Module java.desktop
Package java.awt.geom

Interface PathIterator

All Known Implementing Classes:
FlatteningPathIterator

public interface PathIterator
The PathIterator interface provides the mechanism for objects that implement the Shape interface to return the geometry of their boundary by allowing a caller to retrieve the path of that boundary a segment at a time. This interface allows these objects to retrieve the path of their boundary a segment at a time by using 1st through 3rd order Bézier curves, which are lines and quadratic or cubic Bézier splines.

Multiple subpaths can be expressed by using a "MOVETO" segment to create a discontinuity in the geometry to move from the end of one subpath to the beginning of the next.

Each subpath can be closed manually by ending the last segment in the subpath on the same coordinate as the beginning "MOVETO" segment for that subpath or by using a "CLOSE" segment to append a line segment from the last point back to the first. Be aware that manually closing an outline as opposed to using a "CLOSE" segment to close the path might result in different line style decorations being used at the end points of the subpath. For example, the BasicStroke object uses a line "JOIN" decoration to connect the first and last points if a "CLOSE" segment is encountered, whereas simply ending the path on the same coordinate as the beginning coordinate results in line "CAP" decorations being used at the ends.

See Also: