Generate SVG components without displaying them

Question

Generate SVG components without displaying them

Is there a way to generate a custom SVG graphic through a function without the need to attach it to any element? Can I simply create an empty selection and return that instead? Here is my current implementation:

function makeGraphic(svgParent) {
    return svgParent.append('circle').attrs({...});
}

This is what I am aiming for:

function makeGraphic() {
    return d3.makeCircle?.attrs({...});
}

svgParent.append(makeGraphic());

javascript d3.js svg

Answer 1

Answer №1

To improve the shape generation process, you can create a temporary svg node within a function without actually rendering the svg itself. This allows you to manipulate the svg as a regular node and generate various shapes.

It's worth noting that the .append() method in D3.js accepts either a tag name or a function. Below, I provide the function instead of its result:

var svg = d3.select("body")
  .append("svg")
  .attr("width", 400)
  .attr("height",200)
  .attr("transform", "translate(200,100)");
  
var makeCircle = function() {
  // create a temporary svg
  let svg = document.createElementNS(d3.namespaces.svg, "svg")
  // create a circle
  let circle = d3.select(svg).append("circle")
    .attr("r", 20)
    .attr("fill", "steelblue");
    
  // return a circle
  return circle.node(); 

}

svg.append(makeCircle);

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

This approach enables you to develop a more complex shape generator for creating shapes that can be used with methods like d3.append():

let svg = d3.select("body").append("svg")
    .attr("width", 500)
    .attr("height", 200);
    

var shapes = [{shape: "circle",y: 40, fill: "darkblue"},{shape:"square", y: 35},{y:40}]

svg.selectAll()
  .data(shapes)
  .enter()
  .append(shapemaker);    

function shapemaker(options = {}) {
 let svg = document.createElementNS(d3.namespaces.svg, "svg")
 var shape;
 if (options.shape == "circle") {
   shape = d3.select(svg).append("circle")
       .attr("cx", options.x ? options.x : 50)
       .attr("cy", options.y ? options.y : 50) 
       .attr("r", options.r ? options.r : 10)
       .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "steelblue" )
    }
    else if (options.shape == "square") {
      shape = d3.select(svg).append("rect")
       .attr("x", options.x ? options.x : 100)
       .attr("y", options.y ? options.y : 50) 
       .attr("width", options.width ? options.size : 10)
       .attr("height", options.width ? options.size : 10)
       .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "orange" )
    }
    else {
      let x = options.x ? options.x : 150, y = options.y ? options.y : 50;
      shape = d3.select(svg).append("path")
        .attr("d", d3.symbol().type(d3.symbolStar).size(options.size ? options.size : 100))
        .attr("transform","translate("+[x,y]+")")
        .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "crimson")

    }
 
  return shape.node();
   
}

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

Answer 2

To improve the shape generation process, you can create a temporary svg node within a function without actually rendering the svg itself. This allows you to manipulate the svg as a regular node and generate various shapes.

It's worth noting that the .append() method in D3.js accepts either a tag name or a function. Below, I provide the function instead of its result:

var svg = d3.select("body")
  .append("svg")
  .attr("width", 400)
  .attr("height",200)
  .attr("transform", "translate(200,100)");
  
var makeCircle = function() {
  // create a temporary svg
  let svg = document.createElementNS(d3.namespaces.svg, "svg")
  // create a circle
  let circle = d3.select(svg).append("circle")
    .attr("r", 20)
    .attr("fill", "steelblue");
    
  // return a circle
  return circle.node(); 

}

svg.append(makeCircle);

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

This approach enables you to develop a more complex shape generator for creating shapes that can be used with methods like d3.append():

let svg = d3.select("body").append("svg")
    .attr("width", 500)
    .attr("height", 200);
    

var shapes = [{shape: "circle",y: 40, fill: "darkblue"},{shape:"square", y: 35},{y:40}]

svg.selectAll()
  .data(shapes)
  .enter()
  .append(shapemaker);    

