I'm writing a program where I want users to select or deselect items on the screen. When I had a few objects it was relatively easy to decipher hit areas using this method:

Code:

    float disX = p.position().x() - mouseX;
    float disY = p.position().y() - mouseY;
    if (sqrt(sq(disX) + sq(disY)) < w/2 ) {
      isPressed  = true;
    } 

http://jonobr1.com/code/brainMap/

However, when I try to set it up with the actual number of objects I'm going to use it becomes rather difficult to hit just one area. Is there a way to compare which item is drawn on top so that I can only click on one ellipse at a time


http://jonobr1.com/code/mindMap

Thanks for the quick response Cedric. I am using Traer Physics right now to separate them (basically giving a negative attraction from all ellipses to all other ellipses). But, it becomes difficult with so many ellipses and the constraints of the screen that I don't think I could simply just push them apart...I'll have to keep looking into this though. At the moment you can delete an ellipse by right clicking it. I think this would give a sense of "digging." You'd have to delete some to get to the bottom ones.

That layer management on OpenProcessing is incredible! Just what I was looking for.

It is quite some work, but I suggest to work on a virtual screen, ie. let the ellipses go beyond the screen. With user movements (translation, zoom in/out), it would be easier to navigate in your complex network and to distinguish elements in it.