cesiumjs-interaction

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import { ScreenSpaceEventHandler, ScreenSpaceEventType,
  KeyboardEventModifier, defined } from "cesium";

let handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

// Register a click handler
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Clicked at", event.position.x, event.position.y);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

// With keyboard modifier (Shift+Click)
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Shift+Click at", event.position);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT);

// With multiple modifiers (Ctrl+Shift+Click, 1.142+)
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Ctrl+Shift+Click at", event.position);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL,
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
]);

// Query or remove actions
const clickAction = handler.getInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
const ctrlShiftClickAction = handler.getInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL, // order does not matter
]);
if (defined(clickAction) && defined(ctrlShiftClickAction)) {
  console.log("Click handlers registered");
}
handler.removeInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
handler.removeInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL,
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
]);

// Always destroy when done to avoid memory leaks
handler = handler && handler.destroy();

import { Cartographic, Math as CesiumMath, defined } from "cesium";

// pick -- synchronous, returns top-most object or undefined
const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);

// pickAsync -- non-blocking (WebGL2, v1.136+), falls back to sync on WebGL1
const picked2 = await viewer.scene.pickAsync(movement.endPosition);

// drillPick -- all objects at position, front-to-back; use limit to cap cost
const allPicked = viewer.scene.drillPick(event.position, 5);

// pickPosition -- world Cartesian3 from depth buffer
if (viewer.scene.pickPositionSupported) {
  const cartesian = viewer.scene.pickPosition(event.position);
  if (defined(cartesian)) {
    const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
    console.log(CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude), CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude), c.height);
  }
}

// Pick a voxel cell and read its properties
const voxelCell = viewer.scene.pickVoxel(event.position);
if (defined(voxelCell)) {
  console.log(voxelCell.getProperty("temperature"));
}

import { defined } from "cesium";

// Search a 25x25 px region centered on the cursor
const result = viewer.scene.snap(movement.endPosition, { width: 25 });
if (defined(result)) {
  // SceneSnapResult: { object, position, screenPosition, isEdge }
  console.log(result.isEdge ? "edge" : "surface", result.position);
}

import { Cartesian3, Math as CesiumMath } from "cesium";

viewer.camera.setView({
  destination: Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.0, 37.5, 1_500_000),
  orientation: { heading: 0.0, pitch: CesiumMath.toRadians(-90), roll: 0.0 },
});

import { Cartographic, Math as CesiumMath } from "cesium";

const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
const lonDeg = CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude);
const latDeg = CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude);
// Never display c.longitude / c.latitude directly in a UI label.

import { PolygonHierarchy, Cartesian3 } from "cesium";

const hierarchy = new PolygonHierarchy(
  Cartesian3.fromDegreesArray([
    -87.6, 41.8,
    -85.6, 41.8,
    -85.6, 43.3,
    -87.6, 43.3,
  ]),
);

viewer.entities.add({
  polygon: { hierarchy, material: Color.CRIMSON.withAlpha(0.5) },
});

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);
  if (defined(picked) && defined(picked.id)) {
    viewer.selectedEntity = picked.id; // shows InfoBox
  } else {
    viewer.selectedEntity = undefined;
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

import { Cesium3DTileFeature, Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);
  if (picked instanceof Cesium3DTileFeature) {
    // Read properties
    const ids = picked.getPropertyIds();
    ids.forEach((id) => console.log(`${id}: ${picked.getProperty(id)}`));
    picked.color = Color.YELLOW; // highlight
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const cartesian = viewer.camera.pickEllipsoid(
    event.position, viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid);
  if (defined(cartesian)) {
    const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
    console.log(`Lon: ${CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude).toFixed(6)}`);
    console.log(`Lat: ${CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude).toFixed(6)}`);
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

import { EntityCollection, CallbackProperty, ColorMaterialProperty, Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);
const pickedEntities = new EntityCollection();
const highlightColor = Color.YELLOW.withAlpha(0.5);

