Name

ST_Letters — Returns the input letters rendered as geometry with a default start position at the origin and default text height of 100.

Synopsis

geometry ST_Letters(text letters, json font);

Description

Uses a built-in font to render out a string as a multipolygon geometry. The default text height is 100.0, the distance from the bottom of a descender to the top of a capital. The default start position places the start of the baseline at the origin. Over-riding the font involves passing in a json map, with a character as the key, and base64 encoded TWKB for the font shape, with the fonts having a height of 1000 units from the bottom of the descenders to the tops of the capitals.

The text is generated at the origin by default, so to reposition and resize the text, first apply the ST_Scale function and then apply the ST_Translate function.

Availability: 3.3.0

Examples

Generating the word 'Yo'.

Code
SELECT ST_Letters('Yo');
Output
MULTIPOLYGON(((34.5 73.8,54 73.8,53.1 72.9,35.1 28.7,35.1 0.9,36 0,18 0,19 0.9,19 28.7,0.9 72.9,0 73.8,19.5 73.8,18.6 72.9,23 61.6,27 47.4,31.1 61.9,35.4 72.9,34.5 73.8)),((68.87 58,69.97 58,71.07 57.9,72.17 57.8,73.17 57.7,74.27 57.5,75.27 57.3,76.17 57.1,77.17 56.8,78.07 56.5,78.97 56.1,79.87 55.7,80.67 55.3,81.47 54.8,82.27 54.3,82.97 53.7,83.67 53.1,84.37 52.5,84.97 51.8,85.57 51.1,86.07 50.3,86.57 49.5,87.07 48.7,87.57 47.9,87.97 47,88.37 46.1,88.67 45.1,88.97 44.1,89.17 43.1,89.37 42.1,89.47 41,89.57 39.9,89.57 38.7,89.57 18.9,89.57 17.7,89.47 16.6,89.37 15.5,89.17 14.5,88.97 13.5,88.77 12.5,88.47 11.5,88.07 10.6,87.67 9.7,87.27 8.9,86.77 8.1,86.27 7.3,85.67 6.6,85.07 5.9,84.47 5.2,83.77 4.6,83.07 4,82.27 3.5,81.57 2.9,80.77 2.5,79.87 2,79.07 1.6,78.17 1.2,77.27 0.8,76.37 0.5,75.37 0.2,74.37 0,73.37 -0.2,72.27 -0.4,71.17 -0.5,70.07 -0.5,68.97 -0.5,67.87 -0.5,66.77 -0.4,65.67 -0.3,64.57 -0.2,63.57 0,62.57 0.2,61.57 0.5,60.57 0.8,59.67 1.1,58.77 1.5,57.87 1.9,57.07 2.4,56.27 2.9,55.47 3.4,54.77 3.9,54.07 4.5,53.37 5.1,52.77 5.8,52.17 6.5,51.67 7.2,51.17 8,50.67 8.8,50.17 9.7,49.77 10.6,49.37 11.5,49.07 12.5,48.77 13.5,48.57 14.5,48.37 15.6,48.27 16.7,48.17 17.8,48.17 18.9,48.17 38.7,48.17 39.9,48.27 41,48.37 42.1,48.57 43.1,48.77 44.1,48.97 45.1,49.27 46.1,49.67 47,50.07 47.9,50.47 48.7,50.97 49.5,51.47 50.3,52.07 51,52.67 51.7,53.27 52.4,53.97 53,54.67 53.6,55.47 54.1,56.17 54.6,57.07 55.1,57.87 55.6,58.77 56,59.67 56.4,60.57 56.7,61.57 57,62.47 57.3,63.47 57.5,64.57 57.7,65.57 57.8,66.67 57.9,67.77 58,68.87 58),(73.77 38.9,72.27 41.6,68.97 42.6,65.57 41.7,64.07 38.9,64.07 18.9,65.47 16.2,68.77 15.2,72.07 16.1,73.77 18.9,73.77 38.9)))
Figure
Geometry figure for visual-st-letters-01

Generating the word 'PostGIS'.

