Class

Conversion (engine/conversion)

@ckeditor/ckeditor5-engine/src/conversion/conversion

class

A utility class that helps add converters to upcast and downcast dispatchers.

We recommend reading the editor conversion guide first to understand the core concepts of the conversion mechanisms.

An instance of the conversion manager is available in the editor.conversion property and by default has the following groups of dispatchers (i.e. directions of conversion):

  • downcast (editing and data downcasts)
  • editingDowncast
  • dataDowncast
  • upcast

One-way converters

To add a converter to a specific group, use the for() method:

// Add a converter to editing downcast and data downcast.
editor.conversion.for( 'downcast' ).elementToElement( config ) );

// Add a converter to the data pipepline only:
editor.conversion.for( 'dataDowncast' ).elementToElement( dataConversionConfig ) );

// And a slightly different one for the editing pipeline:
editor.conversion.for( 'editingDowncast' ).elementToElement( editingConversionConfig ) );

See for() method documentation to learn more about available conversion helpers and how to use your custom ones.

Two-way converters

Besides using one-way converters via the for() method, you can also use other methods available in this class to add two-way converters (upcast and downcast):

Filtering

Properties

Methods

  • constructor( downcastDispatchers, upcastDispatchers )

    Creates a new conversion instance.

    Parameters

    downcastDispatchers : DowncastDispatcher | Array.<DowncastDispatcher>
    upcastDispatchers : UpcastDispatcher | Array.<UpcastDispatcher>
  • addAlias( alias, dispatcher )

    Define an alias for registered dispatcher.

    const conversion = new Conversion(
    	[ dataDowncastDispatcher, editingDowncastDispatcher ],
    	upcastDispatcher
    );
    
    conversion.addAlias( 'dataDowncast', dataDowncastDispatcher );

    Parameters

    alias : String

    An alias of a dispatcher.

    dispatcher : DowncastDispatcher | UpcastDispatcher

    Dispatcher which should have an alias.

  • attributeToAttribute( definition = { definition.model, definition.view, [definition.upcastAlso] } )

    Sets up converters between the model and the view that convert a model attribute to a view attribute (and vice versa). For example, <imageBlock src='foo.jpg'></imageBlock> is converted to <img src='foo.jpg'></img> (the same attribute key and value). This type of converters is intended to be used with model element nodes. To convert the text attributes, the attributeToElement convertershould be set up.

    // A simple conversion from the `source` model attribute to the `src` view attribute (and vice versa).
    editor.conversion.attributeToAttribute( { model: 'source', view: 'src' } );
    
    // Attribute values are strictly specified.
    editor.conversion.attributeToAttribute( {
    	model: {
    		name: 'imageInline',
    		key: 'aside',
    		values: [ 'aside' ]
    	},
    	view: {
    		aside: {
    			name: 'img',
    			key: 'class',
    			value: [ 'aside', 'half-size' ]
    		}
    	}
    } );
    
    // Set the style attribute.
    editor.conversion.attributeToAttribute( {
    	model: {
    		name: 'imageInline',
    		key: 'aside',
    		values: [ 'aside' ]
    	},
    	view: {
    		aside: {
    			name: 'img',
    			key: 'style',
    			value: {
    				float: 'right',
    				width: '50%',
    				margin: '5px'
    			}
    		}
    	}
    } );
    
    // Conversion from and to a model attribute key whose value is an enum (`align=right|center`).
    // Use `upcastAlso` to define other view elements that should also be converted to the `align=right` attribute.
    editor.conversion.attributeToAttribute( {
    	model: {
    		key: 'align',
    		values: [ 'right', 'center' ]
    	},
    	view: {
    		right: {
    			key: 'class',
    			value: 'align-right'
    		},
    		center: {
    			key: 'class',
    			value: 'align-center'
    		}
    	},
    	upcastAlso: {
    		right: {
    			styles: {
    				'text-align': 'right'
    			}
    		},
    		center: {
    			styles: {
    				'text-align': 'center'
    			}
    		}
    	}
    } );
    

    The definition.model parameter specifies which model attribute should be converted from and to. It can be a { key, [ values ], [ name ] } object or a String, which will be treated like { key: definition.model }. The key property is the model attribute key to convert from and to. The values are the possible model attribute values. If the values parameter is not set, the model attribute value will be the same as the view attribute value. If name is set, the conversion will be set up only for model elements with the given name.

    The definition.view parameter specifies which view attribute should be converted from and to. It can be a { key, value, [ name ] } object or a String, which will be treated like { key: definition.view }. The key property is the view attribute key to convert from and to. The value is the view attribute value to convert from and to. If definition.value is not set, the view attribute value will be the same as the model attribute value. If key is 'class', value can be a String or an array of Strings. If key is 'style', value is an object with key-value pairs. In other cases, value is a String. If name is set, the conversion will be set up only for model elements with the given name. If definition.model.values is set, definition.view is an object that assigns values from definition.model.values to { key, value, [ name ] } objects.

    definition.upcastAlso specifies which other matching view elements should also be upcast to the given model configuration. If definition.model.values is set, definition.upcastAlso should be an object assigning values from definition.model.values to MatcherPatterns or arrays of MatcherPatterns.

