Backstretch

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Backstretch
Backstretch is a simple jQuery plugin that allows you to add a dynamically-resized, slideshow-capable
background image to any page or element. The image will stretch to fit the page/element, and will automatically
resize as the window/element size changes.

Demo
There are a couple of examples included with this package, or feel free to check it out live on the project page
itself (http://srobbin.com/jquery-plugins/backstretch/).

Setup
Include the jQuery library (version 1.7 or newer) and Backstretch plugin files in your webpage (preferably at
the bottom of the page, before the closing BODY tag):
<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.8.3/jquery.min.js">
</script>
<script src="jquery.backstretch.min.js"></script>
<script>
// To attach Backstrech as the body's background
$.backstretch("path/to/image.jpg");
// You may also attach Backstretch to a block-level element
$(".foo").backstretch("path/to/image.jpg");
// Or, to start a slideshow, just pass in an array of images
$(".foo").backstretch([
"path/to/image.jpg",
"path/to/image2.jpg",
"path/to/image3.jpg"
], {duration: 4000});
</script>

Options
Name

Description

Type

Default

centeredX

The ratio of the width/height of the image doesn't always jive with
the width/height of the window. This parameter controls whether
or not we center the image on the X axis to account for the
discrepancy.

Boolean

true

centeredY

This parameter controls whether or not we center the image on the

Y axis to account for the aforementioned discrepancy.

Boolean

true

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Name

Description

Type

Default

fade

This is the speed at which the image will fade in. Integers in
milliseconds are accepted, as well as standard jQuery speed
strings (slow, normal, fast).

Integer or
String

duration

The amount of time in between slides, when using Backstretch as

a slideshow, expressed as the number of milliseconds.

Integer

5000

Slideshow API
Once you've instantiated a Backstretch slideshow, there are many actions that you can perform it:
// Start a slideshow
$('.foo').backstretch([
'path/to/image.jpg',
'path/to/image2.jpg',
'path/to/image3.jpg'
]);
// Pause the slideshow
$('.foo').backstretch("pause");
// Advance to the next slide
$('.foo').backstretch("next");
Method

Description

.backstretch("show", n)

Jump to the slide at a given index, where n is the number of the

image that you'd like to display. Slide number starts at 0.

.backstretch("prev")

Display the previous image in a slideshow.

.backstretch("next")

Advance to the next image in a slideshow.

.backstretch("pause")

Pause the slideshow.

.backstretch("resume")

Resume a paused slideshow.

.backstretch("destroy",
preserveBackground)

Destroy the Backstretch instance. Optionally, you can pass in a

Boolean parameter, preserveBackground, to determine whether or
not you'd like to keep the current image stretched as the
background image.

.backstretch("resize")

This method is called automatically when the container (window

or block-level element) is resized, however you can always call
this manually if needed.

Public Variables
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Sometimes, you'll want to access Backstretch's images after you've instantiated the plugin. For example,
perhaps you'd like to be able add more images to a slideshow. Doing so is easy. You can access the images array
as follows:
$('.foo').backstretch([
'path/to/image.jpg',
'path/to/image2.jpg',
'path/to/image3.jpg'
]);
// Access the instance
var instance = $('.foo').data('backstretch');
// Then, you can manipulate the images array directly
instance.images.push('path/to/image4.jpg')
Additionally, the current index of a slideshow is available through the instance as well:
$("body").data("backstretch").index;

Events
backstretch.before
Backstretch will fire a "backstretch.before" event before a new image loads, triggering a function that is passed
the event, Backstretch instance, and index of the image that will be displayed. If you listen for that event, you
can, for example, coordinate other changes to coincide with your slideshow.
$(window).on("backstretch.before", function (e, instance, index) {
// If we wanted to stop the slideshow after it reached the end
if (index === instance.images.length - 1) {
instance.pause();
};
});

backstretch.after
Backstretch will also fire a "backstretch.after" event after the new images has completed loading.
$(window).on("backstretch.after", function (e, instance, index) {
// Do something
});

Changelog

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Version 2.0
Now accepts an array of images to create a slideshow
Can attach Backstretch to any block-level element, not just the body
Deprecated "speed" option in favor of "fade" for fadeIn timing
Added "duration" option, and Slideshow API

Version 1.2
You can now called backstretch twice, and it will replace the existing image.

Version 1.1
Added 'centeredX' and 'centeredY' options.
Removed 'hideUntilReady' option. It looks pretty bad if you don't hide the image until it's fully loaded.
Fixed IE img onload bug.
Now supports iPhone/iPad orientation changes.

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