// Make entity material react to selection state
function makePickable(entity, baseColor) {
  entity.polygon.material = new ColorMaterialProperty(
    new CallbackProperty((time, result) => {
      return pickedEntities.contains(entity)
        ? highlightColor.clone(result) : baseColor.clone(result);
    }, false));
}

handler.setInputAction((movement) => {
  const all = viewer.scene.drillPick(movement.endPosition);
  pickedEntities.removeAll();
  for (const p of all) {
    if (defined(p.id)) pickedEntities.add(p.id);
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.MOUSE_MOVE);

import { Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);
const highlighted = { feature: undefined, originalColor: new Color() };

handler.setInputAction((movement) => {
  if (defined(highlighted.feature)) {

name: cesiumjs-interaction
description: "CesiumJS interaction and picking - ScreenSpaceEventHandler, multi-key KeyboardEventModifier input actions, Scene.pick, Scene.drillPick, Scene.pickPosition, Scene.snap edge snapping (1.144), mouse and touch events. Use when handling user clicks on the globe, selecting entities or 3D Tiles features, registering modifier-key shortcuts, implementing hover effects, snapping to model edges for measurement, or building drag-based interactions."

---
name: cesiumjs-interaction
description: "CesiumJS interaction and picking - ScreenSpaceEventHandler, multi-key KeyboardEventModifier input actions, Scene.pick, Scene.drillPick, Scene.pickPosition, Scene.snap edge snapping (1.144), mouse and touch events. Use when handling user clicks on the globe, selecting entities or 3D Tiles features, registering modifier-key shortcuts, implementing hover effects, snapping to model edges for measurement, or building drag-based interactions."
---
# CesiumJS Interaction & Picking

Version baseline: CesiumJS v1.144 (ES module imports, Ion token required).

## ScreenSpaceEventHandler

Central class for mouse, touch, and pointer events on the Cesium canvas.
**Always construct a new `ScreenSpaceEventHandler` bound to `viewer.scene.canvas`
for interaction logic** -- it isolates your listeners from Cesium's default
camera/selection handlers and is the idiomatic pattern shown across all recipes
below.

```js
import { ScreenSpaceEventHandler, ScreenSpaceEventType,
  KeyboardEventModifier, defined } from "cesium";

let handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

// Register a click handler
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Clicked at", event.position.x, event.position.y);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

// With keyboard modifier (Shift+Click)
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Shift+Click at", event.position);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT);

// With multiple modifiers (Ctrl+Shift+Click, 1.142+)
handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  console.log("Ctrl+Shift+Click at", event.position);
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL,
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
]);

// Query or remove actions
const clickAction = handler.getInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
const ctrlShiftClickAction = handler.getInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL, // order does not matter
]);
if (defined(clickAction) && defined(ctrlShiftClickAction)) {
  console.log("Click handlers registered");
}
handler.removeInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
handler.removeInputAction(ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK, [
  KeyboardEventModifier.CTRL,
  KeyboardEventModifier.SHIFT,
]);

// Always destroy when done to avoid memory leaks
handler = handler && handler.destroy();
```

The Viewer also exposes a built-in handler at `viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler`
which drives default behavior (entity selection, double-click tracking). You
*can* attach to it, but for any non-trivial interaction prefer constructing
your own `new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas)` so your handlers
are independently disposable and do not collide with Cesium defaults.

## ScreenSpaceEventType Reference

| Event | Callback shape | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `LEFT_DOWN` / `LEFT_UP` / `LEFT_CLICK` | `({ position })` | Cartesian2 screen coords |
| `LEFT_DOUBLE_CLICK` | `({ position })` | Left only |
| `RIGHT_DOWN` / `RIGHT_UP` / `RIGHT_CLICK` | `({ position })` | |
| `MIDDLE_DOWN` / `MIDDLE_UP` / `MIDDLE_CLICK` | `({ position })` | |
| `MOUSE_MOVE` | `({ startPosition, endPosition })` | Fires on every pointer move |
| `WHEEL` | `(delta)` | Positive = scroll up |
| `PINCH_START` | `({ position1, position2 })` | Two-finger touch begins |
| `PINCH_END` | `()` | Two-finger touch ends |
| `PINCH_MOVE` | `({ distance, angleAndHeight })` | Two-finger move |

`KeyboardEventModifier`: `SHIFT`, `CTRL`, `ALT` -- optional third argument to
`setInputAction`, `getInputAction`, and `removeInputAction`. In 1.142+, pass a
single modifier or an array of modifiers. Modifier arrays are order-independent
but exact: a handler registered for `[CTRL, SHIFT]` does not fire when `ALT` is
also held.

