Motion Path Module Level 1

1. Introduction

This section is not normative.

Authors have possibilities to position objects like boxes or containers relative to each other or absolutely in their own coordinate system. CSS Transforms extends these possibilities with a set of transform functions allowing authors to mutate the object’s local coordinate system. With CSS Animations and CSS Transitions, these static placements can change over a given period of time. Both kind of animations are powerful to express transitions in time but not suitable to describe transitions of location of an object over time.

This specification allows authors to specify a path. The object can be positioned, transitioned and animated along this path over a given period of time. The time may be static if no animation was specified.

In the following example, a schematic of an air plane is animated along a path. The plane faces in the direction of the path at each position on the path.

A black plane at different positions on a blue dotted path, rotated in the direction of the path.

2. Module interactions

This specification defines a set of CSS properties that affect the visual rendering of elements to which those properties are applied. These effects are applied after boxes have been sized and positioned according to the Visual formatting model from [CSS21]. Some values of offset-path and offset-position result in the creation of a stacking context and containing block.

Some CSS properties in this specification manipulate the user coordinate system of the element by transformations. These transformations are pre-multiplied to transformations specified by the transform property or deriving properties defined in CSS Transform Module Level 1 [CSS-TRANSFORMS-1], and post-multiplied to transformations specified by the individual transform properties translate, scale, and rotate, as explained in CSS Transform Module Level 2.

3. Values

This specification follows the CSS property definition conventions from [CSS21]. Basic shapes are defined in CSS Shapes Module Level 1 [CSS-SHAPES]. Value types not defined in these specifications are defined in CSS Values and Units Module Level 3 [CSS3VAL].

In addition to the property-specific values listed in their definitions, all properties defined in this specification also accept CSS-wide keywords such as initial and inherit as their property value [CSS3VAL]. For readability it has not been repeated explicitly.

4. Motion Paths

The Motion Path module allows specifying the position of a box as the distance (offset-distance) of the box’s anchor point (offset-anchor) along a geometrical path (offset-path) defined against the coordinates (offset-position) of its containing block. The box’s orientation can optionally be specified as a rotation (offset-rotate) with respect to the direction of the path at that point.

4.1. Define a path: The offset-path property

Specifies the offset path, a geometrical path the box gets positioned on. An offset path is either a specified path with one or multiple sub-paths or the geometry of a not styled basic shape.

A path may consist of a ray or a <basic-shape> like <circle()>, <inset()> or <polygon()>. To allow authors to specify curves and sub-paths, this specification adds the <path()> function in addition to the existing <basic-shape> functions. The <path()> function takes an SVG Path string as input [SVG2]. As another option, authors may reference an SVG shape element by <url> which is used as the path.

In this specification, a direction (or rotation) of 0 degree is equivalent to the direction of the negative y-axis in the object’s local coordinate system. E.g. A rotation of 0 degree points to the upper side of the UA if the object and its ancestors have no transformation applied.

Values have the following meanings:

ray( [ <angle> && <size> && contain? ] )

<angle>

The offset path is a line segment that starts from the position of the box and proceeds in the direction defined by the specified <angle>. As with CSS gradients, <angle> values are interpreted as bearing angles, with 0deg pointing up and positive angles representing clockwise rotation.

Note: Defining an offset path with <angle>, the box can be positioned with the used of polar coordinates. The polar coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which each point on a plane is determined by a distance from a fixed point and an angle from a fixed line. The fixed point which is similar to the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system is called the pole, and the fixed line which is a ray from the pole is the polar axis. This coordinate system specifies the position of a point with a certain distance from the pole and a certain angle measured from the polar axis to the segment connecting the pole. In mathematical theory, the polar axis is commonly defined as the positive direction of the x axis, but we consider the polar axis as the positive direction of the y axis for consistency with other CSS specifications such as [CSS3VAL], <angle> value. (as the preceding line doesn’t have "x axis position")

<size>

Decides the path length used when offset-distance is expressed as a percentage, using the distance to the containing box. For <size> values other than sides, the path length is independent of <angle>.

It is defined as

 <size> = [ closest-side | closest-corner | farthest-side | farthest-corner | sides ]

closest-side

The distance is measured between the initial position and the closest side of the box from it.

closest-corner

The distance is measured between the initial position and the closest corner of the box from it.

farthest-side

The distance is measured between the initial position and the farthest side of the box from it.

farthest-corner

The distance is measured between the initial position and the farthest corner of the box from it.

sides

The distance is measured between the initial position and the intersection of the ray with the box. If the initial position is not within the box, the distance is 0.

