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Polygon Clipping Sutherland-Hodgman

Algorithm

After understanding the concept of line clipping, let us now learn something more
advanced. In this chapter, we will show how to clip some shape or a polygon. One of the
most widely used algorithms for polygon clipping is the Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm.
This algorithm handles the clipping of polygons by processing each edge of the window
individually.

In this chapter, we will cover the Sutherland-Hodgman Polygon Clipping Algorithm,

explain how it works, and walk through a detailed example for a better understanding.

What is Polygon Clipping?

Polygon clipping is the process of removing certain parts of a polygon that fall outside a
specified rectangular boundary. We call this the viewport. The aim is to display only the
part of the polygon that is within the window. Any portion of the polygon that extends
outside the window will be clipped off, ensuring that the polygon fits neatly inside the
viewing area.

Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm
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The Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm clips a polygon one edge at a time. The clipping
process involves four stages:

Left Clipping − Clipping the parts of the polygon that are outside the left edge of
the window.

Right Clipping − Clipping the parts of the polygon that are outside the right edge
of the window.

Top Clipping − Clipping the parts of the polygon that are outside the top edge of
the window.

Bottom Clipping − Clipping the parts of the polygon that are outside the bottom
edge of the window.

The key characteristic of this algorithm is that the output of each clipping step becomes
the input for the next step. This way, by the end of all four steps, any part of the polygon
that lies outside the window will be removed.

How the Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm Works?

The Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm clips each polygon edge based on its relationship to
the clipping window. It follows a set of rules to determine which parts of the polygon to
keep and which parts to discard. The process can be broken down into four cases −

Case 1: Edge from Inside to Outside − If the edge of the polygon goes from inside
the window to outside, the point where the edge exits the window is calculated. This
point becomes part of the clipped polygon. The portion of the edge outside the window is
discarded.

Case 2: Edge from Outside to Inside − If the edge goes from outside the window to
inside, the point where the edge enters the window is calculated. Then both this point
and the following vertex inside the window are kept. The portion outside is discarded.

Case 3: Edge Completely Inside − If the entire edge of the polygon lies inside the
window, both vertices of the edge are retained.

Case 4: Edge Completely Outside − If the edge lies completely outside the window,
it is discarded entirely.

These four cases allow the algorithm to process each edge of the polygon and determine
whether it should be kept, clipped, or partially retained. This process is repeated for all
four edges of the window (left, right, top, and bottom).

Steps of the Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm

The Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm works through a series of clipping operations. Each
step uses the output from the previous step as its input. Let us break down the steps −
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Consider the polygon and window on which we will apply clipping.

Step 1: Left Clipping

In the first step, the algorithm clips the polygon against the left edge of the window.
Any part of the polygon that extends to the left of the window is clipped off. The output
of this step is the clipped polygon, which is passed as input to the next step.

Step 2: Right Clipping

Next, the algorithm clips the polygon against the right edge of the window. The process
is like the left clipping. This time it removes any parts of the polygon that lie outside the
right boundary. The output is again passed to the next step.

Step 3: Top Clipping

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In the third step, the algorithm performs top clipping. It removes the portions of the
polygon that lie above the top boundary of the window. The resulting polygon is then
passed to the final step.

Step 4: Bottom Clipping

Finally, the algorithm clips the polygon against the bottom edge of the window. Any
parts of the polygon that extend below the bottom boundary are clipped. The final output
is the clipped polygon, which now fits entirely within the window.

Example of Sutherland-Hodgman Polygon Clipping

Let us go through a numeric example to understand how the Sutherland-Hodgman
Algorithm works.

Problem

We are given a rectangular window and a polygon (square) with vertices −

V1(25, 30)

V2(40, 45)

V3(55, 30)

V4(40, 15)

The clipping window is defined by −

x min = 30, x max = 50

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y min = 20, y max = 40

Showing the window as ABDC −

We need to clip the polygon using the Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm.

Step 1: Left Clipping

First, we perform clipping against the left boundary (xmin = 30). The polygon edges are:

V1(25, 30) to V2(40, 45): This edge crosses from left to inside, so we calculate the
intersection point and update the edge as P(30, 35) to V2(40, 45).

V2(40, 45) to V3(55, 30): This edge at right of the left edge, so no clipping is needed.

V3(55, 30) to V4(40, 15): This edge at right of the left edge, so no clipping is needed.

V4(40, 15) to V1(25, 30): This edge crosses from inside to left, so we calculate the
intersection point and update the edge as Q(30, 25) to P(30, 35).

Step 2: Right Clipping

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Next, we perform right clipping against xmax = 50:

V2(40, 45) to V3(55, 30) : Crosses right boundary, so we calculate the intersection point
and update as V2(40, 45) to R(50, 35).

Then, clip V3 to V4, the intersection is S(50,25)

Step 3: Top Clipping

Now, we clip against the top boundary (y_max = 40) −

Here clipping are from P to V2 and V2 to R. The intersections are T(35, 40) and U(45,
40)

Step 4: Bottom Clipping

Finally, we clip against the bottom boundary (y_min = 20):

The bottom part contains segments Q to V4 and V4 to S, with intersections V(35, 20)
and W(45, 20)
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The final clipped polygon looks like this −

Conclusion
In this chapter, we explained the Sutherland-Hodgman Polygon Clipping Algorithm in
computer graphics. We started by understanding the concept of polygon clipping and
why it is important for rendering objects inside a window. We then discussed the four
steps involved in the Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm: left, right, top, and bottom
clipping. Finally, we walked through a detailed example to demonstrate how the
algorithm works in practice.

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