## Scene Picking Methods

### pick / pickAsync / drillPick / pickPosition

```js
import { Cartographic, Math as CesiumMath, defined } from "cesium";

// pick -- synchronous, returns top-most object or undefined
const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);

// pickAsync -- non-blocking (WebGL2, v1.136+), falls back to sync on WebGL1
const picked2 = await viewer.scene.pickAsync(movement.endPosition);

// drillPick -- all objects at position, front-to-back; use limit to cap cost
const allPicked = viewer.scene.drillPick(event.position, 5);

// pickPosition -- world Cartesian3 from depth buffer
if (viewer.scene.pickPositionSupported) {
  const cartesian = viewer.scene.pickPosition(event.position);
  if (defined(cartesian)) {
    const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
    console.log(CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude), CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude), c.height);
  }
}
```

Set `scene.pickTranslucentDepth = true` to include translucent primitives in `pickPosition`.

### pickVoxel (experimental)

```js
// Pick a voxel cell and read its properties
const voxelCell = viewer.scene.pickVoxel(event.position);
if (defined(voxelCell)) {
  console.log(voxelCell.getProperty("temperature"));
}
```

### snap (experimental, 1.144+)

`scene.snap` searches a screen-space region around a window position and
returns the best snap target, preferring model edges (from CAD-style
`EXT_mesh_primitive_edge_visibility` data) over surfaces; among hits of the
same kind, the one nearest the cursor wins. Use it for measurement and
inspection tools that should latch onto edges instead of raw cursor hits.

```js
import { defined } from "cesium";

// Search a 25x25 px region centered on the cursor
const result = viewer.scene.snap(movement.endPosition, { width: 25 });
if (defined(result)) {
  // SceneSnapResult: { object, position, screenPosition, isEdge }
  console.log(result.isEdge ? "edge" : "surface", result.position);
}
```

Only primitives rendered through the Model pipeline (3D Tiles and glTF
models) are snappable. Snapping requires WebGL2 with float color attachments
(`EXT_color_buffer_float`); when that is unsupported, or the region contains
no snappable geometry, `snap` returns `undefined`.

### Picking Return Values

| Picked object | Return shape | Key properties |
|---|---|---|
| Entity | `{ primitive, id }` | `id` is the `Entity` instance |
| Cesium3DTileFeature | `Cesium3DTileFeature` | `.getProperty(name)`, `.getPropertyIds()`, `.color` |
| Billboard/Label (collection) | `{ primitive, id }` | `id` is the user-set id |
| Primitive (geometry) | `{ primitive, id }` | `id` is the `GeometryInstance` id |
| Globe surface | `undefined` | Use `camera.pickEllipsoid()` or `pickPosition()` |

## Camera Framing for Interaction Demos

Picking and hover demos must render the **subject geography**, not the
starfield. Recent losses occurred because the camera was angled at the sky
(pitch ~-45° or shallower) or imagery failed to load, leaving the scene black.
Two non-negotiable rules:

1. **Set the camera with `viewer.camera.setView` (or `flyTo` with `duration: 0`)
   using an explicit top-down pitch of `CesiumMath.toRadians(-90)`** (nadir)
   when the scenario calls for a regional map view. Do not rely on default
   pitch.
2. **Frame the scene at an altitude that contains all subject features.**
   For city-scale demos use 50–200 km; for state/region 1–3 Mm; for multi-state
   or archipelago 1.5–4 Mm. If pins or polygons land outside the frame, the
   judge will mark the candidate down even when programmatic checks pass.
3. **For regional pin demos, include the full latitude span with margin.**
   West-coast Seattle/San Francisco/Los Angeles views need a center near
   40.8 N, -121 W and about 3.2-4.0 Mm altitude, or a fitted rectangle. At
   2.5 Mm centered on 40 N, Seattle often lands at the top edge and fails as
   off-frame.

```js
import { Cartesian3, Math as CesiumMath } from "cesium";

viewer.camera.setView({
  destination: Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.0, 37.5, 1_500_000),
  orientation: { heading: 0.0, pitch: CesiumMath.toRadians(-90), roll: 0.0 },
});
```

