Core Java™ 2 Volume II - Advanced Features, Seventh Edition

Clipping

By setting a clipping shape in the graphics context, you constrain all drawing operations to the interior of that clipping shape.

g2.setClip(clipShape); // but see below
g2.draw(shape); // draws only the part that falls inside the clipping shape

However, in practice, you don't want to call the setClip operation, since it replaces any existing clipping shape that the graphics context may have. For example, as you will see later in this chapter, a graphics context for printing comes with a clip rectangle that ensures that you don't draw on the margins. Instead, call the clip method.

g2.clip(clipShape); // better

The clip method intersects the existing clipping shape with the new one that you supply.

If you just want to apply a clipping ...