    Note: definition.model and definition.view form should be mirrored, so the same types of parameters should be given in both parameters.

    Parameters

    definition : Object

    The converter definition.

    Properties
    definition.model : String | Object

    The model attribute to convert from and to.

    definition.view : String | Object

    The view attribute to convert from and to.

    [ definition.upcastAlso ] : MatcherPattern | Array.<MatcherPattern>

    Any view element matching definition.upcastAlso will also be converted to the given model attribute. definition.upcastAlso is used only if config.model.values is specified.

  • attributeToElement( definition )

    Sets up converters between the model and the view that convert a model attribute to a view element (and vice versa). For example, a model text node with "Foo" as data and the bold attribute will be turned to <strong>Foo</strong> in the view.

    // A simple conversion from the `bold=true` attribute to the `<strong>` view element (and vice versa).
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( { model: 'bold', view: 'strong' } );
    
    // Override other converters by specifying a converter definition with a higher priority.
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( { model: 'bold', view: 'b', converterPriority: 'high' } );
    
    // View specified as an object instead of a string.
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( {
    	model: 'bold',
    	view: {
    		name: 'span',
    		classes: 'bold'
    	}
    } );
    
    // Use `config.model.name` to define the conversion only from a given node type, `$text` in this case.
    // The same attribute on different elements may then be handled by a different converter.
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( {
    	model: {
    		key: 'textDecoration',
    		values: [ 'underline', 'lineThrough' ],
    		name: '$text'
    	},
    	view: {
    		underline: {
    			name: 'span',
    			styles: {
    				'text-decoration': 'underline'
    			}
    		},
    		lineThrough: {
    			name: 'span',
    			styles: {
    				'text-decoration': 'line-through'
    			}
    		}
    	}
    } );
    
    // Use `upcastAlso` to define other view elements that should also be converted to the `bold` attribute.
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( {
    	model: 'bold',
    	view: 'strong',
    	upcastAlso: [
    		'b',
    		{
    			name: 'span',
    			classes: 'bold'
    		},
    		{
    			name: 'span',
    			styles: {
    				'font-weight': 'bold'
    			}
    		},
    		viewElement => {
    			const fontWeight = viewElement.getStyle( 'font-weight' );
    
    			if ( viewElement.is( 'element', 'span' ) && fontWeight && /\d+/.test() && Number( fontWeight ) > 500 ) {
    				// Returned value can be an object with the matched properties.
    				// These properties will be "consumed" during the conversion.
    				// See `engine.view.Matcher~MatcherPattern` and `engine.view.Matcher#match` for more details.
    
    				return {
    					name: true,
    					styles: [ 'font-weight' ]
    				};
    			}
    		}
    	]
    } );
    
    // Conversion from and to a model attribute key whose value is an enum (`fontSize=big|small`).
    // `upcastAlso` set as callback enables a conversion of a wide range of different view elements.
    editor.conversion.attributeToElement( {
    	model: {
    		key: 'fontSize',
    		values: [ 'big', 'small' ]
    	},
    	view: {
    		big: {
    			name: 'span',
    			styles: {
    				'font-size': '1.2em'
    			}
    		},
    		small: {
    			name: 'span',
    			styles: {
    				'font-size': '0.8em'
    			}
    		}
    	},
    	upcastAlso: {
    		big: viewElement => {
    			const fontSize = viewElement.getStyle( 'font-size' );
    
    			if ( !fontSize ) {
    				return null;
    			}
    
    			const match = fontSize.match( /(\d+)\s*px/ );
    
    			if ( !match ) {
    				return null;
    			}
    
    			const size = Number( match[ 1 ] );
    
    			if ( viewElement.is( 'element', 'span' ) && size > 10 ) {
    				// Returned value can be an object with the matched properties.
    				// These properties will be "consumed" during the conversion.
    				// See `engine.view.Matcher~MatcherPattern` and `engine.view.Matcher#match` for more details.
    
    				return { name: true, styles: [ 'font-size' ] };
    			}
    
    			return null;
    		},
    		small: viewElement => {
    			const fontSize = viewElement.getStyle( 'font-size' );
    
    			if ( !fontSize ) {
    				return null;
    			}
    
    			const match = fontSize.match( /(\d+)\s*px/ );
    
    			if ( !match ) {
    				return null;
    			}
    
    			const size = Number( match[ 1 ] );
    
    			if ( viewElement.is( 'element', 'span' ) && size < 10 ) {
    				// Returned value can be an object with the matched properties.
    				// These properties will be "consumed" during the conversion.
    				// See `engine.view.Matcher~MatcherPattern` and `engine.view.Matcher#match` for more details.
    
    				return { name: true, styles: [ 'font-size' ] };
    			}
    
    			return null;
    		}
    	}
    } );
    

    The definition.model parameter specifies which model attribute should be converted from or to. It can be a { key, value } object describing the attribute key and value to convert or a String specifying just the attribute key (in such a case value is set to true). See ConverterDefinition to learn about other parameters.