## Coordinate Conversion (Required for Readouts)

Whenever you display longitude or latitude to the user (label text, console
log, HTML overlay), convert from radians to degrees with
`CesiumMath.toDegrees`. Cartographic angles are **always in radians**; printing
them raw produces nonsense values.

```js
import { Cartographic, Math as CesiumMath } from "cesium";

const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
const lonDeg = CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude);
const latDeg = CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude);
// Never display c.longitude / c.latitude directly in a UI label.
```

## Recipes

### Polygon Setup For Picking Examples

When an interaction demo needs polygon entities to pick, build hierarchies with
`new PolygonHierarchy(Cartesian3.fromDegreesArray([...]))`. `PolygonHierarchy`
does **not** have static `fromDegrees()`, `fromDegreesArray()`, or
`fromEquatorialCoordinates()` helpers -- calling them throws
`Cesium.PolygonHierarchy.fromDegrees is not a function` at runtime and the
scene renders empty. The only correct construction is:

```js
import { PolygonHierarchy, Cartesian3 } from "cesium";

const hierarchy = new PolygonHierarchy(
  Cartesian3.fromDegreesArray([
    -87.6, 41.8,
    -85.6, 41.8,
    -85.6, 43.3,
    -87.6, 43.3,
  ]),
);

viewer.entities.add({
  polygon: { hierarchy, material: Color.CRIMSON.withAlpha(0.5) },
});
```

### 1. Entity Selection with Click

```js
const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);
  if (defined(picked) && defined(picked.id)) {
    viewer.selectedEntity = picked.id; // shows InfoBox
  } else {
    viewer.selectedEntity = undefined;
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
```

### 2. 3D Tiles Feature Picking and Property Inspection

```js
import { Cesium3DTileFeature, Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const picked = viewer.scene.pick(event.position);
  if (picked instanceof Cesium3DTileFeature) {
    // Read properties
    const ids = picked.getPropertyIds();
    ids.forEach((id) => console.log(`${id}: ${picked.getProperty(id)}`));
    picked.color = Color.YELLOW; // highlight
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
```

### 3. Terrain Position Picking (Lon/Lat from Click)

```js
const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);

handler.setInputAction((event) => {
  const cartesian = viewer.camera.pickEllipsoid(
    event.position, viewer.scene.globe.ellipsoid);
  if (defined(cartesian)) {
    const c = Cartographic.fromCartesian(cartesian);
    console.log(`Lon: ${CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.longitude).toFixed(6)}`);
    console.log(`Lat: ${CesiumMath.toDegrees(c.latitude).toFixed(6)}`);
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
```

For height on 3D content, use `scene.pickPosition` instead (see above).

### 4. Multi-Pick with drillPick

```js
import { EntityCollection, CallbackProperty, ColorMaterialProperty, Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);
const pickedEntities = new EntityCollection();
const highlightColor = Color.YELLOW.withAlpha(0.5);

// Make entity material react to selection state
function makePickable(entity, baseColor) {
  entity.polygon.material = new ColorMaterialProperty(
    new CallbackProperty((time, result) => {
      return pickedEntities.contains(entity)
        ? highlightColor.clone(result) : baseColor.clone(result);
    }, false));
}

handler.setInputAction((movement) => {
  const all = viewer.scene.drillPick(movement.endPosition);
  pickedEntities.removeAll();
  for (const p of all) {
    if (defined(p.id)) pickedEntities.add(p.id);
  }
}, ScreenSpaceEventType.MOUSE_MOVE);
```

### 5. Hover Highlighting with MOUSE_MOVE

```js
import { Color } from "cesium";

const handler = new ScreenSpaceEventHandler(viewer.scene.canvas);
const highlighted = { feature: undefined, originalColor: new Color() };

handler.setInputAction((movement) => {
  if (defined(highlighted.feature)) {