Creating a User Interface in JavaFX - JavaFX 8: A Definitive Guide to Building Desktop, Mobile, and Embedded Java Clients - page 62

Table 2-1. Transition Classes in the javafx.animation Package for Animating Nodes

Transition Class Name Description

TranslateTransition Translates (moves) a node from one location to another over a given period of time.

This was employed in the Hello Earthrise example program in Chapter 1.

PathTransition Moves a node along a specified path.

RotateTransition

Rotates a node over a given period of time.

ScaleTransition Scales (increases or decreases the size of ) a node over a given period of time.

FadeTransition Fades (increases or decreases the opacity of ) a node over a given period of time.

FillTransition Changes the fill of a shape over a given period of time.

StrokeTransition Changes the stroke color of a shape over a given period of time.

PauseTransition

Executes an action at the end of its duration; designed mainly to be used in a
SequentialTransition as a means to wait for a period of time.

SequentialTransition Allows you to define a series of transitions that execute sequentially.

ParallelTransition Allows you to define a series of transitions that execute in parallel.

Let's take a look at a variation on the metronome theme in which we create a metronome using
TranslateTransition for the animation.

The MetronomeTransition Example
When using the transition classes, we take a different approach toward animation than when using the Timeline
class directly:

• TIn the timeline-based Metronome1 program, we bound a property of a node (specifically,

startX ) to a property in the model ( startXVal ), and then used the timeline to interpolate the
value of the property in the model.

Transition
subclass, one of which is a node. The net result is that the node itself is affected, rather than
just a bound attribute of the node being affected.

• When using a transition class, however, we assign values to the properties of the

The distinction between these two approaches becomes clear as we walk through the MetronomeTransition
example. Figure 2-9 shows a screenshot of this program when it is first invoked.