can be found here at http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/.