    Parameters

    definition : ConverterDefinition

    The converter definition.

  • elementToElement( definition )

    Sets up converters between the model and the view that convert a model element to a view element (and vice versa). For example, the model <paragraph>Foo</paragraph> is turned into <p>Foo</p> in the view.

    // A simple conversion from the `paragraph` model element to the `<p>` view element (and vice versa).
    editor.conversion.elementToElement( { model: 'paragraph', view: 'p' } );
    
    // Override other converters by specifying a converter definition with a higher priority.
    editor.conversion.elementToElement( { model: 'paragraph', view: 'div', converterPriority: 'high' } );
    
    // View specified as an object instead of a string.
    editor.conversion.elementToElement( {
    	model: 'fancyParagraph',
    	view: {
    		name: 'p',
    		classes: 'fancy'
    	}
    } );
    
    // Use `upcastAlso` to define other view elements that should also be converted to a `paragraph` element.
    editor.conversion.elementToElement( {
    	model: 'paragraph',
    	view: 'p',
    	upcastAlso: [
    		'div',
    		{
    			// Any element with the `display: block` style.
    			styles: {
    				display: 'block'
    			}
    		}
    	]
    } );
    
    // `upcastAlso` set as callback enables a conversion of a wide range of different view elements.
    editor.conversion.elementToElement( {
    	model: 'heading',
    	view: 'h2',
    	// Convert "heading-like" paragraphs to headings.
    	upcastAlso: viewElement => {
    		const fontSize = viewElement.getStyle( 'font-size' );
    
    		if ( !fontSize ) {
    			return null;
    		}
    
    		const match = fontSize.match( /(\d+)\s*px/ );
    
    		if ( !match ) {
    			return null;
    		}
    
    		const size = Number( match[ 1 ] );
    
    		if ( size > 26 ) {
    			// Returned value can be an object with the matched properties.
    			// These properties will be "consumed" during the conversion.
    			// See `engine.view.Matcher~MatcherPattern` and `engine.view.Matcher#match` for more details.
    
    			return { name: true, styles: [ 'font-size' ] };
    		}
    
    		return null;
    	}
    } );
    

    definition.model is a String with a model element name to convert from or to. See ConverterDefinition to learn about other parameters.

    Parameters

    definition : ConverterDefinition

    The converter definition.

  • for( groupName ) → DowncastHelpers | UpcastHelpers

    Provides a chainable API to assign converters to a conversion dispatchers group.

    If the given group name has not been registered, the conversion-for-unknown-group error is thrown.

    You can use conversion helpers available directly in the for() chain or your custom ones via the add() method.

    Using built-in conversion helpers

    The for() chain comes with a set of conversion helpers which you can use like this:

    editor.conversion.for( 'downcast' )
    	.elementToElement( config1 )        // Adds an element-to-element downcast converter.
    	.attributeToElement( config2 );     // Adds an attribute-to-element downcast converter.
    
    editor.conversion.for( 'upcast' )
    	.elementToAttribute( config3 );     // Adds an element-to-attribute upcast converter.
    

    Refer to the documentation of built-in conversion helpers to learn about their configuration options.

    Using custom conversion helpers

    If you need to implement an atypical converter, you can do so by calling:

    editor.conversion.for( direction ).add( customHelper );
    

    The .add() method takes exactly one parameter, which is a function. This function should accept one parameter that is a dispatcher instance. The function should add an actual converter to the passed dispatcher instance.

    Example:

    editor.conversion.for( 'upcast' ).add( dispatcher => {
    	dispatcher.on( 'element:a',  ( evt, data, conversionApi ) => {
    		// Do something with a view <a> element.
    	} );
    } );
    

    Refer to the documentation of UpcastDispatcher and DowncastDispatcher to learn how to write custom converters.

    Parameters

    groupName : String

    The name of dispatchers group to add the converters to.

    Returns

    DowncastHelpers | UpcastHelpers
  • _createConversionHelpers( options = { options.name, options.dispatchers, options.isDowncast } )

    private

    Creates and caches conversion helpers for given dispatchers group.

    Parameters

    options : Object
    Properties
    options.name : String

    Group name.

    options.dispatchers : Array.<(DowncastDispatcher | UpcastDispatcher)>
    options.isDowncast : Boolean