Why CGPath and UIBezierPath define "clockwise" differently in SpriteKit?

Question

In SpriteKit, the clockwise direction is reversed for UIBezierPath but not for CGPath. For example, if I have

do {
    let path = CGPathCreateMutable()
    CGPathAddArc(path, nil, 0, 0, 10, 0, CGFloat(M_PI_2), true)
    let node = SKShapeNode(path: path)
    node.position = CGPoint(x: self.size.width/2, y: self.size.height/2)
    self.addChild(node)
}
do {
    let path = UIBezierPath()
    path.addArcWithCenter(CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0), radius: 10, startAngle: 0, endAngle: CGFloat(M_PI_2), clockwise: true)
    let node = SKShapeNode(path: path.CGPath)
    node.position = CGPoint(x: self.size.width/2, y: self.size.height/2 - 100)
    self.addChild(node)
}

in GameScene.didMoveToView(view: SKView), the first node draws a 3/4 arc with top-right missing, but the second node draws a quarter arc at top-right. The reversed "clockwise" direction in UIBezierPath is explained in this post, but why doesn't CGPath behave the same? Isn't UIBezierPath just a wrapper around CGPath?

Note: This happens to both Objective-C and Swift (so not language-specific). Did not try on Mac App with NSBezierPath.

I first read "Do not try on Mac App with NSBezierPath!", like it would be somehow dangerous 😂 — yeoman

0x141E 0x141E · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-24T08:16:18

CGPath and UIBezierPath use different coordinate systems. UIBezierPath's origin is at the top-left corner of the drawing area and CGPath's origin in at the bottom-left. Consequently, 90º is the lowest point on the circle for UIBezierPath and the highest point for CGPath. Since 0º is at the same point (right-most point) on the circle for both paths, the resulting clockwise arcs from 0º to 90º are drawn differently.

With the origin at the top-left, 90º (π/2) is at the lowest point on the circle and, therefore, a clockwise UIBezierPath arc is drawn as shown in the figure below. Since SpriteKit's origin is at the bottom-left, this arc appears flipped (vertically) when used to create the SKShapeNode.

With the origin at the bottom-left, 90º is at the top of the circle and a clockwise CGPath arc is drawn as shown below. Since SpriteKit's origin is also at the bottom-left, the shape node arc appears in the same orientation.

Why CGPath and UIBezierPath define "clockwise" differently in SpriteKit?

1 Answers