Line clipping against non rectangular clip windows

Line Clipping Against Non-Rectangular Clip Windows

Line Clipping Against Non-Rectangular Clip Windows

Clipping lines against non-rectangular clip windows involves ensuring that only the visible portions of the line are displayed within the specified region. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Define the Non-Rectangular Clip Window

Identify the vertices of the clip window and define it in terms of its boundary.

Step 2: Determine Line Segments

Split the line into segments, each between consecutive vertices of the line.

Step 3: Clip Each Segment

For each line segment, determine if it lies completely inside, completely outside, or partially inside the clip window.

Step 4: Apply Clipping Algorithms

Use algorithms like Cohen-Sutherland or Cyrus-Beck to clip the line segments against the clip window.

Step 5: Draw Clipped Segments

Draw the resulting clipped line segments within the clip window.

Example:

Consider a clip window defined by vertices A(100, 100), B(200, 100), C(200, 200), and D(100, 200). We want to clip a line segment with endpoints P(150, 50) and Q(150, 250) against this clip window.

After applying the Cohen-Sutherland algorithm, we find that the clipped line segment lies between points P'(150, 100) and Q'(150, 200). These points are then drawn on the screen.