Managing Canvas Operations

StickerNest's canvas is the core workspace where widgets and stickers live. This skill covers viewport manipulation, selection, and canvas interactions.

Canvas Architecture Overview

code

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  CanvasPage                                                 │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │  CanvasRenderer (DOM mode)                            │  │
│  │  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │  │
│  │  │  Viewport Transform Layer                       │  │  │
│  │  │  transform: translate(panX, panY) scale(zoom)   │  │  │
│  │  │  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐    │  │  │
│  │  │  │  Canvas Content                         │    │  │  │
│  │  │  │  - Widgets                              │    │  │  │
│  │  │  │  - Stickers                             │    │  │  │
│  │  │  │  - Grid                                 │    │  │  │
│  │  │  └─────────────────────────────────────────┘    │  │  │
│  │  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Viewport State

The viewport is managed in useCanvasStore:

typescript

interface ViewportState {
  panX: number;      // Horizontal offset (pixels)
  panY: number;      // Vertical offset (pixels)
  zoom: number;      // Zoom level (1 = 100%, 0.5 = 50%, 2 = 200%)
  width: number;     // Canvas width
  height: number;    // Canvas height
}

// Access viewport
const viewport = useCanvasStore((s) => s.viewport);
const { panX, panY, zoom } = viewport;

// Update viewport
useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({ zoom: 1.5 });

Pan Operations

Programmatic Pan

typescript

// Relative pan (add to current position)
useCanvasStore.getState().pan(deltaX, deltaY);

// Absolute pan (set position)
useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({ panX: 100, panY: 200 });

// Pan to center on a point
function panToCenter(targetX: number, targetY: number) {
  const { width, height, zoom } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;
  useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({
    panX: (width / 2) - (targetX * zoom),
    panY: (height / 2) - (targetY * zoom),
  });
}

Mouse/Touch Pan

typescript

function usePanGesture() {
  const [isPanning, setIsPanning] = useState(false);
  const lastPos = useRef({ x: 0, y: 0 });

  const onPointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
    if (e.button === 1 || e.button === 2 || spaceHeld) { // Middle click, right click, or space
      setIsPanning(true);
      lastPos.current = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
      e.currentTarget.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
    }
  };

  const onPointerMove = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
    if (!isPanning) return;
    const deltaX = e.clientX - lastPos.current.x;
    const deltaY = e.clientY - lastPos.current.y;
    useCanvasStore.getState().pan(deltaX, deltaY);
    lastPos.current = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
  };

  const onPointerUp = () => setIsPanning(false);

  return { onPointerDown, onPointerMove, onPointerUp, isPanning };
}

Zoom Operations

Programmatic Zoom

typescript

// Zoom to level
useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({ zoom: 1.5 });

// Zoom relative (multiply current)
const { zoom } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;
useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({ zoom: zoom * 1.1 });

// Zoom centered on point
function zoomAtPoint(factor: number, centerX: number, centerY: number) {
  const { panX, panY, zoom } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;
  const newZoom = Math.max(0.1, Math.min(5, zoom * factor)); // Clamp 10%-500%

  // Adjust pan to keep point stationary
  const scale = newZoom / zoom;
  const newPanX = centerX - (centerX - panX) * scale;
  const newPanY = centerY - (centerY - panY) * scale;

  useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({
    zoom: newZoom,
    panX: newPanX,
    panY: newPanY,
  });
}

Mouse Wheel Zoom

typescript

function useWheelZoom() {
  const onWheel = useCallback((e: WheelEvent) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    const factor = e.deltaY > 0 ? 0.9 : 1.1; // Zoom out/in
    zoomAtPoint(factor, e.clientX, e.clientY);
  }, []);

  useEffect(() => {
    const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
    canvas?.addEventListener('wheel', onWheel, { passive: false });
    return () => canvas?.removeEventListener('wheel', onWheel);
  }, [onWheel]);
}

Pinch-to-Zoom (Touch)

typescript

function usePinchZoom() {
  const initialDistance = useRef(0);
  const initialZoom = useRef(1);

  const onTouchStart = (e: TouchEvent) => {
    if (e.touches.length === 2) {
      const dx = e.touches[0].clientX - e.touches[1].clientX;
      const dy = e.touches[0].clientY - e.touches[1].clientY;
      initialDistance.current = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
      initialZoom.current = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport.zoom;
    }
  };

  const onTouchMove = (e: TouchEvent) => {
    if (e.touches.length === 2) {
      const dx = e.touches[0].clientX - e.touches[1].clientX;
      const dy = e.touches[0].clientY - e.touches[1].clientY;
      const distance = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
      const scale = distance / initialDistance.current;
      const newZoom = Math.max(0.1, Math.min(5, initialZoom.current * scale));

      // Center point between fingers
      const centerX = (e.touches[0].clientX + e.touches[1].clientX) / 2;
      const centerY = (e.touches[0].clientY + e.touches[1].clientY) / 2;

      zoomAtPoint(newZoom / useCanvasStore.getState().viewport.zoom, centerX, centerY);
    }
  };
}

Selection State

typescript

interface SelectionState {
  selectedIds: Set<string>;      // All selected widget IDs
  primaryId: string | null;      // Primary selection (for single-select ops)
  mode: 'single' | 'multi';      // Selection mode
  isSelecting: boolean;          // Currently drag-selecting
  selectionBox: {                // Drag selection rectangle
    startX: number;
    startY: number;
    endX: number;
    endY: number;
  } | null;
}

Selection Operations

typescript

// Select single widget
useCanvasStore.getState().selectWidget(widgetId);

// Add to selection (multi-select)
useCanvasStore.getState().addToSelection(widgetId);

