HTML5 signature pad to image

In this article, we will create a signature in the signature pad with the help of a mouse.

We can use the combination of HTML5 and JavaScript.

What do you mean by Signature pad?

Signature Pad is a JavaScript library for drawing smooth signatures. It works in all modern desktop and mobile browsers and doesn't depend on any external libraries.

Let's take below example of using Signature pad in HTML5

Example:

<! DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>  Draw Signature with mouse or touch
</title>
<style>
   @import url(https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:400,700);
body {
      background: #4e54c8;  
    background: -webkit-linear-gradient(to left, #8f94fb, #4e54c8);  
    width: 100%;
    height:100vh;
}
*,
:before,
:after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
}
html {
  font: 18px 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;
}
body {
  text-align: center;
}
.signature-component {
  text-align: left;
  display: inline-block;
  max-width: 100%;
  }
  h1 {
    margin-bottom: 0;
  }
  h2 {
    margin: 0;
    font-size: 100%;
  }
  button {
    padding: 1em;
    background: transparent;
    box-shadow: 2px 2px 4px #777;
    margin-top: .5em;
    border: 1px solid #777;
    font-size: 1rem;
    &.toggle {
      background: rgba(red, .2);
    }
  }
  canvas {
    display: block;
    position: relative;
    border: 1px solid;    
  }
  img {
    position: absolute;
    left: 0;
    top: 0;
  }
.circles {
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    overflow: hidden;
}
.circles li {
    position: absolute;
    display: block;
    list-style: none;
    width: 20px;
    height: 20px;
    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
    animation: animate 25s linear infinite;
    bottom: -150px;  
}
.circles li:nth-child(1) {
    left: 25%;
    width: 80px;
    height: 80px;
    animation-delay: 0s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(2) {
    left: 10%;
    width: 20px;
    height: 20px;
    animation-delay: 2s;
    animation-duration: 12s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(3) {
    left: 70%;
    width: 20px;
    height: 20px;
    animation-delay: 4s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(4) {
    left: 40%;
    width: 60px;
    height: 60px;
    animation-delay: 0s;
    animation-duration: 18s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(5) {
    left: 65%;
    width: 20px;
    height: 20px;
    animation-delay: 0s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(6) {
    left: 75%;
    width: 110px;
    height: 110px;
    animation-delay: 3s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(7) {
    left: 35%;
    width: 150px;
    height: 150px;
    animation-delay: 7s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(8) {
    left: 50%;
    width: 25px;
    height: 25px;
    animation-delay: 15s;
    animation-duration: 45s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(9) {
    left: 20%;
    width: 15px;
    height: 15px;
    animation-delay: 2s;
    animation-duration: 35s;
}
.circles li:nth-child(10) {
    left: 85%;
    width: 150px;
    height: 150px;
    animation-delay: 0s;
    animation-duration: 11s;
}
@keyframes animate {
	0% {
        transform: translateY(0) rotate(0deg);
        opacity: 1;
        border-radius: 0;
    }
    100% {
        transform: translateY(-1000px) rotate(720deg);
        opacity: 0;
        border-radius: 50%;
    }
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="area" >
            <ul class="circles">
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
                    <li></li>
            </ul>
    </div >
<section class="signature-component">
  <h1> Example </h1>
  <h2> Draw Signature with mouse or touch </h2>
  <canvas id="signature-pad" width="400" height="200"> </canvas>
  <div>
    <button id="clear"> Clear </button>
  </div>
 </section>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.3/jquery.min.js"> </script> 
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/underscore.js/1.8.3/underscore-min.js"> </script> 
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function () {
var SignaturePad = (function(document) {
    "use strict";
    var log = console.log.bind(console);
    var SignaturePad = function(canvas, options) {
        var self = this,
           opts = options || {};
        this.velocityFilterWeight = opts.velocityFilterWeight || 0.7;
        this.minWidth = opts.minWidth || 0.5;
        this.maxWidth = opts.maxWidth || 2.5;
        this.dotSize = opts.dotSize || function() {
                return (self.minWidth + self.maxWidth) / 2;
            };
        this.penColor = opts.penColor || "black";
        this.backgroundColor = opts.backgroundColor || "rgba(0,0,0,0)";
        this.throttle = opts.throttle || 0;
        this.throttleOptions = {
            leading: true,
            trailing: true
        };
        this.minPointDistance = opts.minPointDistance || 0;
        this.onEnd = opts.onEnd;
        this.onBegin = opts.onBegin;
        this._canvas = canvas;
        this._ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
        this._ctx.lineCap = 'round';
        this.clear();
        this._handleMouseDown = function(event) {
            if (event.which === 1) {
                self._mouseButtonDown = true;
                self._strokeBegin(event);
            }
        };
        var _handleMouseMove = function(event) {
           event.preventDefault();
            if (self._mouseButtonDown) {
                self._strokeUpdate(event);
                if (self.arePointsDisplayed) {
                    var point = self._createPoint(event);
                    self._drawMark(point.x, point.y, 5);
                }
            }
        };
        this._handleMouseMove = _.throttle(_handleMouseMove, self.throttle, self.throttleOptions);
        this._handleMouseUp = function(event) {
            if (event.which === 1 && self._mouseButtonDown) {
                self._mouseButtonDown = false;
                self._strokeEnd(event);
            }
        };
        this._handleTouchStart = function(event) {
            if (event.targetTouches.length == 1) {
                var touch = event.changedTouches[0];
                self._strokeBegin(touch);
            }
        };
        var _handleTouchMove = function(event) {   
            event.preventDefault();
            var touch = event.targetTouches[0];
            self._strokeUpdate(touch);
            if (self.arePointsDisplayed) {
                var point = self._createPoint(touch);
                self._drawMark(point.x, point.y, 5);
            }
        };
        this._handleTouchMove = _.throttle(_handleTouchMove, self.throttle, self.throttleOptions);
        this._handleTouchEnd = function(event) {
            var wasCanvasTouched = event.target === self._canvas;
            if (wasCanvasTouched) {
                event.preventDefault();
                self._strokeEnd(event);
            }
        };
        this._handleMouseEvents();
        this._handleTouchEvents();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.clear = function() {
        var ctx = this._ctx,
            canvas = this._canvas;

