Leaflet and how avoid map panning on mouseout

A couple of days ago , a friend asked this simple question in a Spanish forum. The scenario is simple, you have a map and when dragging it you would like to stop the action when the mouse goes beyond the limits of the map, really beyond the div (or any other DOM element that) contains the map.

The first try anyone can try could be something like:

{% highlight javascript %} // create a map in the "map" div, set the view to a given place and zoom var map = L.map('map').setView([51.505, -0.09], 13);

// add an OpenStreetMap tile layer L.tileLayer('http://{s}.tile.osm.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: '© OpenStreetMap contributors' }).addTo(map);

// Register event to enable/disable dragging on mouse out. map.on('mouseout', function() { map.dragging.disable(); }); map.on('mouseover', function() { map.dragging.enable(); }); {% endhighlight %}

but that has no effect. (See here)

Now, remove the mouseover listener and try again:

{% highlight javascript %} // create a map and add the layer var map = ...

// Register event to enable/disable dragging on mouse out. map.on('mouseout', function() { map.dragging.disable(); }); {% endhighlight %}

surprisingly, when the mouse goes out the map the dragging action continues active and once you finish dragging the disable() method seems to take place and you can't drag the map again. (See here).

After some time looking at Leaflet source code (we aware I have done it for Leaflet 0.7.2) I found a possible solution but, first, let me do some explanation.

The L.Map class has attached hooks, like drag, or zoom actions, which provides the map with some behavior.

The L.Map.Drag class is responsible to control the dragging action. It has enable/disable methods and, more important, it uses internally a L.Draggable instance, which is responsible to detect and catch mouse events on the map. This way:

• the L.Draggable catches mouse events on  the map panel (also for mouse move),
• makes some process and triggers some new events that are catch by the L.Map.Drag instance
• the L.Map.Drag instance makes some process and triggers the know map events move and drag.

In addition, invoking L.Map.Drag.disable() implies a call to L.Draggable.disable() too but (I don't understand yet why), it seems not takes effect until you release the mouse button. The L.Draggable instance continues catching mouse event and informing L.Map.Drag.

All this say, a possible solution to stop the dragging action when the mouse goes out the map panel is to freeze the work of L.Draggable.

Please, note the next code violates almost all the [SOLID](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOLID_(object-oriented_design) principles, so don't fire me.

{% highlight javascript %} L.Draggable.prototype._freeze=false; L.Draggable.prototype._updatePosition= function () { if(this._freeze) { return; }

this.fire('predrag');
L.DomUtil.setPosition(this._element, this._newPos);
this.fire('drag');

}; {% endhighlight %}

The code adds a new _freeze property to the L.Draggable class and redefines the _updatePosition method to check the property.

Now, you can freeze the mouse dragging action as:

{% highlight javascript %} map.on('mouseout', function() { map.dragging._draggable._freeze=true; }); map.on('mouseover', function() { map.dragging._draggable._freeze=false; }); {% endhighlight %}

You can see it in action here.