# Billboard

#### new Cesium.Billboard()
Scene/Billboard.js 78

A viewport-aligned image positioned in the 3D scene, that is created and rendered using a `BillboardCollection`. A billboard is created and its initial properties are set by calling `BillboardCollection#add`.
Example billboards

##### Performance:

Reading a property, e.g., `Billboard#show`, is constant time. Assigning to a property is constant time but results in CPU to GPU traffic when `BillboardCollection#update` is called. The per-billboard traffic is the same regardless of how many properties were updated. If most billboards in a collection need to be updated, it may be more efficient to clear the collection with `BillboardCollection#removeAll` and add new billboards instead of modifying each one.

##### Throws:

- DeveloperError : scaleByDistance.far must be greater than scaleByDistance.near
- DeveloperError : translucencyByDistance.far must be greater than translucencyByDistance.near
- DeveloperError : pixelOffsetScaleByDistance.far must be greater than pixelOffsetScaleByDistance.near
- DeveloperError : distanceDisplayCondition.far must be greater than distanceDisplayCondition.near

##### Demo:

- Cesium Sandcastle Billboard Demo

##### See:

- BillboardCollection
- BillboardCollection#add
- Label

### Members

#### alignedAxis : Cartesian3
Scene/Billboard.js 694

Gets or sets the aligned axis in world space. The aligned axis is the unit vector that the billboard up vector points towards. The default is the zero vector, which means the billboard is aligned to the screen up vector.

##### Examples:

    // Example 1.
    // Have the billboard up vector point north
    billboard.alignedAxis = Cesium.Cartesian3.UNIT_Z;

    // Example 2.
    // Have the billboard point east.
    billboard.alignedAxis = Cesium.Cartesian3.UNIT_Z;
    billboard.rotation = -Cesium.Math.PI_OVER_TWO;

    // Example 3.
    // Reset the aligned axis
    billboard.alignedAxis = Cesium.Cartesian3.ZERO;

#### color : Color
Scene/Billboard.js 631

Gets or sets the color that is multiplied with the billboard's texture. This has two common use cases. First, the same white texture may be used by many different billboards, each with a different color, to create colored billboards. Second, the color's alpha component can be used to make the billboard translucent as shown below. An alpha of `0.0` makes the billboard transparent, and `1.0` makes the billboard opaque.

`default` | `alpha : 0.5`

The red, green, blue, and alpha values are indicated by `value`'s `red`, `green`, `blue`, and `alpha` properties as shown in Example 1. These components range from `0.0` (no intensity) to `1.0` (full intensity).

##### Examples:

    // Example 1. Assign yellow.
    b.color = Cesium.Color.YELLOW;

    // Example 2. Make a billboard 50% translucent.
    b.color = new Cesium.Color(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5);

#### disableDepthTestDistance : Number
Scene/Billboard.js 795

Gets or sets the distance from the camera at which to disable the depth test to, for example, prevent clipping against terrain. When set to zero, the depth test is always applied. When set to Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY, the depth test is never applied.

#### distanceDisplayCondition : DistanceDisplayCondition
Scene/Billboard.js 772

Gets or sets the condition specifying at what distance from the camera that this billboard will be displayed.

Default Value: `undefined`

#### eyeOffset : Cartesian3
Scene/Billboard.js 489

Gets or sets the 3D Cartesian offset applied to this billboard in eye coordinates. Eye coordinates is a left-handed coordinate system, where `x` points towards the viewer's right, `y` points up, and `z` points into the screen. Eye coordinates use the same scale as world and model coordinates, which is typically meters.
An eye offset is commonly used to arrange multiple billboards or objects at the same position, e.g., to arrange a billboard above its corresponding 3D model.
Below, the billboard is positioned at the center of the Earth but an eye offset makes it always appear on top of the Earth regardless of the viewer's or Earth's orientation.

`b.eyeOffset = new Cartesian3(0.0, 8000000.0, 0.0);`

#### height : Number
Scene/Billboard.js 735

Gets or sets a height for the billboard. If undefined, the image height will be used.

#### heightReference : HeightReference
Scene/Billboard.js 288

Gets or sets the height reference of this billboard.

Default Value: `HeightReference.NONE`

#### horizontalOrigin : HorizontalOrigin
Scene/Billboard.js 522

Gets or sets the horizontal origin of this billboard, which determines if the billboard is to the left, center, or right of its anchor position.