Code
SELECT ST_Letters('PostGIS') AS letters;
Output
MULTIPOLYGON(((43 39,43 38,42 37,42 36,42 35,42 34,42 33,42 32,41 31,41 30,40 29,40 28,39 28,39 27,38 26,38 26,37 25,36 24,36 24,35 24,34 23,33 23,33 22,32 22,31 22,30 21,29 21,28 21,27 21,26 20,25 20,24 20,23 20,17 20,17 1,18 0,0 0,1 1,1 73,0 74,23 74,24 74,25 74,26 74,27 74,28 73,29 73,30 73,31 73,32 72,33 72,33 72,34 72,35 71,36 70,36 70,37 69,38 69,38 68,39 67,39 67,40 66,40 65,41 64,41 64,42 63,42 62,42 61,42 60,42 58,42 57,43 56,43 55,43 39),(26 56,26 58,23 59,17 59,17 35,23 35,26 36,26 38,26 56)),((69 58,70 58,71 58,72 58,73 58,74 58,75 57,76 57,77 57,78 56,79 56,80 56,81 55,82 55,82 54,83 54,84 53,85 52,85 52,86 51,86 50,87 50,87 49,88 48,88 47,89 46,89 45,89 44,89 43,90 42,90 41,90 40,90 39,90 19,90 18,90 17,90 16,89 14,89 14,89 12,89 12,88 11,88 10,87 9,87 8,86 7,86 7,85 6,85 5,84 5,83 4,82 4,82 3,81 2,80 2,79 2,78 1,77 1,77 0,76 0,75 0,74 0,72 0,71 0,70 0,69 0,68 0,67 0,66 0,65 0,64 0,63 0,62 0,61 1,60 1,59 2,58 2,57 2,56 3,56 3,55 4,54 4,54 5,53 6,52 6,52 7,51 8,51 9,50 10,50 11,50 12,49 12,49 14,49 14,49 16,48 17,48 18,48 19,48 39,48 40,48 41,49 42,49 43,49 44,49 45,49 46,50 47,50 48,51 49,51 50,52 50,52 51,53 52,53 52,54 53,55 54,56 54,56 55,57 55,58 56,59 56,60 56,61 57,62 57,63 57,64 58,65 58,66 58,67 58,68 58,69 58),(74 39,72 42,69 43,66 42,64 39,64 19,66 16,69 15,72 16,74 19,74 39)),((111 38,112 37,112 37,113 37,113 37,114 36,115 36,116 36,116 36,117 35,118 35,119 34,120 34,121 33,121 33,122 32,123 32,124 31,125 30,126 30,126 29,127 28,128 27,128 27,129 26,129 25,130 24,130 23,131 22,131 21,131 20,131 18,131 17,131 16,131 15,131 14,130 12,130 11,130 10,129 9,129 8,128 8,128 7,127 6,127 5,126 5,126 4,125 3,124 3,124 2,123 2,122 1,121 1,120 1,120 0,119 0,118 0,117 0,116 0,115 0,114 0,113 0,112 0,111 0,110 0,110 0,109 0,108 0,107 0,106 0,105 0,104 0,103 0,102 1,101 1,100 1,99 2,97 2,96 3,95 3,94 4,99 19,99 19,100 18,100 18,100 18,101 18,101 18,102 18,102 18,103 17,103 17,104 17,104 17,105 17,105 17,106 16,106 16,107 16,107 16,108 16,108 16,109 16,110 16,110 16,111 16,111 16,112 15,112 15,113 15,113 15,113 15,114 15,114 15,115 16,115 16,115 17,115 17,115 18,115 18,115 19,115 19,115 20,114 20,114 20,113 20,113 20,113 20,112 20,112 21,111 21,111 21,110 21,109 22,109 22,108 22,108 22,107 23,107 23,106 24,106 24,105 24,104 24,104 25,103 25,103 26,102 26,102 26,101 27,101 28,100 28,100 28,99 29,99 30,98 30,98 31,98 31,97 32,97 33,97 33,96 34,96 35,96 35,96 36,96 37,96 38,96 38,95 39,95 40,95 41,96 42,96 43,96 43,96 44,96 45,96 45,96 46,97 47,97 47,97 48,97 48,97 49,98 49,98 50,98 50,99 51,99 51,99 52,100 52,100 52,100 53,101 53,101 53,101 54,101 54,102 54,102 54,102 55,103 55,103 55,103 55,104 56,105 56,106 56,106 57,107 57,108 57,109 58,110 58,111 58,112 58,113 58,114 58,115 58,116 58,117 58,118 58,118 58,119 58,120 58,121 57,122 57,123 57,123 57,124 56,125 56,126 56,126 56,127 56,127 55,128 55,128 55,129 55,129 55,123 40,123 40,122 40,122 40,122 40,122 40,121 40,121 40,121 41,120 41,120 41,119 41,119 41,119 41,118 41,118 41,118 41,117 41,117 41,117 42,116 42,116 42,115 42,115 42,115 42,114 42,114 42,114 42,113 42,113 42,113 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,112 42,111 42,111 42,111 41,111 41,111 41,111 41,111 41,111 40,111 40,111 40,111 40,111 40,111 40,111 39,111 39,111 39,111 39,111 39,111 38,111 38,111 38,111 38,111 38,111 38,111 38)),((161 