// Toggle selection
useCanvasStore.getState().toggleSelection(widgetId);

// Clear selection
useCanvasStore.getState().clearSelection();

// Select multiple
useCanvasStore.getState().setSelection(new Set(['id1', 'id2', 'id3']));

// Check if selected
const isSelected = useCanvasStore((s) => s.selection.selectedIds.has(widgetId));

Drag Selection Box

typescript

function useDragSelection() {
  const startSelection = (x: number, y: number) => {
    useCanvasStore.getState().setSelectionBox({
      startX: x, startY: y, endX: x, endY: y
    });
  };

  const updateSelection = (x: number, y: number) => {
    const box = useCanvasStore.getState().selection.selectionBox;
    if (box) {
      useCanvasStore.getState().setSelectionBox({
        ...box, endX: x, endY: y
      });
    }
  };

  const finishSelection = () => {
    const box = useCanvasStore.getState().selection.selectionBox;
    if (box) {
      // Find widgets inside box
      const widgets = useCanvasStore.getState().widgets;
      const selected = new Set<string>();

      const minX = Math.min(box.startX, box.endX);
      const maxX = Math.max(box.startX, box.endX);
      const minY = Math.min(box.startY, box.endY);
      const maxY = Math.max(box.startY, box.endY);

      widgets.forEach((widget, id) => {
        if (widget.x >= minX && widget.x + widget.width <= maxX &&
            widget.y >= minY && widget.y + widget.height <= maxY) {
          selected.add(id);
        }
      });

      useCanvasStore.getState().setSelection(selected);
      useCanvasStore.getState().setSelectionBox(null);
    }
  };
}

Coordinate Conversions

Screen to Canvas Coordinates

typescript

function screenToCanvas(screenX: number, screenY: number): { x: number; y: number } {
  const { panX, panY, zoom } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;
  const canvasEl = document.getElementById('canvas');
  const rect = canvasEl?.getBoundingClientRect() ?? { left: 0, top: 0 };

  return {
    x: (screenX - rect.left - panX) / zoom,
    y: (screenY - rect.top - panY) / zoom,
  };
}

Canvas to Screen Coordinates

typescript

function canvasToScreen(canvasX: number, canvasY: number): { x: number; y: number } {
  const { panX, panY, zoom } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;
  const canvasEl = document.getElementById('canvas');
  const rect = canvasEl?.getBoundingClientRect() ?? { left: 0, top: 0 };

  return {
    x: canvasX * zoom + panX + rect.left,
    y: canvasY * zoom + panY + rect.top,
  };
}

Grid Snapping

typescript

interface GridSettings {
  snapToGrid: boolean;
  gridSize: number;        // e.g., 20 pixels
  showGrid: boolean;
  snapToCenter: boolean;
  showCenterGuides: boolean;
}

// Snap position to grid
function snapToGrid(pos: { x: number; y: number }): { x: number; y: number } {
  const { snapToGrid, gridSize } = useCanvasStore.getState().grid;
  if (!snapToGrid) return pos;

  return {
    x: Math.round(pos.x / gridSize) * gridSize,
    y: Math.round(pos.y / gridSize) * gridSize,
  };
}

Keyboard Shortcuts

typescript

// Common canvas shortcuts
useEffect(() => {
  const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
    // Zoom shortcuts
    if (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) {
      if (e.key === '=' || e.key === '+') {
        e.preventDefault();
        zoomIn();
      } else if (e.key === '-') {
        e.preventDefault();
        zoomOut();
      } else if (e.key === '0') {
        e.preventDefault();
        resetZoom(); // 100%
      }
    }

    // Selection shortcuts
    if (e.key === 'Escape') {
      clearSelection();
    }
    if (e.key === 'a' && (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey)) {
      e.preventDefault();
      selectAll();
    }
    if (e.key === 'Delete' || e.key === 'Backspace') {
      deleteSelected();
    }
  };

  window.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
  return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
}, []);

Fit to Content

typescript

function fitToContent() {
  const widgets = useCanvasStore.getState().widgets;
  if (widgets.size === 0) return;

  // Find bounding box of all widgets
  let minX = Infinity, minY = Infinity, maxX = -Infinity, maxY = -Infinity;

  widgets.forEach((widget) => {
    minX = Math.min(minX, widget.x);
    minY = Math.min(minY, widget.y);
    maxX = Math.max(maxX, widget.x + widget.width);
    maxY = Math.max(maxY, widget.y + widget.height);
  });

  const contentWidth = maxX - minX;
  const contentHeight = maxY - minY;
  const { width: viewWidth, height: viewHeight } = useCanvasStore.getState().viewport;

  // Calculate zoom to fit with padding
  const padding = 50;
  const zoomX = (viewWidth - padding * 2) / contentWidth;
  const zoomY = (viewHeight - padding * 2) / contentHeight;
  const newZoom = Math.min(zoomX, zoomY, 2); // Cap at 200%

  // Center content
  const centerX = (minX + maxX) / 2;
  const centerY = (minY + maxY) / 2;

  useCanvasStore.getState().setViewport({
    zoom: newZoom,
    panX: viewWidth / 2 - centerX * newZoom,
    panY: viewHeight / 2 - centerY * newZoom,
  });
}

Reference Files

File	Purpose
`src/state/useCanvasStore.ts`	Viewport and selection state
`src/components/canvas/CanvasRenderer.tsx`	DOM canvas rendering
`src/components/canvas/CanvasViewport.tsx`	Viewport transform layer
`src/hooks/useCanvasGestures.ts`	Pan/zoom gesture handling
`src/utils/canvasCoordinates.ts`	Coordinate conversion utilities