##### Example:

    // Use a bottom, left origin
    b.horizontalOrigin = Cesium.HorizontalOrigin.LEFT;
    b.verticalOrigin = Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM;

#### id : Object
Scene/Billboard.js 817

Gets or sets the user-defined object returned when the billboard is picked.

#### image : String
Scene/Billboard.js 875

Gets or sets the image to be used for this billboard. If a texture has already been created for the given image, the existing texture is used.

This property can be set to a loaded Image, a URL which will be loaded as an Image automatically, a canvas, or another billboard's image property (from the same billboard collection).

##### Example:

    // load an image from a URL
    b.image = 'some/image/url.png';

    // assuming b1 and b2 are billboards in the same billboard collection,
    // use the same image for both billboards.
    b2.image = b1.image;

#### pixelOffset : Cartesian2
Scene/Billboard.js 324

Gets or sets the pixel offset in screen space from the origin of this billboard. This is commonly used to align multiple billboards and labels at the same position, e.g., an image and text. The screen space origin is the top, left corner of the canvas; `x` increases from left to right, and `y` increases from top to bottom.

`default` | `b.pixeloffset = new Cartesian2(50, 25);`

The billboard's origin is indicated by the yellow point.

#### pixelOffsetScaleByDistance : NearFarScalar
Scene/Billboard.js 448

Gets or sets near and far pixel offset scaling properties of a Billboard based on the billboard's distance from the camera. A billboard's pixel offset will be scaled between the `NearFarScalar#nearValue` and `NearFarScalar#farValue` while the camera distance falls within the upper and lower bounds of the specified `NearFarScalar#near` and `NearFarScalar#far`. Outside of these ranges the billboard's pixel offset scale remains clamped to the nearest bound. If undefined, pixelOffsetScaleByDistance will be disabled.

##### Examples:

    // Example 1.
    // Set a billboard's pixel offset scale to 0.0 when the
    // camera is 1500 meters from the billboard and scale pixel offset to 10.0 pixels
    // in the y direction the camera distance approaches 8.0e6 meters.
    b.pixelOffset = new Cesium.Cartesian2(0.0, 1.0);
    b.pixelOffsetScaleByDistance = new Cesium.NearFarScalar(1.5e2, 0.0, 8.0e6, 10.0);

    // Example 2.
    // disable pixel offset by distance
    b.pixelOffsetScaleByDistance = undefined;

#### position : Cartesian3
Scene/Billboard.js 261

Gets or sets the Cartesian position of this billboard.

#### readonlyready : Boolean
Scene/Billboard.js 910

When `true`, this billboard is ready to render, i.e., the image has been downloaded and the WebGL resources are created.

Default Value: `false`

#### rotation : Number
Scene/Billboard.js 655

Gets or sets the rotation angle in radians.

#### scale : Number
Scene/Billboard.js 586

Gets or sets the uniform scale that is multiplied with the billboard's image size in pixels. A scale of `1.0` does not change the size of the billboard; a scale greater than `1.0` enlarges the billboard; a positive scale less than `1.0` shrinks the billboard.
From left to right in the above image, the scales are `0.5`, `1.0`, and `2.0`.

#### scaleByDistance : NearFarScalar
Scene/Billboard.js 365

Gets or sets near and far scaling properties of a Billboard based on the billboard's distance from the camera. A billboard's scale will interpolate between the `NearFarScalar#nearValue` and `NearFarScalar#farValue` while the camera distance falls within the upper and lower bounds of the specified `NearFarScalar#near` and `NearFarScalar#far`. Outside of these ranges the billboard's scale remains clamped to the nearest bound. If undefined, scaleByDistance will be disabled.

##### Examples:

    // Example 1.
    // Set a billboard's scaleByDistance to scale by 1.5 when the
    // camera is 1500 meters from the billboard and disappear as
    // the camera distance approaches 8.0e6 meters.
    b.scaleByDistance = new Cesium.NearFarScalar(1.5e2, 1.5, 8.0e6, 0.0);

    // Example 2.
    // disable scaling by distance
    b.scaleByDistance = undefined;

#### show : Boolean
Scene/Billboard.js 238

Determines if this billboard will be shown. Use this to hide or show a billboard, instead of removing it and re-adding it to the collection.