        ctx.fillStyle = this.backgroundColor;
        ctx.clearRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
        ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
        this._reset();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.toDataURL = function(imageType, quality) {
        var canvas = this._canvas;
        return canvas.toDataURL.apply(canvas, arguments);
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.fromDataURL = function(dataUrl) {
        var self = this,
            image = new Image(),
            ratio = window.devicePixelRatio || 1,
            width = this._canvas.width / ratio,
            height = this._canvas.height / ratio;

        this._reset();
        image.src = dataUrl;
        image.onload = function() {
            self._ctx.drawImage(image, 0, 0, width, height);
        };
        this._isEmpty = false;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._strokeUpdate = function(event) {
        var point = this._createPoint(event);
        if(this._isPointToBeUsed(point)){
            this._addPoint(point);
        }
    };
    var pointsSkippedFromBeingAdded = 0;
    SignaturePad.prototype._isPointToBeUsed = function(point) {
        if(!this.minPointDistance)
            return true;
        var points = this.points;
        if(points && points.length){
            var lastPoint = points[points.length-1];
            if(point.distanceTo(lastPoint) < this.minPointDistance){    
              return false;
            }
        }
        return true;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._strokeBegin = function(event) {
        this._reset();
        this._strokeUpdate(event);
        if (typeof this.onBegin === 'function') {
            this.onBegin(event);
        }
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._strokeDraw = function(point) {
        var ctx = this._ctx,
            dotSize = typeof(this.dotSize) === 'function' ? this.dotSize() : this.dotSize;

        ctx.beginPath();
        this._drawPoint(point.x, point.y, dotSize);
        ctx.closePath();
        ctx.fill();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._strokeEnd = function(event) {
        var canDrawCurve = this.points.length > 2,
            point = this.points[0];
        if (!canDrawCurve && point) {
            this._strokeDraw(point);
        }
        if (typeof this.onEnd === 'function') {
            this.onEnd(event);
        }
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._handleMouseEvents = function() {
        this._mouseButtonDown = false;