15,166 15,167 16,167 -1,166 0,160 0,160 0,159 0,158 0,157 0,157 0,156 0,155 0,155 0,154 0,153 0,153 1,152 1,151 1,151 1,150 2,149 2,149 2,148 3,147 3,147 4,146 4,146 5,145 5,145 6,144 6,144 7,143 8,143 9,142 10,142 10,141 11,141 12,141 43,136 43,135 42,135 59,136 58,141 58,141 74,140 75,158 75,157 74,157 58,165 58,166 59,166 42,165 43,157 43,157 18,157 17,157 17,157 17,158 17,158 16,158 16,158 16,159 16,159 16,159 16,160 16,160 15,160 15,161 15,161 15,161 15)),((214 13,214 12,213 12,213 11,213 10,212 10,212 9,212 8,211 8,211 7,210 6,210 6,209 5,209 5,208 4,208 4,207 3,206 3,206 2,205 2,204 2,203 1,203 1,202 0,201 0,200 0,199 0,199 0,198 0,197 0,196 -1,195 -1,194 -1,193 -1,192 -1,190 0,189 0,188 0,187 0,186 0,185 1,184 1,183 1,182 2,182 2,181 3,180 3,179 4,178 4,178 5,177 6,176 6,176 7,175 8,175 9,175 10,174 10,174 11,174 12,173 13,173 14,173 15,173 16,173 18,173 19,173 54,173 56,173 56,173 57,173 58,173 59,173 60,173 61,174 62,174 63,174 64,174 64,175 65,175 66,176 67,176 68,177 68,177 69,178 70,179 70,179 71,180 71,181 72,182 72,183 72,184 73,185 73,186 73,187 74,188 74,189 74,190 74,192 74,210 74,210 58,192 58,191 58,191 58,191 58,190 58,190 58,190 58,190 57,189 57,189 57,189 56,189 56,189 56,189 56,189 55,189 55,189 54,189 19,189 19,189 18,189 18,189 18,189 17,189 17,189 17,190 17,190 16,190 16,191 16,191 16,191 16,192 15,192 15,193 15,193 15,193 15,194 15,194 15,195 15,195 15,196 15,196 15,196 15,197 15,197 15,198 16,198 16,198 16,199 16,199 16,199 32,193 32,193 46,214 46,214 13)),((236 73,236 1,237 0,219 0,220 1,220 73,219 74,237 74,236 73)),((264 45,265 45,266 44,266 44,267 44,268 43,269 43,270 42,271 42,272 42,273 41,274 40,274 40,275 39,276 39,277 38,277 38,278 37,279 36,279 35,280 35,280 34,281 33,281 32,282 31,282 30,283 29,283 28,283 27,283 26,284 25,284 24,284 22,283 21,283 20,283 20,283 19,283 18,283 17,283 16,283 15,282 15,282 14,282 13,282 13,281 12,281 11,281 11,280 10,280 10,280 9,279 9,279 8,279 8,278 7,278 7,278 6,277 6,277 6,276 5,276 5,276 5,275 4,275 4,275 4,274 3,273 3,272 2,271 2,270 1,269 1,268 1,267 0,266 0,264 0,263 0,262 0,261 0,260 0,259 0,258 0,257 0,256 0,255 0,253 0,252 0,251 1,250 1,249 2,248 2,247 2,246 3,245 3,244 4,243 4,242 4,242 5,246 21,247 20,248 20,248 20,249 20,250 19,251 19,251 19,252 18,253 18,254 18,255 18,255 17,256 17,257 17,258 17,259 17,259 16,260 16,261 16,262 16,262 17,263 17,264 17,264 17,265 17,265 18,266 18,266 19,267 19,267 20,267 21,267 22,267 22,267 23,267 23,267 24,267 24,267 24,267 25,266 25,266 26,265 26,265 26,264 27,264 27,263 28,262 28,261 28,261 29,260 29,259 30,258 30,258 30,257 31,256 31,255 32,254 32,253 33,253 33,252 34,251 34,250 35,249 36,248 36,248 37,247 38,246 39,246 39,245 40,244 41,244 42,244 43,243 44,243 45,243 46,242 47,242 49,242 50,242 51,242 53,242 55,242 56,242 58,243 60,243 61,244 62,245 64,246 65,247 66,248 67,249 68,250 69,251 70,252 71,253 72,255 72,256 73,258 73,259 74,261 74,262 74,264 74,265 74,267 74,269 74,270 74,272 73,274 73,275 73,277 72,279 72,280 71,275 56,275 57,274 57,274 57,273 57,273 57,272 57,271 58,271 58,270 58,269 58,269 58,268 58,267 58,267 58,266 58,265 58,265 58,264 58,263 58,263 58,262 58,262 58,261 57,260 57,260 56,260 56,259 56,259 55,258 54,258 54,258 53,258 52,258 52,258 51,258 51,258 50,258 50,259 49,259 48,259 48,260 48,260 47,261 47,262 46,262 46,263 46,263 45,264 45)))
Figure
Geometry figure for visual-st-letters-02