Default Value: `true`

#### sizeInMeters : Boolean
Scene/Billboard.js 754

Gets or sets if the billboard size is in meters or pixels. `true` to size the billboard in meters; otherwise, the size is in pixels.

Default Value: `false`

#### translucencyByDistance : NearFarScalar
Scene/Billboard.js 406

Gets or sets near and far translucency properties of a Billboard based on the billboard's distance from the camera. A billboard's translucency will interpolate between the `NearFarScalar#nearValue` and `NearFarScalar#farValue` while the camera distance falls within the upper and lower bounds of the specified `NearFarScalar#near` and `NearFarScalar#far`. Outside of these ranges the billboard's translucency remains clamped to the nearest bound. If undefined, translucencyByDistance will be disabled.

##### Examples:

    // Example 1.
    // Set a billboard's translucency to 1.0 when the
    // camera is 1500 meters from the billboard and disappear as
    // the camera distance approaches 8.0e6 meters.
    b.translucencyByDistance = new Cesium.NearFarScalar(1.5e2, 1.0, 8.0e6, 0.0);

    // Example 2.
    // disable translucency by distance
    b.translucencyByDistance = undefined;

#### verticalOrigin : VerticalOrigin
Scene/Billboard.js 554

Gets or sets the vertical origin of this billboard, which determines if the billboard is to the above, below, or at the center of its anchor position.

##### Example:

    // Use a bottom, left origin
    b.horizontalOrigin = Cesium.HorizontalOrigin.LEFT;
    b.verticalOrigin = Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM;

#### width : Number
Scene/Billboard.js 718

Gets or sets a width for the billboard. If undefined, the image width will be used.

### Methods

#### computeScreenSpacePosition(scene, result) → Cartesian2
Scene/Billboard.js 1247

Computes the screen-space position of the billboard's origin, taking into account eye and pixel offsets. The screen space origin is the top, left corner of the canvas; `x` increases from left to right, and `y` increases from top to bottom.

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`scene` | Scene | The scene.
`result` | Cartesian2 | optional The object onto which to store the result.

##### Returns:

The screen-space position of the billboard.

##### Throws:

- DeveloperError : Billboard must be in a collection.

##### Example:

    console.log(b.computeScreenSpacePosition(scene).toString());

##### See:

- Billboard#eyeOffset
- Billboard#pixelOffset

#### equals(other) → Boolean
Scene/Billboard.js 1335

Determines if this billboard equals another billboard. Billboards are equal if all their properties are equal. Billboards in different collections can be equal.

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`other` | Billboard | The billboard to compare for equality.

##### Returns:

`true` if the billboards are equal; otherwise, `false`.

#### setImage(id, image)
Scene/Billboard.js 1113

Sets the image to be used for this billboard. If a texture has already been created for the given id, the existing texture is used.

This function is useful for dynamically creating textures that are shared across many billboards. Only the first billboard will actually call the function and create the texture, while subsequent billboards created with the same id will simply re-use the existing texture.

To load an image from a URL, setting the `Billboard#image` property is more convenient.

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`id` | String | The id of the image. This can be any string that uniquely identifies the image.
`image` | Image | Canvas | String | Resource | Billboard~CreateImageCallback | The image to load. This parameter can either be a loaded Image or Canvas, a URL which will be loaded as an Image automatically, or a function which will be called to create the image if it hasn't been loaded already.

##### Example:

    // create a billboard image dynamically
    function drawImage(id) {
      // create and draw an image using a canvas
      var canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
      var context2D = canvas.getContext('2d');
      // ... draw image
      return canvas;
    }
    // drawImage will be called to create the texture
    b.setImage('myImage', drawImage);

    // subsequent billboards created in the same collection using the same id will use the existing
    // texture, without the need to create the canvas or draw the image
    b2.setImage('myImage', drawImage);

#### setImageSubRegion(id, subRegion)
Scene/Billboard.js 1146

Uses a sub-region of the image with the given id as the image for this billboard, measured in pixels from the bottom-left.

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`id` | String | The id of the image to use.
`subRegion` | BoundingRectangle | The sub-region of the image.

##### Throws:

- RuntimeError : image with id must be in the atlas

### Type Definitions

#### CreateImageCallback(id) → Image|Canvas|Promise.<(Image|Canvas)>
Scene/Billboard.js 1374

A function that creates an image.

Name | Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`id` | String | The identifier of the image to load.

##### Returns:

The image, or a promise that will resolve to an image.