        this._canvas.addEventListener("mousedown", this._handleMouseDown);
        this._canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", this._handleMouseMove);
        document.addEventListener("mouseup", this._handleMouseUp);
    };
   SignaturePad.prototype._handleTouchEvents = function() {   
        this._canvas.style.msTouchAction = 'none';
        this._canvas.style.touchAction = 'none';
        this._canvas.addEventListener("touchstart", this._handleTouchStart);
        this._canvas.addEventListener("touchmove", this._handleTouchMove);
        this._canvas.addEventListener("touchend", this._handleTouchEnd);
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.on = function() {
        this._handleMouseEvents();
        this._handleTouchEvents();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.off = function() {
        this._canvas.removeEventListener("mousedown", this._handleMouseDown);
        this._canvas.removeEventListener("mousemove", this._handleMouseMove);
        document.removeEventListener("mouseup", this._handleMouseUp);
        this._canvas.removeEventListener("touchstart", this._handleTouchStart);
        this._canvas.removeEventListener("touchmove", this._handleTouchMove);
        this._canvas.removeEventListener("touchend", this._handleTouchEnd);
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype.isEmpty = function() {
        return this._isEmpty;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._reset = function() {
        this.points = [];
        this._lastVelocity = 0;
        this._lastWidth = (this.minWidth + this.maxWidth) / 2;
        this._isEmpty = true;
        this._ctx.fillStyle = this.penColor;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._createPoint = function(event) {
        var rect = this._canvas.getBoundingClientRect();
        return new Point(
            event.clientX - rect.left,
            event.clientY - rect.top
        );
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._addPoint = function(point) {
        var points = this.points,
            c2, c3,
            curve, tmp;
        points.push(point);
        if (points.length > 2) {          
            if (points.length === 3) points.unshift(points[0]);