Note: When the initial position is on one of the edges of the containing block, the closest side takes the edge that the initial position is on, and thus the path length used for percentage offset-distance values is 0.

contain

The used value of offset-distance is clamped so that the box is entirely contained within the path.

If no offset-distance would lead to the box being enclosed by the path, the path size is minimally increased so that such an offset-distance exists.

Here are some examples. The first example shows that some parts of boxes are outside of the offset path.

<style>
  body {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
  }
  .box {
    width: 50px;
    height: 50px;
    offset-position: 50% 50%;
    offset-distance: 100%;
    offset-rotate: 0deg;
  }
  #redBox {
    background-color: red;
    offset-path: ray(45deg closest-side);
  }
  #blueBox {
    background-color: blue;
    offset-path: ray(180deg closest-side);
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="redBox"></div>
  <div class="box" id="blueBox"></div>
</body>

In the second example, contain is given to the offset-path value of each box to avoid overflowing.

<style>
  body {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
  }
  .box {
    width: 50px;
    height: 50px;
    offset-position: 50% 50%;
    offset-distance: 100%;
    offset-rotate: 0deg;
  }
  #redBox {
    background-color: red;
    offset-path: ray(45deg closest-side contain);
  }
  #blueBox {
    background-color: blue;
    offset-path: ray(180deg closest-side contain);
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="redBox"></div>
  <div class="box" id="blueBox"></div>
</body>

In the third example, the path size is increased so that the box can be contained. The used offset distance is negative.

<style>
  body {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 250px;
    height: 250px;
  }
  .box {
    width: 60%;
    height: 10%;

    offset-position: 20% 20%;
    offset-distance: 0%;
    offset-anchor: 200% -300%;
  }
  #blueBox {
    background-color: blue;
    offset-path: ray(-90deg closest-side contain);
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="blueBox"></div>
</body>

<basic-shape> || <geometry-box>

The offset path is a basic shape as specified in CSS Shapes [CSS-SHAPES].

offset-position is ignored for circle and ellipse basic shapes with explicit center positions, and for other types of basic shapes. If a circle or ellipse basic shape has no explicit center position, the shape is centered at the initial position of the path, as described in offset-position.

The initial position and initial direction of the path describe the position of the box along the path when offset-distance begins increasing from 0%.

The initial position for basic shapes are defined as follows:

<circle()>

<ellipse()>

The initial position is defined by the point where a horizontal tangent to the circle/ellipse would reach the top vertical position.

<inset()>

The initial position is the left end of the top horizontal line, immediately to the right of any border-radius arc.

<polygon()>

The initial position is defined by the first coordinate pair of the polygon. The initial direction is defined by the vector connecting the initial position with the next following coordinate pair that isn’t equal to the initial position.

The <geometry-box> specified in combination with a <basic-shape> provides the reference box for the <basic-shape>. If no reference box is specified, the border-box will be used as reference box. If <geometry-box> is supplied without a <basic-shape>, the initial position is the left end of the top horizontal line, immediately to the right of any border-radius arc, and the initial direction is to the right.

Apart from polygons with non-zero length, the initial direction is 90 degrees (i.e. to the right).

Note: This gives 0deg rotation when offset-rotate is auto.

This example shows how <geometry-box> offset path works in combination with border-radius.

<style>
  body {
    width: 500px;
    height: 300px;
    border-radius: 80px;
    border: dashed aqua;
    margin: 0;
  }
  #blueBox {
    width: 40px;
    height: 20px;
    background-color: blue;
    offset-path: margin-box;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div id="blueBox"></div>
</body>

This example uses a circle with implicit center position.

<style>
  body {
    width: 323px;
    height: 131px;
    margin: 0px;
    border: 2px solid black;
    padding: 8px;
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
  }
  .item {
    width:  90px;
    height: 40px;
    background-color: violet;
  }
  #middle {
    offset-position: auto;
    offset-path: circle(60%) margin-box;
    offset-distance: 25%;
    offset-anchor: left top;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="item"></div>
  <div class="item" id="middle"></div>
  <div class="item"></div>
</body>

path() = path(<string>)

The <string> represents an SVG Path data string. The path data string must be conform to the grammar and parsing rules of SVG 1.1 [SVG11]. The initial position is defined by the first “move to” argument in the path string. For the initial direction follow SVG 1.1 [SVG11].

<url>

References an SVG shape element and uses its geometry as offset path. See SVG 1.1 for more information about the initial position and initial direction [SVG11].

none

No offset path gets created. When offset-path is none, offset-distance and offset-rotate have no effect.

A computed value of other than none results in the creation of a stacking context [CSS21] and containing block, per usual for transforms.

A reference that fails to download, is not a reference to an SVG shape element, or is non-existent, is treated as equivalent to path("m 0 0").

Note: This is a zero length path with directionality aligned with the positive x-axis.

See the section “Calculating the path transform” for how to use the offset path to compute the transform.

For SVG shape elements without associated CSS layout box, the used value for content-box, padding-box, border-box and margin-box is fill-box.

For shape elements with associated CSS layout box, the used value for fill-box, stroke-box and view-box is border-box.

4.2. Position on the path: The offset-distance property

Specifies the position of the box as a distance along the offset path.

<length-percentage>

Specifies the distance from the initial position of the offset path to the position of the box’s anchor point.

Percentages are relative to the length of the offset path—that is, the distance between the initial position and the end position of the offset path.

4.2.1. Calculating the computed distance along a path

Processing the distance along an offset path operates differently depending upon the nature of the offset path:

• References to <angle> offset paths with contain are unclosed intervals.

• References to <angle> offset paths without contain are unbounded rays.

• All basic CSS shapes are closed loops.

• Offset paths (including references to SVG Paths) are closed loops only if the final command in the path list is a closepath command ("z" or "Z"), otherwise they are unclosed intervals.

• References to SVG circles, ellipses, images, polygons and rects are closed loops.

• References to SVG lines and polylines are unclosed intervals.

To determine the used offset distance for a given offset path and offset distance:

This example shows boxes placed along an unclosed interval.

<style>
  .item {
    width: 100px;
    height: 40px;
    offset-position: 0% 0%;
    offset-path: path('m 0 0 h 200 v 150');
  }
  #box1 {
    background-color: red;
    offset-distance: -280%;
  }
  #box2 {
    background-color: green;
    offset-distance: 190%;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="item" id="box1"></div>
  <div class="item" id="box2"></div>
</body>

This example shows boxes placed along a closed interval.

<style>
  .item {
    width: 100px;
    height: 40px;
    offset-position: 0% 0%;
    offset-path: path('m 0 0 h 200 v 150 z');
  }
  #box1 {
    background-color: red;
    offset-distance: -280%;
  }
  #box2 {
    background-color: green;
    offset-distance: 190%;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="item" id="box1"></div>
  <div class="item" id="box2"></div>
</body>

This example shows a way to align boxes within the polar coordinate system using offset-path, offset-distance.

<style>
  body {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 300px;
    height: 300px;
    border: dashed gray;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  .circleBox {
    position: absolute;
    left: 50%;
    top: 50%;
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
    background-color: red;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  #circle1 {
    offset-path: ray(0deg farthest-side);
    offset-distance: 50%;
  }
  #circle2 {
    offset-path: ray(90deg farthest-side);
    offset-distance: 20%;
  }
  #circle3 {
    offset-path: ray(225deg farthest-side);
    offset-distance: 100%;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="circleBox" id="circle1"></div>
  <div class="circleBox" id="circle2"></div>
  <div class="circleBox" id="circle3"></div>
</body>

4.3. Define the starting point of the path: The offset-position property

Specifies the initial position of the offset path. If position is specified with static, offset-position would be ignored.

Values are defined as follows:

auto

Indicates the initial position is the position of the box specified with position property.

Note: When position is static and offset-position is auto (and not ignored due to offset-path), we have positioning relative to normal flow.

<position>

Specifies the initial position, with the the containing block as the positioning area and a dimensionless point (zero-sized box) as the object area.

Note: This is similar to absolute positioning, except that offset-position does not prevent boxes from impacting the layout of later siblings.

A computed value of other than auto results in the creation of a stacking context [CSS21] and containing block, per usual for transforms.

offset-position is ignored if offset-path is a geometry-box, or a basic shape (other than a circle or ellipse with implicit center). In these cases, the geometry-box or basic shape specifies the initial position.

This example shows positioning a box with offset-position.

<style>
  #wrap {
    position: relative;
    width: 300px;
    height: 300px;
    border: 1px solid black;
  }

  #box {
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: green;
    position: absolute;
    top: 100px;
    left: 80px;
    offset-position: auto;
    offset-anchor: center;
    offset-path: ray(45deg);
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div id="wrap">
    <div id="box"></div>
  </div>
</body>

This example shows the interaction with the transform property, and with an individual transform property (rotate). The motion path transform is a vertical translation moving (left, top) to offset-position.

<style>
  #wrap {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 400px;
    height: 350px;
  }
  .item {
    position: absolute;
    left: 200px;
    top: 0px;
    offset-position: 200px 100px; /* translates by 0px,100px */
    offset-anchor: left top;
    transform-origin: left top;
    width: 130px;
    height: 80px;
    border-top-right-radius: 23px;
  }
  #box1 {
    background-color: tomato;
    offset-position: auto;
  }
  #box2 {
    background-color: green;
  }
  #box3 {
    background-color: navy;
    rotate: 90deg; /* applied before motion path transform */
  }
  #box4 {
    background-color: gold;
    transform: rotate(90deg); /* applied after motion path transform */
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div id="wrap">
    <div class="item" id="box1"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box2"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box3"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box4"></div>
  </div>
</body>

This example uses position static, so offset-position generates translations from the normal flow positions. By amplifying these translations using scale, the normal flow is rotated 180 degrees around the offset-position, and the boxes are exploded away from each other.

<style>
  #wrap {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 500px;
    height: 250px;
    line-height: 0px;
  }
  span {
    position: static;
    display: inline-block;
    width: 100px;
    height: 50px;
    border-top-right-radius: 23px;
    scale: 2.5 2.5; /* applied before motion path transform */
    offset-position: center;
    transform: scale(0.4); /* applied after motion path transform */
  }
  #box1 {
    background-color: tomato;
  }
  #box2 {
    background-color: green;
  }
  #box3 {
    background-color: navy;
  }
  #box4 {
    background-color: gold;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div id="wrap">
    <div>
      <span id="box1"></span><span id="box2"></span>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="box3"></span><span id="box4"></span>
    </div>
  </div>
</body>

In this example, each offset-position value is ignored as offset-path is a <geometry-box>, but the other offset properties combine to have an effect equivalent to that for offset-position 'right bottom'.

<style>
  #wrap {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 540px;
    height: 420px;
  }
  .item {
    position: absolute;
    width: 90px;
    height: 70px;
    border-top-right-radius: 23px;
    scale: 0.8 0.8; /* applied before motion path transform */
    offset-path: padding-box;
    offset-distance: 50%;
    offset-rotate: 0deg;
    offset-anchor: right bottom;
    transform: scale(1.25); /* applied after motion path transform */
  }
  #box1 {
    background-color: tomato;
    position: static;
    offset-position: auto; /* ignored */
  }
  #box2 {
    background-color: green;
    right: 0px;
    top: 0px;
    offset-position: 23% 45%; /* ignored */
  }
  #box3 {
    background-color: navy;
    left: 0px;
    bottom: 0px;
    offset-position: 34% 56px; /* ignored */
  }
  #box4 {
    background-color: gold;
    right: 0px;
    bottom: 0px;
    offset-position: 45px 67px; /* ignored */
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div id="wrap">
    <div class="item" id="box1"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box2"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box3"></div>
    <div class="item" id="box4"></div>
  </div>
</body>

4.4. Define an anchor point: The offset-anchor property

Defines an anchor point of the box positioned along the path. The anchor point specifies the point of the box which is to be considered as the point that is moved along the path.

Values have the following meanings:

auto

Computes to the value from offset-position, provided offset-path is none and offset-position is not auto. Otherwise, computes to the value from transform-origin. When auto is given to offset-anchor, and offset-path is none, offset-position behaves similar to background-position.

<position>

<percentage>

A percentage for the horizontal offset is relative to width of content area. A percentage for the vertical offset is relative to the height of the content area. For example, with a value pair of '100%, 0%', an anchor point is on the upper right corner of the box.

<length>

A length value gives a length offset from the upper left corner of the box’s content area.

The following explains how to set the anchor point of the box.

#plane {
  offset-anchor: center;
}

The red dot in the middle of the shape indicates the anchor point of the shape.

This example shows an alignment of four boxes with different anchor points.

<style>
  body {
    transform-style: preserve-3d;
    width: 300px;
    height: 300px;
    border: 2px solid gray;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  .box {
    width: 50px;
    height: 50px;
    background-color: orange;
    offset-position: 50% 50%;
    offset-distance: 100%;
    offset-rotate: 0deg;
  }
  #item1 {
    offset-path: ray(45deg closest-side);
    offset-anchor: right top;
  }
  #item2 {
    offset-path: ray(135deg closest-side);
    offset-anchor: right bottom;
  }
  #item3 {
    offset-path: ray(225deg closest-side);
    offset-anchor: left bottom;
  }
  #item4 {
    offset-path: ray(315deg closest-side);
    offset-anchor: left top;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="item1"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item2"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item3"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item4"></div>
</body>

This example shows boxes centered at their offset-position.

<style>
  body {
    width: 500px;
    height: 500px;
  }
  .box {
    background-color: mediumpurple;
    offset-path: none;
    offset-anchor: center;
  }
  #item1 {
    offset-position: 90% 20%;
    width: 60;
    height: 20;
  }
  #item2 {
    offset-position: 100% 100%;
    width: 30;
    height: 10;
  }
  #item3 {
    offset-position: 50% 100%;
    width: 20;
    height: 60;
  }
  #item4 {
    offset-position: 0% 100%;
    width: 30;
    height: 90;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="item1"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item2"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item3"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item4"></div>
</body>

This example shows how offset-anchor computes to their offset-position.

<style>
  body {
    width: 500px;
    height: 500px;
  }
  .box {
    background-color: mediumpurple;
    offset-path: none;
    offset-anchor: auto;
  }
  #item1 {
    offset-position: 90% 20%;
    width: 60;
    height: 20;
  }
  #item2 {
    offset-position: 100% 100%;
    width: 30;
    height: 10;
  }
  #item3 {
    offset-position: 50% 100%;
    width: 20;
    height: 60;
  }
  #item4 {
    offset-position: 0% 100%;
    width: 30;
    height: 90;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="box" id="item1"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item2"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item3"></div>
  <div class="box" id="item4"></div>
</body>

4.5. Rotation at point: The offset-rotate property

Defines the orientation of the box while positioning along the path.

Values have the following meanings:

auto

Indicates that the object is rotated (over time if offset-distance is animated) by the angle of the direction (i.e., directional tangent vector) of the path, relative to the positive x-axis. If specified in combination with <angle>, the computed value of <angle> is added to the computed value of auto.

Note: For ray paths, the rotation implied by auto is 90 degrees less than the ray’s bearing <angle>.

reverse

Indicates that the object is rotated (over time if offset-distance is animated) by the angle of the direction (i.e., directional tangent vector) of the path, relative to the positive x-axis, plus 180 degrees. If specified in combination with <angle>, the computed value of <angle> is added to the computed value of reverse.

Note: This is the same as specifying auto 180deg.

<angle>

Indicates that the box has a constant clockwise rotation transformation applied to it by the specified rotation angle. See definitions of auto or reverse if specified in combination with either one of the keywords.

When the offset path is a zero length path, the value of offset-rotate is 0 degree, the direction of the positive x-axis.

If the offset path is composed of multiple line segments, the orientation at the connection between the segments is the same as the direction of the previous segment.

Note: The rotation described here does not override or replace any rotation defined by the transform property.

The following examples use the shape of a plane. The red dot in the middle of the shape indicates the anchor point of the shape. When no offset properties are set, the shape is not translated or rotated along the path.

When the shape’s anchor point is placed at different positions along the path and offset-rotate is 0deg, the shape is not rotated.

If the offset-rotate property is set to auto, and the shape’s anchor point is placed at different positions along the path, the shape is rotated based on the gradient at the current position and faces the direction of the path at this position.

In this example, the offset-rotate property is set to reverse. The plane faces the opposite direction of the path at each position on the path.

The last example sets the offset-rotate property to -45deg. The shape is rotated anticlockwise by 45 degree once and keeps the rotation at each position on the path.

This example shows how auto or reverse work when specified in combination with <angle>. The computed value of <angle> is added to the computed value of auto or reverse.

<style>
  body {
    width: 300px;
    height: 300px;
    margin: 0px;
    border: solid gray;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  .circle {
    offset-position: 150px 150px;
    width: 50px;
    height: 50px;
    background-color: mediumpurple;
    border-radius: 50%;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
  }
  #item1 {
    offset-path: ray(0deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: auto 90deg;
  }
  #item2 {
    offset-path: ray(45deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: auto 90deg;
  }
  #item3 {
    offset-path: ray(135deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: auto -90deg;
  }
  #item4 {
    offset-path: ray(180deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: auto -90deg;
  }
  #item5 {
    offset-path: ray(225deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: reverse 90deg;
  }
  #item6 {
    offset-path: ray(-45deg closest-side);
    offset-distance: 90%;
    offset-rotate: reverse -90deg;
  }
</style>
<body>
  <div class="circle" id="item1">1</div>
  <div class="circle" id="item2">2</div>
  <div class="circle" id="item3">3</div>
  <div class="circle" id="item4">4</div>
  <div class="circle" id="item5">5</div>
  <div class="circle" id="item6">6</div>
</body>

4.5.1. Calculating the path transform

Do we need to say how to get the position in more detail?

There needs to be a process for converting rotate to an angle.

4.6. Offset shorthand: The offset property

This is a shorthand property for setting offset-position, offset-path, offset-distance, offset-rotate and offset-anchor. Omitted values are set to their initial values.