function shapemaker(options = {}) {
 let svg = document.createElementNS(d3.namespaces.svg, "svg")
 var shape;
 if (options.shape == "circle") {
   shape = d3.select(svg).append("circle")
       .attr("cx", options.x ? options.x : 50)
       .attr("cy", options.y ? options.y : 50) 
       .attr("r", options.r ? options.r : 10)
       .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "steelblue" )
    }
    else if (options.shape == "square") {
      shape = d3.select(svg).append("rect")
       .attr("x", options.x ? options.x : 100)
       .attr("y", options.y ? options.y : 50) 
       .attr("width", options.width ? options.size : 10)
       .attr("height", options.width ? options.size : 10)
       .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "orange" )
    }
    else {
      let x = options.x ? options.x : 150, y = options.y ? options.y : 50;
      shape = d3.select(svg).append("path")
        .attr("d", d3.symbol().type(d3.symbolStar).size(options.size ? options.size : 100))
        .attr("transform","translate("+[x,y]+")")
        .attr("fill", options.fill ? options.fill : "crimson")

    }
 
  return shape.node();
   
}

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

Answer 3

Answer №2

One approach that fits perfectly in this scenario is utilizing a detached element. Another option could be using a DocumentFragment, but within D3 code, a detached element is considered more idiomatic.

To create a detached whatever SVG element, you can easily do the following:

var detached = d3.create('svg:whatever');

As per the documentation,

Upon providing the specified element name, it returns a single-element selection containing a detached element with the given name within the current document.

This procedure mirrors Andrew's response to some extent, because d3.create internally utilizes document.createElement. Nevertheless, make sure to note that it uses document.createElement, not document.createElementNS, hence the namespace is imperative here:

var detached = d3.create('svg:whatever');
//this signifies the namespace----ˆ

Subsequently, you can structure it as desired. For example:

detached.selectAll(null)
    .data(d3.range(5))
    .enter()
    .append("circle")
    //etc...

Following this, obtain the node of the detached element and insert it wherever needed using append:

svg.append(function(){ return detached.node();});

Here's an illustration; the function makeGraphic generates a detached element and provides its node. Afterwards, we simply append the returned value to the SVG:

var svg = d3.select("body")
  .append("svg")
  .attr("width", 500)
  .attr("height", 300);

function makeGraphic() {
  var detached = d3.create('svg:g');
  detached.selectAll(null)
    .data(d3.range(10))
    .enter()
    .append("circle")
    .attr("cx", function() {
      return Math.random() * 500
    })
    .attr("cy", function() {
      return Math.random() * 300
    })
    .attr("r", function() {
      return Math.random() * 50
    })
    .attr("fill", function(_, i) {
      return d3.schemeCategory10[i]
    });
  return detached.node();
};

svg.append(makeGraphic)

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

Answer 4

One approach that fits perfectly in this scenario is utilizing a detached element. Another option could be using a DocumentFragment, but within D3 code, a detached element is considered more idiomatic.

To create a detached whatever SVG element, you can easily do the following:

var detached = d3.create('svg:whatever');

As per the documentation,

Upon providing the specified element name, it returns a single-element selection containing a detached element with the given name within the current document.

This procedure mirrors Andrew's response to some extent, because d3.create internally utilizes document.createElement. Nevertheless, make sure to note that it uses document.createElement, not document.createElementNS, hence the namespace is imperative here:

var detached = d3.create('svg:whatever');
//this signifies the namespace----ˆ

Subsequently, you can structure it as desired. For example:

detached.selectAll(null)
    .data(d3.range(5))
    .enter()
    .append("circle")
    //etc...

Following this, obtain the node of the detached element and insert it wherever needed using append:

svg.append(function(){ return detached.node();});

Here's an illustration; the function makeGraphic generates a detached element and provides its node. Afterwards, we simply append the returned value to the SVG:

var svg = d3.select("body")
  .append("svg")
  .attr("width", 500)
  .attr("height", 300);

function makeGraphic() {
  var detached = d3.create('svg:g');
  detached.selectAll(null)
    .data(d3.range(10))
    .enter()
    .append("circle")
    .attr("cx", function() {
      return Math.random() * 500
    })
    .attr("cy", function() {
      return Math.random() * 300
    })
    .attr("r", function() {
      return Math.random() * 50
    })
    .attr("fill", function(_, i) {
      return d3.schemeCategory10[i]
    });
  return detached.node();
};

svg.append(makeGraphic)

<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v5.min.js"></script>

Generate SVG components without displaying them

Answer №1

Answer №2

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