            tmp = this._calculateCurveControlPoints(points[0], points[1], points[2]);
            c2 = tmp.c2;
            tmp = this._calculateCurveControlPoints(points[1], points[2], points[3]);
            c3 = tmp.c1;
            curve = new Bezier(points[1], c2, c3, points[2]);
            this._addCurve(curve);
            points.shift();
        }
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._calculateCurveControlPoints = function(s1, s2, s3) {
        var dx1 = s1.x - s2.x,
            dy1 = s1.y - s2.y,
            dx2 = s2.x - s3.x,
            dy2 = s2.y - s3.y,
            m1 = {
                x: (s1.x + s2.x) / 2.0,
                y: (s1.y + s2.y) / 2.0
            },
            m2 = {
                x: (s2.x + s3.x) / 2.0,
                y: (s2.y + s3.y) / 2.0
            },
            l1 = Math.sqrt(1.0 * dx1 * dx1 + dy1 * dy1),
            l2 = Math.sqrt(1.0 * dx2 * dx2 + dy2 * dy2),
            dxm = (m1.x - m2.x),
            dym = (m1.y - m2.y),
            k = l2 / (l1 + l2),
            cm = {
                x: m2.x + dxm * k,
                y: m2.y + dym * k
            },
            tx = s2.x - cm.x,
            ty = s2.y - cm.y;
        return {
            c1: new Point(m1.x + tx, m1.y + ty),
            c2: new Point(m2.x + tx, m2.y + ty)
        };
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._addCurve = function(curve) {
        var startPoint = curve.startPoint,
            endPoint = curve.endPoint,
            velocity, newWidth;
        velocity = endPoint.velocityFrom(startPoint);
        velocity = this.velocityFilterWeight * velocity +
            (1 - this.velocityFilterWeight) * this._lastVelocity;
        newWidth = this._strokeWidth(velocity);
        this._drawCurve(curve, this._lastWidth, newWidth);
        this._lastVelocity = velocity;
        this._lastWidth = newWidth;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._drawPoint = function(x, y, size) {
        var ctx = this._ctx;
        ctx.moveTo(x, y);
        ctx.arc(x, y, size, 0, 2 * Math.PI, false);
        this._isEmpty = false;
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._drawMark = function(x, y, size) {
        var ctx = this._ctx;
        ctx.save();
        ctx.moveTo(x, y);
        ctx.arc(x, y, size, 0, 2 * Math.PI, false);
        ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.2)';
        ctx.fill();
        ctx.restore();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._drawCurve = function(curve, startWidth, endWidth) {
        var ctx = this._ctx,
            widthDelta = endWidth - startWidth,
            drawSteps, width, i, t, tt, ttt, u, uu, uuu, x, y;
        drawSteps = Math.floor(curve.length());
        ctx.beginPath();
        for (i = 0; i < drawSteps; i++) {           
            t = i / drawSteps;
            tt = t * t;
            ttt = tt * t;
            u = 1 - t;
            uu = u * u;
            uuu = uu * u;
            x = uuu * curve.startPoint.x;
            x += 3 * uu * t * curve.control1.x;
            x += 3 * u * tt * curve.control2.x;
            x += ttt * curve.endPoint.x;
            y = uuu * curve.startPoint.y;
            y += 3 * uu * t * curve.control1.y;
            y += 3 * u * tt * curve.control2.y;
            y += ttt * curve.endPoint.y;
            width = startWidth + ttt * widthDelta;
            this._drawPoint(x, y, width);
        }
        ctx.closePath();
        ctx.fill();
    };
    SignaturePad.prototype._strokeWidth = function(velocity) {
        return Math.max(this.maxWidth / (velocity + 1), this.minWidth);
    };
    var Point = function(x, y, time) {
        this.x = x;
        this.y = y;
        this.time = time || new Date().getTime();
    };
    Point.prototype.velocityFrom = function(start) {
        return (this.time !== start.time) ? this.distanceTo(start) / (this.time - start.time) : 1;
    };
    Point.prototype.distanceTo = function(start) {
        return Math.sqrt(Math.pow(this.x - start.x, 2) + Math.pow(this.y - start.y, 2));
    };
    var Bezier = function(startPoint, control1, control2, endPoint) {
        this.startPoint = startPoint;
        this.control1 = control1;
        this.control2 = control2;
        this.endPoint = endPoint;
    };
    Bezier.prototype.length = function() {
        var steps = 10,
            length = 0,
           i, t, cx, cy, px, py, xdiff, ydiff;
        for (i = 0; i <= steps; i++) {
            t = i / steps;
            cx = this._point(t, this.startPoint.x, this.control1.x, this.control2.x, this.endPoint.x);
            cy = this._point(t, this.startPoint.y, this.control1.y, this.control2.y, this.endPoint.y);
            if (i > 0) {
                xdiff = cx - px;
                ydiff = cy - py;
                length += Math.sqrt(xdiff * xdiff + ydiff * ydiff);
            }
            px = cx;
            py = cy;
        }
        return length;
    };
    Bezier.prototype._point = function(t, start, c1, c2, end) {
        return start * (1.0 - t) * (1.0 - t) * (1.0 - t) +
            3.0 * c1 * (1.0 - t) * (1.0 - t) * t +
            3.0 * c2 * (1.0 - t) * t * t +
            end * t * t * t;
    };
    return SignaturePad;
})(document);
var signaturePad = new SignaturePad(document.getElementById('signature-pad'), {
    backgroundColor: 'rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)',
    penColor: 'rgb(0, 0, 0)',
    velocityFilterWeight: .7,
    minWidth: 0.5,
    maxWidth: 2.5,
    throttle: 16, 
    minPointDistance: 3,
});
var clearButton = document.getElementById('clear');
clearButton.addEventListener('click', function(event) {
    signaturePad.clear();
});
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

Explanation:

In the above example, we have created a signature pad in HTML to draw signatures with the help of a mouse and a clear option to clear the signature pad.

Output:

Following is the output of this example: