New `directional_navigation_overrides` example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides #22405

kfc35 · 2026-01-06T21:32:11Z

Objective

Fixes bevy_input_focus: No example demonstrates how to use the DirectionalNavigationMap and automatic navigation together #22299

Solution

Creates a new example called directional_navigation_overrides (examples/ui/navigation/directional_navigation_overrides.rs) that demonstrates both auto navigation and manually defining edges via the DirectionalNavigationMap. The example uses the previous auto navigation example (now at examples/ui/navigation/directional_navigation.rs) as a base. It creates pages of AutoDirectionalNavigation buttons depicting different scenarioes where manual navigation is needed to create a desired experience.
Refactors the navigation examples like @it-me-joda into a subfolder. Renamed the examples to express their purpose, and removed the purely manual nav example since it is not useful anymore.

Testing

The example runs great cargo run --example directional_navigation_overrides. Screen recording attached.
The other example still runs via cargo run --example directional_navigation

Showcase

Screen Recording

Screen.Recording.2026-01-13.at.1.46.09.AM.mov

it-me-joda

I think that I personally would rather have each navigation mode in a separate example. Then maybe a third that demonstrates that you could combine them? This current state is overwhelming at first glance. I think I would have examples like:

ui/navigation/
    auto-navigation
    manual-navigation
    combined-navigation

But that's just my personal opinion. I'd be curious to see what others think about it.

alice-i-cecile · 2026-01-07T05:41:32Z

I agree with @it-me-joda here, with the emphasis in the third example focusing on how and why to use overrides.

examples/ui/navigation/combined_navigation.rs

…mments

kfc35 · 2026-01-13T07:17:32Z

I incorporated @viridia ’s scenario as the page 2 of buttons ,and I inverted vertical navigation in page 3 to demonstrate a whimsy override.

The updated screen recording (which is also available in the description) is here

Screen.Recording.2026-01-13.at.1.46.09.AM.mov

alice-i-cecile

Okay, this is starting to look good!

There's a few notes on pedagogical structure:

Automatic directional navigation should be the default for 99% of users; the example should be renamed to simply directional_navigation.
Now that it exists, the manual_navigation example is misleading: no one should be doing this. It should be removed completely.
The primary point of manual navigation is now for overriding edge cases produced by automatic directional navigation. The example name and module docs providing context should be reworked to reflect that; perhaps directional_navigation_overrides.rs?

The setup and content of the new example are quite nice though; I have no complaints there! Lots of boilerplate to set up the complex layout, but I'm happy with how clear it is.

kfc35 · 2026-01-13T21:26:20Z

@alice-i-cecile I agree with your structure notes and implemented them. directional_navigation_overrides.rs sounds fine if not long, but could not think of a better name

I also went over the comments in the modules and updated them to the best of my ability to make the recommended uses clearer and the interactions with each other clearer

I’m happy with the example now too :) feels comprehensive

alice-i-cecile

Much better! That's much clearer to users IMO.

BTW, you can doc-link your structs in the module docs of examples. This is mildly nice to do, because then they break when we rename things :)

it-me-joda

I really like the split. If there is any advanced use cases I think we could add more examples later but this looks good to me

ickshonpe · 2026-01-14T15:14:56Z

examples/ui/navigation/directional_navigation_overrides.rs

+        .insert_resource(AutoNavigationConfig {
+            // Require at least 10% overlap in perpendicular axis for cardinal directions
+            min_alignment_factor: 0.1,
+            // Don't connect nodes more than 200 pixels apart


We need to update the docs for this field, it should be specific about how the distance is measured.

Maybe could mention here that the distance is from closest edge to closest edge, not center to center.

ickshonpe

This is really nice now, I don't see any problems. Switching to multi page navigation was a great idea.

it-me-joda reviewed Jan 7, 2026

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alice-i-cecile added C-Examples An addition or correction to our examples A-UI Graphical user interfaces, styles, layouts, and widgets S-Needs-Review Needs reviewer attention (from anyone!) to move forward labels Jan 7, 2026

alice-i-cecile added S-Waiting-on-Author The author needs to make changes or address concerns before this can be merged and removed S-Needs-Review Needs reviewer attention (from anyone!) to move forward labels Jan 7, 2026

kfc35 marked this pull request as draft January 7, 2026 19:14

ickshonpe suggested changes Jan 7, 2026

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examples/ui/navigation/combined_navigation.rs Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

kfc35 force-pushed the 22299_auto_and_manual_dir_nav branch 3 times, most recently from 159b127 to fc1c24d Compare January 11, 2026 21:31

kfc35 added 9 commits January 11, 2026 22:59

docs: adds example combining auto and manual directional nav

45a49c1

style: fmts and docs: update README with new example

6603d48

refactor: renames and moves around navigation examples. edits some co…

5df493d

…mments

fix: update_focus_display only if changed

665f8b8

docs: updates combined example to use pages of buttons

c08a59f

docs: adds finishing ui touches to example

04223e2

docs: updates comments

0d5c210

style: clippy and rename example

c4f2d16

nit: use input_focus method

425a63b

kfc35 force-pushed the 22299_auto_and_manual_dir_nav branch from 8709d09 to 425a63b Compare January 12, 2026 04:04

kfc35 added 2 commits January 11, 2026 23:09

docs: remove KeyDisplay component from next/prev page

b418a3b

docs: nit rewording

26fde3e

kfc35 marked this pull request as ready for review January 12, 2026 04:13

kfc35 added 2 commits January 11, 2026 23:23

docs: refine the comments more

b25d7d6

style: fmt

41f9ac6

kfc35 changed the title ~~New navigation example combining auto and manual directional nav~~ New combined_navigation example combining auto and manual directional nav Jan 12, 2026

kfc35 added S-Needs-Review Needs reviewer attention (from anyone!) to move forward and removed S-Waiting-on-Author The author needs to make changes or address concerns before this can be merged labels Jan 12, 2026

style: add missing ; clippy

b769de6

alice-i-cecile requested changes Jan 13, 2026

View reviewed changes

refactor: renames examples to clarify intent, removes manual nav example

d6a8a4c

kfc35 added the C-Docs An addition or correction to our documentation label Jan 13, 2026

docs: comment pass on dir nav classes

f246aeb

kfc35 force-pushed the 22299_auto_and_manual_dir_nav branch from 39207ce to f246aeb Compare January 13, 2026 20:55

kfc35 requested a review from alice-i-cecile January 13, 2026 21:26

docs: fix names within examples themselves

093af72

kfc35 added S-Needs-Review Needs reviewer attention (from anyone!) to move forward and removed S-Waiting-on-Author The author needs to make changes or address concerns before this can be merged labels Jan 13, 2026

kfc35 changed the title ~~New combined_navigation example combining auto and manual directional nav~~ New directional_navigation_overrides example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides Jan 13, 2026

alice-i-cecile requested a review from it-me-joda January 14, 2026 04:20

alice-i-cecile approved these changes Jan 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

kfc35 added 2 commits January 13, 2026 23:34

docs: doc-link structs in examples

fb84a03

docs: clean up outdated comment

fa81147

it-me-joda approved these changes Jan 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

kfc35 added S-Ready-For-Final-Review This PR has been approved by the community. It's ready for a maintainer to consider merging it and removed S-Needs-Review Needs reviewer attention (from anyone!) to move forward labels Jan 14, 2026

ickshonpe reviewed Jan 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

ickshonpe approved these changes Jan 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

docs: note that search distance is btwn closest edges

12ca70a

alice-i-cecile added this pull request to the merge queue Jan 14, 2026

Merged via the queue into bevyengine:main with commit 76df45d Jan 14, 2026
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New `directional_navigation_overrides` example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides #22405

New `directional_navigation_overrides` example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides #22405

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New `directional_navigation_overrides` example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides #22405

New `directional_navigation_overrides` example combining auto dir nav w/ manual overrides #22405

kfc35 commented Jan 6, 2026 •

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