class QgsMapCanvasItem : QGraphicsItem
{
%TypeHeaderCode
#include <qgsmapcanvasitem.h>
%End
  
  protected:
    
    //! protected constructor: cannot be constructed directly
    QgsMapCanvasItem(QgsMapCanvas* mapCanvas /TransferThis/);

    virtual ~QgsMapCanvasItem();

    //! function to be implemented by derived classes
    virtual void paint(QPainter * painter) = 0;
    
    //! paint function called by map canvas
    virtual void paint(QPainter * painter,
                       const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem * option,
                       QWidget * widget = 0);
    
    //! schedules map canvas for repaint
    void updateCanvas();
    
    /**Sets render context parameters
    @param p painter for rendering
    @param context out: configured context
    @return true in case of success
    @note added in version 1.5*/
    bool setRenderContextVariables( QPainter* p, QgsRenderContext& context ) const;

  public:

    //! called on changed extent or resize event to update position of the item
    virtual void updatePosition();

    //! default implementation for canvas items
    virtual QRectF boundingRect() const;

    //! sets current offset, to be called from QgsMapCanvas
    void setPanningOffset(const QPoint& point);

    //! returns canvas item rectangle
    QgsRectangle rect() const;
    
    //! sets canvas item rectangle
    void setRect(const QgsRectangle& r);
    
    //! transformation from screen coordinates to map coordinates
    QgsPoint toMapCoordinates(const QPoint& point);
    
    //! transformation from map coordinates to screen coordinates
    QPointF toCanvasCoordinates(const QgsPoint& point);

};