AlignHelpers

AlignHelpers provides a comprehensive set of alignment and distribution utilities for UI layout. It supports horizontal and vertical alignment, stretching, padding, offset, and even distribution of multiple elements within containers or the viewport.

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Overview

Feature	Description
Horizontal Alignment	Left, Center, Right, Stretch
Vertical Alignment	Top, Center, Bottom, Stretch
Container Positioning	Align within any container
Viewport Positioning	Align within the game viewport
Padding Support	Add padding around elements
Offset Support	Add offsets to positions
Distribution	Evenly distribute multiple items

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Enums

HAlign

Defines horizontal alignment options.

Value	Description
Left	Aligns the element to the left edge
Center	Aligns the element to the center
Right	Aligns the element to the right edge
Stretch	Stretches the element to fill the available width

VAlign

Defines vertical alignment options.

Value	Description
Top	Aligns the element to the top edge
Center	Aligns the element to the center
Bottom	Aligns the element to the bottom edge
Stretch	Stretches the element to fill the available height

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Alignment Methods

AlignWidth

Calculates the horizontal position of a child element within a parent.

float x = AlignHelpers.AlignWidth(containerWidth, childWidth, HAlign.Center);
float xWithOffset = AlignHelpers.AlignWidth(containerWidth, childWidth, HAlign.Center, 10f);

AlignHeight

Calculates the vertical position of a child element within a parent.

float y = AlignHelpers.AlignHeight(containerHeight, childHeight, VAlign.Center);
float yWithOffset = AlignHelpers.AlignHeight(containerHeight, childHeight, VAlign.Center, 10f);

AlignCenter

Aligns a child element to the center of a parent.

Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignCenter(parentSize, childSize);
Vect2 positionWithOffset = AlignHelpers.AlignCenter(parentSize, childSize, new Vect2(10f, -10f));

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Stretching Methods

StretchWidth

Calculates the width for a stretched element within a parent.

float width = AlignHelpers.StretchWidth(containerWidth);
float widthWithPadding = AlignHelpers.StretchWidth(containerWidth, 10f);

StretchHeight

Calculates the height for a stretched element within a parent.

float height = AlignHelpers.StretchHeight(containerHeight);
float heightWithPadding = AlignHelpers.StretchHeight(containerHeight, 10f);

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Viewport Alignment

AlignToViewport

Aligns a child element within the game viewport.

// Center an element in the viewport
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToViewport(
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center
);

// With offset
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToViewport(
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center,
    new Vect2(10f, -10f)
);

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Container Alignment

AlignToContainer

Aligns a child element within a container.

// Basic alignment
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToContainer(
    containerSize,
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center
);

// With offset
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToContainer(
    containerSize,
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center,
    new Vect2(10f, -10f)
);

With Padding

Aligns a child element within a container with padding.

Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToContainer(
    containerSize,
    new Vect2(10f, 10f), // Padding
    childSize,
    HAlign.Right,
    VAlign.Bottom
);

// With offset
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignToContainer(
    containerSize,
    new Vect2(10f, 10f),
    childSize,
    HAlign.Right,
    VAlign.Bottom,
    new Vect2(5f, -5f)
);

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Rectangle Alignment

AlignRect

Aligns a child element within a container and returns a complete rectangle.

Rect2 rect = AlignHelpers.AlignRect(
    container,
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center
);

// With offset
Rect2 rect = AlignHelpers.AlignRect(
    container,
    childSize,
    HAlign.Center,
    VAlign.Center,
    new Vect2(10f, -10f)
);

With Padding

Aligns a child element within a container with padding and returns a complete rectangle.

Rect2 rect = AlignHelpers.AlignRect(
    container,
    new Vect2(10f, 10f), // Padding
    childSize,
    HAlign.Right,
    VAlign.Bottom
);

// With offset
Rect2 rect = AlignHelpers.AlignRect(
    container,
    new Vect2(10f, 10f),
    childSize,
    HAlign.Right,
    VAlign.Bottom,
    new Vect2(5f, -5f)
);

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Percentage Alignment

AlignPercent

Calculates a position based on a percentage of the available space.

// Single dimension
float x = AlignHelpers.AlignPercent(containerWidth, childWidth, 0.5f);

// Both dimensions
Vect2 position = AlignHelpers.AlignPercent(
    parentSize,
    childSize,
    new Vect2(0.5f, 0.5f)
);

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Overflow Detection

HasOverflow

Determines whether content overflows the container.

// Single dimension
bool overflows = AlignHelpers.HasOverflow(containerWidth, contentWidth);

// Both dimensions
bool overflows = AlignHelpers.HasOverflow(containerSize, contentSize);

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Remaining Space

Remaining

Calculates the remaining space in a container after placing an element.

float remaining = AlignHelpers.Remaining(containerWidth, elementWidth, spacing);

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Distribution

DistributeEvenly

Distributes multiple items evenly across a container with specified spacing.

// Distribute items with size and spacing
float[] positions = AlignHelpers.DistributeEvenly(
    containerWidth,
    itemCount: 5,
    itemSize: 50f,
    spacing: 10f
);

// Distribute items with zero size (spacing only)
float[] positions = AlignHelpers.DistributeEvenly(
    containerWidth,
    itemCount: 5,
    spacing: 10f
);

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Example: UI Layout

public void OnDraw(FrameTime frameTime)
{
    var viewport = GameSettings.Instance.Viewport;
    var buttonSize = new Vect2(200f, 50f);
    
    // Center a button in the viewport
    var buttonPos = AlignHelpers.AlignToViewport(
        buttonSize,
        HAlign.Center,
        VAlign.Center
    );
    
    // Create a panel with padding
    var panelSize = new Vect2(800f, 600f);
    var panelPos = AlignHelpers.AlignToViewport(
        panelSize,
        HAlign.Center,
        VAlign.Center
    );
    var panel = new Rect2(panelPos, panelSize);
    
    // Align a child element inside the panel with padding
    var childSize = new Vect2(100f, 50f);
    var childRect = AlignHelpers.AlignRect(
        panel,
        new Vect2(20f, 20f), // Padding
        childSize,
        HAlign.Center,
        VAlign.Center
    );
    
    // Distribute menu items horizontally
    var menuItems = 5;
    var itemSize = 80f;
    var positions = AlignHelpers.DistributeEvenly(
        panel.Width - 40f,
        menuItems,
        itemSize,
        10f
    );
}

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Summary

Category	Methods
Alignment	AlignWidth, AlignHeight, AlignCenter
Stretching	StretchWidth, StretchHeight
Viewport	AlignToViewport
Container	AlignToContainer
Rectangle	AlignRect
Percentage	AlignPercent
Overflow	HasOverflow
Remaining	Remaining
Distribution	DistributeEvenly

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