How can I create a new PGraphics without having access to an existing PGraphics?

MadEmperorYuri

According to https://processing.org/reference/PGraphics.html:

To create a new graphics context, use the createGraphics() function. Do not use the syntax new PGraphics().

I have a place in my code where I need to create a PGraphics, but it is not in a place where I have access to an existing PGraphics on which to call createGraphics(). What can I do?

MadEmperorYuri

To be clear, this place is not inside any of PApplet's methods (e.g. draw()).

MadEmperorYuri

Here's a thing I've figured out how to do. I gave my subclass of PApplet a static property pointing to my instance of my subclass of PApplet. I then created a static method on my subclass of PApplet that gets a new PGraphics from that referenced instance. Now I can write

// Processing is the name of my subclass of PApplet.

PGraphics aNewPGraphics = Processing.createPGraphics(width, height);

I feel like this is really kludgy, though. I still wonder if there's a better way.

KevinWorkman

If you're inside the Processing editor in the sketch, you can just call the createGraphics() function directly.

If you're inside something like a .java class in a new tab, then you have to pass your sketch in and use that as a reference. This is exactly how you'd use functions like ellipse() and fill().

class MyClass{
  private PApplet sketch;
  public MyClass(PApplet sketch){
    this.sketch = sketch;
  }

  public void whatever(){
    PGraphics myGraphics = sketch.createGraphics();
  }
}

Then in your main sketch, you'd use the this keyword to pass a reference to the sketch into the class:

MyClass myClass = new MyClass(this);