Scaling and moving words.

Code
WITH letters AS (
    SELECT ST_Letters('Yo') AS geom
)
SELECT geom AS input_letters,
       ST_Translate(ST_Scale(geom, 2, 2), 120, 0)
           AS scaled_letters
FROM letters;
Output
MULTIPOLYGON(((34 74,54 74,53 73,35 29,35 1,36 0,18 0,19 1,19 29,1 73,0 74,20 74,19 73,23 62,27 47,31 62,35 73,34 74)),((69 58,70 58,71 58,72 58,73 58,74 58,75 57,76 57,77 57,78 56,79 56,80 56,81 55,81 55,82 54,83 54,84 53,84 52,85 52,86 51,86 50,87 50,87 49,88 48,88 47,88 46,89 45,89 44,89 43,89 42,89 41,90 40,90 39,90 19,90 18,89 17,89 16,89 14,89 14,89 12,88 12,88 11,88 10,87 9,87 8,86 7,86 7,85 6,84 5,84 5,83 4,82 4,82 3,81 2,80 2,79 2,78 1,77 1,76 0,75 0,74 0,73 0,72 0,71 0,70 0,69 0,68 0,67 0,66 0,65 0,64 0,63 0,62 0,61 1,60 1,59 2,58 2,57 2,56 3,55 3,55 4,54 4,53 5,53 6,52 6,52 7,51 8,51 9,50 10,50 11,49 12,49 12,49 14,49 14,48 16,48 17,48 18,48 19,48 39,48 40,48 41,48 42,49 43,49 44,49 45,49 46,50 47,50 48,50 49,51 50,51 50,52 51,53 52,53 52,54 53,55 54,55 54,56 55,57 55,58 56,59 56,60 56,61 57,62 57,62 57,63 58,65 58,66 58,67 58,68 58,69 58),(74 39,72 42,69 43,66 42,64 39,64 19,65 16,69 15,72 16,74 19,74 39))) | MULTIPOLYGON(((189 148,228 148,226 146,190 57,190 2,192 0,156 0,158 2,158 57,122 146,120 148,159 148,157 146,166 123,174 95,182 124,191 146,189 148)),((258 116,260 116,262 116,264 116,266 115,269 115,271 115,272 114,274 114,276 113,278 112,280 111,281 111,283 110,285 109,286 107,287 106,289 105,290 104,291 102,292 101,293 99,294 97,295 96,296 94,297 92,297 90,298 88,298 86,299 84,299 82,299 80,299 77,299 38,299 35,299 33,299 31,298 29,298 27,298 25,297 23,296 21,295 19,295 18,294 16,293 15,291 13,290 12,289 10,288 9,286 8,285 7,283 6,282 5,280 4,278 3,276 2,275 2,273 1,271 0,269 0,267 0,265 -1,262 -1,260 -1,258 -1,256 -1,254 -1,251 -1,249 0,247 0,245 0,243 1,241 2,239 2,238 3,236 4,234 5,233 6,231 7,230 8,228 9,227 10,226 12,224 13,223 14,222 16,221 18,220 19,220 21,219 23,218 25,218 27,217 29,217 31,217 33,216 36,216 38,216 77,216 80,217 82,217 84,217 86,218 88,218 90,219 92,219 94,220 96,221 97,222 99,223 101,224 102,225 103,227 105,228 106,229 107,231 108,232 109,234 110,236 111,238 112,239 113,241 113,243 114,245 115,247 115,249 115,251 116,253 116,256 116,258 116),(268 78,265 83,258 85,251 83,248 78,248 38,251 32,258 30,264 32,268 38,268 78)))
Figure
Geometry figure for visual-st-letters-03